mysterious permission to sacrifice their life in order to sustain his own, is connected with grave responsibilities. The Almighty has been pleased to proclaim his property in "the cattle upon a thousand hills." They are as much his workmanship as the sages, statesmen, and heroes whose reputation fills the historic page. He "careth for oxen," is the announcement of his word; and hence the precept was given to the Jews, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn." The command involves and authoritatively enjoins the principle of the humane treatment in general of the brute creation. In a special manner are the domesticated races entitled to it, as the only compensation we can offer them for the services they render us, in bearing our burdens, supplying our tables, and furnishing the materials of raiment. Self-interest, without any higher consideration, will generally lead the owners of live stock to protect them from cruel usage, as deteriorating their value; but those to whom the temporary command of animals is entrusted require to be restrained from venting ill humour upon them, and indulging in reckless haste to their hurt. Railways, by bringing up to the London market cattle and sheep from the country, have largely abated animal suffering; but the entire suppression of slaughtering in the metropolis is imperatively required by the interests of humanity, the welfare of society, and the laws of civilization. "Distinguish'd much by reason, and still more From creatures that exist but for our sake, Superior as we are, they yet depend Not more on human help than we on theirs.” Our ancestors, with a wisdom which has not descended to their posterity, made it penal to slaughter cattle within the walls of London; and the "right of market" charter, granted to the corporation by Charles I., empowered them only to hold one in "the field, called West Smithfield, in the suburbs." With that obstinate adherence to all ancient observances, irrespective of altered circumstances, which characterizes minds behind the spirit of the age, this ground was pertinaciously held for the sale of live-stock long after it was in the very heart of the capital, instead of being suburban. Though in recent years, after much opposition to public opinion, the spirit of the charter has been complied with, by the removal of the Metropolitan cattle-market to a locality in the suburbs, yet the evil remains unredressed, of the animals, after sale, while panting for water, and bewildered by strange treatment, being driven to the last scene of their misery through crowded streets, to be slaughtered in the city. The houses, or rather dens, in which they are dispatched, are generally in the most inconvenient situations; and those for sheep are very often cellars underneath the butchers' shops. The access to these is by steps, over which a board is occasionally placed, to act as an inclined plane for the animals to slide down. More frequently the summary process is adopted of hurling them into the cellars, where, injured by the fall, they lie waiting their turn to be slaughtered. Not many weeks ago this barbarous practice was observed in one of our genteeler thoroughfares. "They manage these things better in France," is a proverb applicable to many arrangements,—but to none more so than to the establishments at the outskirts of large towns, where animals are slaughtered for supplying the inhabitants with meat, called abattoirs, from the French verb abattre, to fell; or knock down. Napoleon 1. at the height of his power, in the face of violent opposition, by decree dated the 9th of February, 1810, ordered five abattoirs to be erected in the neighbourhood of Paris, at the expense of the city, under the direction of a commission of architects and engineers. After the plans were prepared, eight years were occupied in carrying them into operation; and they were opened for public use in the year 1818. By this arrangement the city is freed from a disgusting and ever dangerous occupation; inspectors can readily ascertain whether the animals are in a healthy state; and all refuse matters are easily collected for supplying the various trades dependent upon them. The system brings in a revenue to the municipality after paying all expenses; it is more economical also for the butchers themselves than the old method; and by insisting upon habits of neatness and order, the slaughterers have become an improved class. Humane and sanitary considerations render it highly desirable that London and the principal towns of Great Britain should be similarly provided. Herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, whether feeding in verdant meadows, or cropping the short grass of downs, moors, and mountain sides, give a charm to the landscape which all are able to appreciate, and few can define. But the latter have an interest, peculiar and popular, wholly apart from their inoffensiveness such as and utility, which belongs to no other members of the brute creation. This arises from various causes, the association of the animal with the first human family, its frequent connexion with patriarchal life, the beautiful illustrations drawn from pastoral scenes in the poetry of all nations, the sacred use made of sheep and shepherds in the volume of Inspiration, and more especially the selection of a lamb for sacrificial purposes, as a designed typical representation of Him who offered himself upon the cross, a sacrifice "for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." The young of the sheep was consecrated to this office in the household of the founder of our race, when Abel "brought of the firstlings of Kis flock," in obedience doubtless to Divine direction, and "by faith offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain," who merely "brought of the fruit of the ground." In harmony with the figurative expiatory offering, afterwards so solemnly ordained by express laws from heaven, our blessed Lord and Saviour is spoken of as the "Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world," and the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;" while the church in the heavenly places, redeemed by his blood, purified by his grace, and glorified by his power, is represented as uniting in the triumphant thanksgiving, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." "O Lamb of God! thy precious blood Shall never lose its power, Till all the ransom'd church of God Be saved, to sin no more." It remains for every man to take heed, lest being an enemy to the cross of Christ, he makes himself a castaway, and has part with those who will say "to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand ? "* * Revelation vi. 16, 17. |