How Did You Encourage Them To Be Kind To Animals?

Dear Children, Edson and Willie:

I will tell you what I saw in the street coming to this place. A boy was abusing a dog. He was a small boy, but I thought, That child is educating himself in cruelty. I thought how my heart would ache if one of you should do as he was doing. I passed along another street, and a well-dressed man, who appeared like a gentleman, was driving a fine horse. The wind blew a piece of paper under the horse’s feet, and he started and jumped to one side. That was all, but the man who appeared to be a gentleman whipped the horse cruelly.LASW 55.4

He was not satisfied with this. He became more and more excited until he was worked up into a rage. He jumped from the carriage and seized the bit and jerked the horse’s head back and then kicked the horse several times with his heavy boot.LASW 56.1

I thought probably that man began his acts of cruelty as did the little boy—upon small animals. He acted the tyrant over God’s helpless creatures until the temper and spirit were educated to cruelty. That man could not be a patient, kind, affectionate father. He was cultivating traits of character which would cause others sorrow and make himself miserable.LASW 56.2

A man cannot be a Christian and allow his temper to fire up at any little accident or annoyance that he may meet, and show that Satan is in him in the place of Jesus Christ. The passionate belaboring of animals or the disposition to show he is master is often exhibited toward God’s creatures in the streets. This is venting their own anger or impatience upon helpless objects which show they are superior to their masters. They bear all without retaliation. Children, be kind to dumb animals. Never cause them pain unnecessarily. Educate yourselves to habits of kindness. Then it will become habitual. I will send you a clipping from a paper and you can decide for yourselves if some dumb beasts are not superior to some men who have allowed themselves to become brutish by their cruel course of action to dumb animals. ^{8Letter 26, 1868.}LASW 57.1