WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER by Fannie Birdsall

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Sep 21, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 37.

WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER.

By Fannie Birdsall

Caught 'mid some mother work, Torn by a hunter Turk, Just for your hat! Plenty of mother heart yet in the world; All the more wings to tear carefully twirled; WOMEN want that. O, but the shame of it, O, but the blame of it, Price of a hat! Just for a jauntiness brightening the street, This is your halo, O face so sweet, DEATH; and for that!

—Wm. C. Gannet.

One London dealer in birds received a single consignment of 32,000 dead humming birds, 80,000 aquatic birds, and 800,000 pair of wings! But ladies will permit the slaughter rather than be out of fashion.

WHO can read the above without commenting in plain words. The minister who has nothing to say against this wholesale slaughter to satisfy the pride of the sinful heart is sadly in need of help from God; and what can we say about those who sanction it by wearing the plumage?

Hear what the Lord says, "The daughter of My people is become cruel." Lam. 4:3. Is not this true? Pride is heartless and cruel indeed.

At the world's fair in Chicago a piece of lace was exhibited which belonged to an oriental queen. It was made by a woman especially for her. Afterward the proud hearted queen had the woman's right hand cut off so she could never make the same kind of lace for any other person. You think that this was heartless indeed, but think of the pangs and bloodshed of the slaughtered innocent birds, because of pride.

Repent of this sin of your heart, and God will save you from the desire to follow the world's fashions, and "set your affection on things above, and not on things on the earth."

—Fannie Birdsall.