THE number of visitors to the gardens of the London Zoological Society is an indication of the general interest taken in the animal creation, while any one standing for a short time at the turnstile cannot fail to notice the large proportion of juveniles that enters. In walking round and seeing the different animals in captivity, far from their native haunts, with relatively no freedom, a vivid contrast is suggested by recalling the first garden, where perfect freedom was enjoyed by every creature, with a man set in the position of superiority. The simple yet majestic language of scripture clearly indicates the position: "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth." (Gen. 1:2626And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26).)
If man was given this high station, it is indeed a chastening thought that Satan used the medium of an animal to compass the downfall of man, and to instill doubts as to the wisdom and goodness of his Maker into the mind of the creature. "The serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:11Now the serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1).) Never more than at the present day is the great enemy of man endeavoring by the repetition of this same question, "Hath God said?" to pave the way for infidel thoughts. May each of us be able to answer the question by quoting from the Bible: "God... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." (Heb. 1:1, 21God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1‑2).)
Surely as we look at the serpents in the reptile house, and experience a feeling of repugnance, we would do well to remember that according to legend this reptile was once one of the very fairest and most beautiful denizens of a wonderful world. This was probably in the mind of our great English poet Milton, when in his "Paradise Lost" he gives the following description of the serpent in the garden of Eden: "Pleasing was his shape, and lovely.”
If the animals of the Bible can teach us some homely lessons—applicable to old and young alike, yet simple enough for a child to follow—this little book will not have been written in vain.