even as a
mere money-making power, to leave alone other misapplications of it, is
a feature which is taking hold, so to say, of certain sections of the
public who do not realise a higher platform in these things. It is
deplorable that it should be so, but it is in the nature of things
unavoidable. You have a power which can be used affirmatively, and which
can be used negatively, which can be used for higher purposes, and can
be used for lower purposes, and consequently you will find numbers of
people who, as soon as they get hold of it, will at once think only of
the lower purposes, not of the higher.

In support of what I say--although this is by no means, I suppose,
intended as a low application, probably it is intended as a high
application, but I cannot say I agree with it--but to show you that I
am talking from actual facts I will read you a note which I have made
from the _Daily Mail_, of the 20th January, that I daresay some of you
may have seen. It is an article headed "Killing by Prayer," and the
article goes on to say that a certain circular has been sent round to
the different hospitals and other places where the study of vivisection
goes forward to this effect. In this circular, signed with the letters
"M. C.," the writer says that he accidentally heard of a person who was
in the habit of praying from time to time for the death of one of our
leading vivisectors and that always the man indicated died. That is what
M. C. heard by chance during conversation at a hotel dinner. Then
thinking over this, M. C. goes on to say that he (or she) tried praying
that the man most likely to cause suffering to innocent subjects by his
experiments might be removed, and the consequence was that about a
fortnight later one of our most distinguished medical scientists died.

I do not know who the scientist in question was; I daresay some of you
may be aware of the name. However, that is what the _Daily Mail_ tells
us, and it also states that the Anti-Vivisection Societies were
unanimous in condemning this circular, and very properly so. Now you see
the sender of that circular, whoever he was, obviously thought he was
doing a very good piece of work. I myself am by no means any friend of
vivisection. I do not think any one can have a real knowledge of the
truth and remain in touch with it, but I certainly agreed with the
Anti-Vivisection Societies in condemning such a circular as that. You
see there is the assumption that pra