Show I IThe The Law Lav and the Prophets We ire rC printing below I a remark remark- I abe abie bit of truth and wisdom from the pen of Mr Ir P A of Ot- Ot Ottava Ottawa a Canada Mr fr is 13 vell known as os an orn au author thoa- thoa and an naturalist and is LS evidently a keen student of human uman ruman nature as well sell He Hep H p points paints lOts out that game management as all an e essential in the early days day s of our race nice and that many funda- funda fundamental fundamental fundamental mental truths learned then hold toda today iTile The lawis law is is human but the Prophets are the mout mouthpiece of The 11 law attempts to apply appi the great fundamental principles of o duty to the varying and chan changing mg de- de details details tails of life Sometimes it does It ell cell sometimes po poorly rJ sometimes It reven even creates wrongs than those thoe it seeks to rectify At the best It is open to criticism and each one of oC us retains mental reservations as asto asto ato to how far he is to observe It it What min makes make he can unmake what hat one on onman man de decides ld another man can ques- ques question ques tion but the great under lying prin prin- prin principles principles of right fIght and wrong are funda funda- fundamental fundamental fundamental mental in m the nature of things md and whether spoken through an inspired on prophet by a deity or bv bs the deep silent voice of nature they cannot be questioned or evaded e the consequences eon con In the early days of our race when the organization of society was s weak and L fore formal lea law began man tha that t certain cerf-am ads acts brought their Ine inevitable consequences consequence Hunting at nt seasons when hen fish were Cre runn n ng or fishing when crops caps were ere ripening was followed ed by hungry times Other similar facts fact were not not- noted not noted ed Primitive minds are not always nh clear as to exact cause and effect nor accurate as to the n cna of cir cir- circumstances circumstances cir circumstances between een them but they soon notice nobce that those who observe certain rules are fortunate those who disregard them or follow I other rues rules are unfortunate The They I may know nothing of economy or ef- ef effic fic f-fic fie fic envy nod evl their rules of pro pro- procedure pro 1 pro procedure Their explanations explanations bons may be fantastic but the o out out- outline out outline ut- ut line of their facts is 15 often grImly true Thus and so brings good luckl luck and makes the governing spirits smile Otherwise Othe is followed by mis-I mis mis misfortune fortune when the guardian spirits withdraw their favor Thus grew grev up upa upa I a ritual system of customs taboo and rit- rit rit ritual ual to pla placate te the evil spirits and to propitiate the good toI I The majority of mankind then now no and ah aha always a s is thoughtless and lines h S for the day but in all c communities even the th smallest are arc leaders usual usually the elders eiders e ers whom om year hav have removed from youthful impulsiveness and greater wisdom and ess given gl balance of judgment These see far far- farther far i far farther andI I ther ahead d than the passing moment and endeavor for their own and the I general good to guide the tribe D by bythe the light of experience These The e I eriv I I seized upon the half framed half bel beliefs and superstitions des de eloped I th m end and formed them into a system of control Thus began the I supremacy supremacy I macy of mind over sinew and the early priesthood v was aas as born Much of the ritual bornI thus de eloped I referred to that s vital Ital ital necessity of primitive game life game It declared when hen cert certain kinds should be f follow follow- followed folio ollo-I ollo ed A-ed ed how hem by whom and what use uses should be followed follo cd how by whom horn and what hat use should be made of it what hat weapons should shoud be us used u d and whit methods method should be pursued Much of the detail cf cl th these e rather arbItrary rules was w undoubtedly j I ex extraneous ous and served no direct purpose other than to mystify y th the people to encourage the hunter I or to ad advance ance or strengthen then the pow pow- power pow power er of the tha th divining caste Many mis- mis mistakes mis-I mis mis mistakes takes v were w re undoubtedly made many wrongs committed and bloody scenes enacted in m the rites but on the hole ahole it was as a I t system of cut and try m In I I which vital mistakes were ere eliminate eliminated ed cd d and beneficial methods perpetuated ed Cd The test was as the general wel- wel welfare welfare wel welfare fare of the community The or guide that led to ultimate disaster was as discredited ahie those tho e who counselled more IU luckily or wisely had their influence increased UnconscIously Unconsciously Unconsciously probably but a system of or game management grew up that trained the hunter supplied the needs of the people and conserved conserved ed ld the resources es What it did not d di these things the community aid old no lon long survive survise Co The was as founded upon sity Leadership was aas as necessary but no lead leadership can really lead unless unlIt s It has the power to enforce its man man- mandates mandates dates Wisdom has not Dot always the strength to do this in primi- primi time time communities but when hen it s al als alas s as a prophet as the thc of a deity delty Its word oro cannot bo be gainsaid and It must be bo o obeyed ed Such control has this great advantage ad Human laws can cIn be waded evaded e de-d de if not most cunningly r worded and disobeyed with impunity if not efficiently enforced but there thenis IS no e wading evading of laws law'S of divine ori- ori rin Jn and the they are arc disobeyed ed only to toI I the t-c certain peril of the culprit A broken broken taboo automatically brings bangs Its it own t whether the deed be b known or unknown deliberate or In- In ad This is the secret of rule rul rulin in primitive unorganized socIety officers of law enforcement are ar lacking Thc Though ugh today we got away from the s supernatural J basis a simi simi simi- similar lar system follows g us still and in m inthe inthe the name of religion anda and a 8 of ethics rules mm many of our actions Beyond Bend formal law we se still tha phase thae e our taboos It is not law Jaw that is most po- po potent potent tent in keeping priests tru true to their confessional doctors to their Hypo Hypo- cratic oath or sportsmen to the rules of the game me but the great pressure of public opinion supplemented b by the inner ideals of worthiness that tradItion tradition tradition I tion has induced With the hunter particularly bar har the control of aw aw broken broJen dov down doan n Game regulations nw be end and are arc man many times broken with impunity The spirit of sportsmen- sportsmen snip cannot b bs be defined by law or enforced en- en enforced n- n forced d Unil Un its rules obtain the force Coree of taboos enforced by general public opinion and our OUT own con con- n we e e cannot hope that at ss will ill attain the force necessary to the continuance continuance con- con continuance of our game |