Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-02-05
From "Our Dumb Animals"
THE HORSE.
A Sermon by Rev. DR.. C. A. BartOl


a singularly human stomach and
heart. The scale of animal life, rising
from substance Uniformed, branches
one side into the horse with a beauty
swiftness, and grace worthy of n God
to make. My young kinsman so
grows or freezes to a horse, is twin
with him, that he has won thirty
races in China by his skill beyond all
rivals to blend the power Of body and
soul. Not the lion, elephant, eagle,
but the horse, is the true king of
beasts. No fondness for the dog, no
intimacy of the teamster with the OK,
no dependence on the COW for whole.
some and delicious articles of food no
petting of parrots and canaries, or of
lambs, fawns, and gaZelles, no curiosi-
ty about the far famed monkey (our
supposed ancestor), and no childish
admiration of leopards and tigers in
the caravan of wild beasts, would alto
gether mount to the price of the horse.
The camel is fitted with his capacious
stomach and spongy foot to be useful
in the desert; but the horse is part of
the commerce, society, and civiliZa-
ton of the world. If man have an
angel in him on one side, reaching a
heavenly rank. on the other, in every
limb, muscle, nerve lobe, gangliOn,
Of his structure, he belongs to the
animal kingdom. Every beast is his
poor relation; and the discovery of
modern science has enlarged his SYM
pathy and duty.
The Hebrews had to have a law
against "muZZliDg the OK that tread
eth out the corn" and ought, as he
lowers his head to the threshing-fiOor,
where his feet are the fail, to have
some of tito eat; and Paul strangely
implies this was done for the sake of
men, asking, "DOth God care for
oxen ?" I answer, Yes indeed BE
ware of dogs" says the apostle, mean
ing this as a figure of men who would
bite. But have known dogs after
whose genLieness, teachableness,l love,
patience. gratitude, fidelity, rever-
enee, and respect, men might well
take pattern, and some men should
be shamed by.
No relation of animal and man p
Jesus Is Shepherd of the sheep, him
self ''the Lamb slain from the fOun-
dation of the world" he sits on the
foaf of an ass to ride in triumph amid
songs and hosannas to Jerusalem, and
says, mot a sparrow falleth to the
ground without your Father" as tho
God fell with it a series of pictures
defying art worthily to paint. But
neither Judaism nor the first letter of
Christianity recognized in these in
feriOr types our fellolC-creatures, or
taught the humanity to them which
Is but the logical conclusion of the
naturalist's study; so that now we
have leagues and legislation to protect
them. They, as well a= poor negrnes
and oppressed women, are found to
have rights we are bound to respect (;
and Mr.. Bergh can stop the overload
ed ears in New York, and make the
passengers walk rather than let the
beasts be cruelty urged.
THE REASON.
But vhy was the hand of the Lord
upon the horses in Egypt, in that old
disease of murrian, which curiOusly
means q catarrh, just such as has
come again ? and wherefore Is 1t on
them once more in greater scale and
in perhaps more marked manner,
than ever before since that ancient
time, three thousand years ago This
providential emphasis of disorder and
pain has some lesson, could we find
it out; certainly 1t calls our attention
does it point to our sin?
Health seems the general law of the
lower tribes. / remember my i'm
preston from my elders of all ami
mails being well; but it is notable that
malady appears most in the particu-
L. IL i'll erA
with he has his own ails, while
there is profession of farrier or vet
erinary surgeon for their cure. But
whence the cause, or what the moral,
of the plague that strikes the equine
race through a continent, and runs to
Great Britain, across the sea, beyond
all parallel of pestilence as aspurely
human infliction Were the race of
men and women we belong to so
touched, with no superiors to care for
US, how tie earth would be lazar-
house of corruption, one Golgotha of
death -
In the present age is such grace, the
horses are more or less cared for. Is
the epidemic, then, mere chance, the !
course of blind nature, an arbitrary
stroke of God, or subject of our re- |
sponsibility? Somewhat surely il is |
the last; for it is not the Wild but eul- |
tivated quadruped that is i'll, the COM
panion of man, sharer of his habits, |
temper, pursuits, and tastes. "If one |
member suffer, all the members suffer |
with it.n We feel the truth of this |
figure for the,community; but to what /
do we admit the horse |
Yet he is q living member of our vital /
We cannot shake him off 1
more than we could feature of our
own body. We are confessedly ae-
for any sore or infirmity in 4
any part of our physical system. We
ask what error in our general custom,
or sin of our forefathers, does it hint?
By what new virtue of purity and |
is it to be cured? Well,
this horse-affection is one of 1.-The ills
that flesh is heir to-" This local
trouble is the strike of the horse giving
put under the weight of the man, the
index of some general mistake OF
overdriving, over or un.
der feeding, foolish clipping, i'll hous-
ing or grooming, needless squirting,
Dr. the unmerciful lash. No animal,
20 much as the horse, is partner, in
neriter, residuary legatee, Of human
virtue, also of human follies, ambi-
icns, and crimes.
THE MISTAKES.
To breed and train the horse into
unnatural bulk to drag
huge burdens, or into speed beyond
Arab courses flor a few minutes out
stripping the loeomotive), of twenty
i've miles an hour; to shout and
wear at, tWitch and kick him. till he
almost always filings away his head
when approached. as to avoid to blow;
o whip him into froth and foam, and
- a,tonIxy rvota and feed him in his