The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-02-19
Piety In Animals.

Proofs of sagacity involving what
would seem processes of Judgment, in
ference and generalization fairly equal to
those of the average man, have been
made familiar 10 us by the reports of
naturahsts without number, if not by
opportunities Of personal observation.
OF what requirements animals of all
sorts are capable, under mans skillful
and patient tuition, all mist be fairly
convinced. To this culture of the INTEL
lect and the emotions we are taught by
DIR. Lindsay to snperadd the develop
ment of Lhe religious feeling in animals,
whether In the form of natural piety or
of q kind of animal KWlturkanapf. Not
only does the dog, for instance, worship
his master and learn from his example
to display decorum in kirk or chapel,
but, in common with many another
species outside the pale of humanity, he
is capable of religious feeling and action
of a direct and spontaneous character.
The seemly behavior of the Scottish
collie in kirk is cospicuous among the
attributes which have given that saga
cious quadruped its high and well earned
reputation.
Nor is devotional decorum, all impair
tial critics of animals will learn with
pleasure, confined to single class of
theological opinion. ''In France, q.
Catholic country, on the contrary, dogs
attend prayer or mass with their mas
tiers, exhibiting in the grand cathedrals
of that beautiful land q becoming be-
havior, including gravity of look and de-
meanor, silence, and motionlessness, an
attitude of apparent attention or intent
ness, and probable feeling of awe, pro
duced, it may be, by the dim religious
light of such edifices, or by the varied
impressive sights and sounds that envi-
ron them'-a kind of conduct, in short,
only too instructive or suggestive to ir-
reverent man. Nay, q more emphatic
lesson still is taught by his canine COM
panion to many lax Roman Catholic,
since we are taught, on the authority of
f" Southey'' (whatever that may beg,
that Sin Catholic countries church-going
dogs have been led to the stage of fast
ing"
Nor are dogs the only animals that
may claim occasionally to be pious.
:" While collies regularly attend church,
they can not be said, as rule, to take
any active or intelligent part in the serv-
ice; but in the case of the parrot, which
is not usually allowed to attend church,
the bird not unfrequently takes prom
inent and certainly intelligent part in
the private worship of its masters
household. Such parrots, for instance,
make responses at the proper time-an
exercise that implies good deal more
than mere memory, mere attention to
the service. They have been taught,
moreover, or they have learned, to re-
peat mans creeds, to recite prayers,
and even, or otherwise in a certain
sense, to act as domestic chaplains-as
substitutes, in other words, for man HIM
self. As in SO many other cases, the
behaviOr-nay, the very speech-the
remarks or conversation of the bird, are
suitable to place, time and other circum-
stances. Thus a certain English bishops
parrot is Cor was) in the habit of saying
sometimes quite devoutly and with
becoming solemnity, at other times
sarcastically or ironically, but in either
case at proper seasons and appropriately
to the circumstances-"L Let us pray'
OF another we are told that it " could
sing-in correct time and measure
There is a happy land. '"-Lo'sdon
Saturday ReUteaO.