Milford chronicle., 1904-05-13
Ca(m1age
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee, D. D.

creatures is the preachers theme, and
he pleads that man should value the
affection Of the dumb creation no less
than he should respect its rights, since
divine wisdom has placed it in his
care. The text is Deuteronomy XIV, L.
"ThOu shalt not muZzle the OK when
he treadeth out the corn"
This is the age Of machinery. This
is the time when man is not limited in
lis operations to the work of his two
hands. but with his little finger can
lift a lever which has the strength of
a thousand hands: when. instead of his
being content with seeing only such
things rs his eyes perceive. he calls TO
his aid the telescope and the microscope
that multiply his power Of vision Il
thousandfold. The old fashioned spin
ming wheel has been developed into the
mighty Belfast linen mills. The old
fashioned scythe has evoluted into the
swift moving machine which goes
singing through the harvest fields.
The old fashioned prairie schooner has
long since given place TO the tireless
velocity Of the lightning express, which
never stops by day or by night except.
like a thirsty monster, to take drink.
The old fashioned messenger, who on
horseback used to carry back to a
king the news Of battle won, has
been superseded by the telegraph wires
and the electric cables, which in almost
an instant can put continents within
speaking distance and have put the is
lands Of the seas in communication
with the mainland.
The patent Offices in Washington are
crowded with innumerable inventions
for the saving of labor and time. In
none of them. however. IS the contrast
between modern and ancient methods
so marked as we see it when the
mammoth -four mills Of Minneapolis
are compared with the custom referred
to In the text. In that great city of
the northwest not only is the grain al
most instantly changed into flour by
the best of modern machinery, but
practically not one grain is lost. Upon
the old fashioned thrashing floor every
thing was different There a team Of
oxen would be harncSSed to cOllec-
ton of boards nailed together. Then
these boards would be dragged over
the grain and the chaf would be bro
ken from the kernels Of wheat. Then
the winds would blow over the thrash
ing floor and separate the chaf from
the wheat.
wisdom of Moses.
Such were the thrashing floors Of the
ancients. Now, as Moses went in and
out of the country he saw great
many of these thrashing floors. Fur
thermore. he saw that among their
owners there were a great many mean
men in those days, as there are in our
own days. He saw that these mean
men nearly always first showed their
meanness to their beasts. They not
only overworked their oxen, but they
underfed them. Their meanness was
most emphatically demonstrated when
thrashlng. Fearing lest their hard
worked oxen might reach down ana
pick up from the thrashing floors
stray mouthful Of grain to eat, these
mean farmers would muZzle their
beasts so that the hungry animals
could see the food and yet not eat any.
Now, Moses says in a practical way:
"These men must be taught to be
merciful to their beasts. l have
made a law requiring them to obey
God and be just in their dealings with
their neighbors. Now l will make an
other law requiring them to be liberal
in their provision for the animals which
work for them" Then the great law
giyer of the Hebrews sits down and
writes these words Of my text: Thou
shalt not muzzle the OK when he tread
eth out the corn"
Noses was the first great statesman
that | know of who recognized the
rights of dumb animals. 1t is u sig
nificant fact that in this early code OF
laws he should have given legal rights
TO animals as well as to men and won
en-. 1t was u sound and righteous
course. and am glad to remember
that we. too. have not only laws to
prevent the i'll usage of animals. but
also in the Humane society an organ
ization TO see that those laws are en-
forced. want to show you this morn
ing why every Christian should be in
touch with that society and that its
principles should be applied TO all
classes ard all ages. There is no rea-
son why the admonition should be l.;l
itcd to the farmer The boy shcHid nA
taught to h good to his pet do-s an !
squirrels The Grayman should be com
PEELED to tighten the load If his horse
is too weak to draw it; the hackman
should be required to blanket his steed
shivering in the chill blasts Of winter
the sportsman should be prohibited
shooting the mother bird in nesting
tune. would try to show that the
Christ who was born amid the lowing
Of the cattle and the bleating OF the.
sheep and he neighing Of the horses
whinnylng for their oats. is today thu
friend and protector Of the dumb
brutes as well as Of our fellow men,
Cruelty DeErndes.