God has wisely formed
his nature so that it can be operated upon by the knowledge of man
according to the dictates of his will, and he might well be termed an
unconscious, submissive servant. This truth we can see verified in every
day's experience by the abuses practiced upon him. Any one who chooses to
be so cruel, can mount the noble steed and run him 'till he drops with
fatigue, or, as is often the case with more spirited, fall dead with the
rider. If he had the power to reason, would he not vault and pitch his
rider, rather than suffer him to run him to death? Or would he condescend
to carry at all the vain imposter, who, with but equal intellect, was
trying to impose on his equal rights and equally independent spirit? But
happily for us, he has no consciousness of imposition, no thought of
disobedience except by impulse caused by the violation of the law of
nature. Consequently when disobedient it is the fault of man.
Then, we can but come to the conclusion, that if a horse is not taken in a
way at variance with the law of his nature, he will do anything that he
fully comprehends without making any offer of resistance.
_Second._ The fact of the horse being unconscious of the amount of his
strength, can be proven to the satisfaction of any one. For instance, such
remarks as these are common, and perhaps familiar to your recollection.
One person says to another, "If that wild horse there was conscious of the
amount of his strength, his owner could have no business with him in that
vehicle; such light reins and harness, too; if he knew he could snap them
asunder in a minute and be as free as the air we breathe;" and, "that
horse yonder that is pawing and fretting to follow the company that is
fast leaving him, if he knew his strength he would not remain long
fastened to that hitching post so much against his will, by a strap that
would no more resist his powerful weight and strength, than a cotton
thread would bind a strong man.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25