The Bull Ox | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 22, 1871

The Bull Ox.

It is a common notion that oxen are rather stupid animals. But the Gloucester Advertiser tells of an old ox which belongs to the Granite Company down there, which certainly is not a very dull animal, and should be classed with the horses, and even the dogs, for sagacity and reasoning faculties. It is the occasion that develops the man and so clearly it is with animals. It seems that of a yoke of old oxen which had long borne the heat and burden of the Granite Company’s work, one had become too lame for further usefulness; and in consideration of past faithful services, the twain were made emeritus oxen of the company which they had so long served, and were turned out to grass. A few days since, the lame ox was seen limping toward the blacksmith’s shop, where he had been often shod, and, making his way into the shop, he took his place in the shoeing frame, and held up his crippled foot to the curious smith, who watched his singular movements. As this, though passing strange, was very intelligible language to the blacksmith, he examined the foot, and to his great satisfaction and the joy of the animal, discovered the secret of the lameness and the significance of the animal’s intelligent actions. A stone had got crowded under the shoe, and pressed on the foot in a way to produce the lameness. The stone was removed, and the animal sent away, no doubt rejoicing in his ox heart that there was at least one man who could understand the ox language sufficiently to relieve his sufferings.

Philosophers may call this instinct, or what they will; we call it reasoning—good, clear, satisfactory, syllogistic reasoning—from cause to effect—from premise to conclusion.—Boston Traveler.