The Dog.
THERE is an old legend which tells us that when Adam and Eve were driven forth from the Garden of Eden for their disobedience, then the dog alone of all the animals followed them. I cannot tell you whether this is a true story, but it does seem as if God had made the dog to be man’s special friend and protector. From the huge St. Bernard, down to the tiny terrier, we find the dog faithful to his master. He may show his teeth and have angry growls for strangers, but for his master, nothing but affection and devotion.
I remember a story of a big, rough dog called Tartar, who belonged to a delicate little Loy. He would let the child pull him about or do anything he liked to him, and during his last illness, scarcely left him for a moment. One day little Arthur said to his mother, “Mamma, I shall soon be with Jesus now, in the beautiful home He has for me in heaven, and you and papa and my brothers and sister, though I know you will be sorry to have me go away, you will be comforted when you think how happy I am, but what will Tartar do, for he does not know about God and heaven?”
Well, a few days after this, little Arthur’s spirit did go to that bright home above; and what did the faithful dog do? He never left his little master’s body, and when it was laid in the ground, he would not leave the place, and a few days afterwards, the other children coming to look for him, found poor Tartar lying dead upon little Arthur’s grave. Dogs are not only faithful and affectionate but they are also very wise, and can be taught to do many things. I daresay you all know, or perhaps possess dogs, who can beg and do other tricks. I have heard of a dog who used to go to the Post Office, with a little basket in his mouth, and bring home the letters; and another dog would carry a cent, in his mouth, and buy himself a biscuit or cake. The big St. Bernard dog, who lives in Switzerland, has been taught to go and look for travelers, who have been lost in the snow, carrying warm rugs, and a little bottle of spirits on his back, and many lives have been saved in this way. The Newfoundland dog, too, has saved many people from drowning. The Shepherd dog, looks after his master’s sheep, knowing each one, and seeking diligently for them when lost. The Collie dog, will, if properly trained, go and fetch the cows home from any part of the farm. Indeed, nearly every dog has his own use, and is valuable to his master. And yet, strange to say, in one part of the world, dogs are hated and despised, and that is in the East. We never hear of Abraham, or Moses, or David owning a dog. In Palestine where they lived, no one had a good word for the poor animal. If the Jews wanted to speak with contempt of any one, they called him “a dog.” “Am I a dog?” the great giant, Goliath, asks David, and again in 2 Sam. 9:88And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? (2 Samuel 9:8), Mephibosheth says to David, “What is thy servant that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?” Owing to this feeling, the dogs of eastern towns are so unlike our dogs. They can hardly be recognized as belonging to the same species. As the traveler walks the streets, he finds all are alike— all gaunt, hungry, savage and cowardly—more like wolves than dogs. They prowl about the streets in great numbers, living as best they can on any scraps of food they may happen to find. They have no masters and no homes. Sometimes kindly people will feed them, but no one will ever make companions of them, and yet they are very grateful and affectionate and easily trained, if any one shows them kindness.
When the Lord Jesus was here, walking up and down in the cities and villages of Palestine, we find the Jews still looking with disgust and loathing upon the dog. When He told them the parable in Luke 16, of the rich man, and Lazarus the beggar, who lay at his gate, He adds, “Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores,” as showing a state of the greatest misery, and in Matt. 7, the Lord says, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs.”
The Jews in their pride looked upon the outside nations as only dogs, but in Matt. 15, we read how a poor Gentile woman was willing to take even that place, in her humility. She had a very sick child, and in her distress and anxiety, she heard of One, who, in the land of Israel, was healing all who came to Him; of every sickness. Oh, she thought, if only I could bring my sick one to Him. Presently her opportunity came. Jesus was passing by, near to her home, and she could not let the chance slip. She came to Him, crying out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David. But Jesus did not answer a word. How was this. Had He no pity for this poor, sorrowful woman? Yes, indeed, His heart was full of love and pity, but this poor Gentile woman must learn her true place. She had no claim upon Jesus, as the Messiah, the Son of David, for she did not belong to the house of Israel. Finding she can get no answer, she falls down before Him. “Lord,” she cries, “help me.” But he answered and said, “it is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs.” The children, you see, were the Jews, to whom Jesus had come, and the “dogs” were the Gentiles around them.
Was this woman angry at being called a dog? No! indeed, she was too humble, and too such in earliest to mind that.
She answered, “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs cat of the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.” She was sure there was a crumb of mercy to fall for her from that loving heart, and that all powerful hand. And she made no mistake. Jesus exclaims, “O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” Do we not see in this how greatly the Lord values our faith. He likes us to have such confidence in Him as this woman had, which was not shaken even when it appeared as if her request was to be refused. He has told us Himself, “If ye have faith and doubt not, . . . ye shall say unto this mountain, He thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, and it shall be done. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive.” Matt. 21:21, 2221Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:21‑22).
ML 11/07/1909