Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-11-18
Enrth's Chnngcs.

decorate.
Enrth's Changes.
The changes Of the inanlmate earth
only sylnbolize the moral changes. So
ciety ever becomes different for better
or worse. Boundary lines between ma
lions are settled until the next war I'M
settles them. Uncertainty strikes
through laws and customs and legisla-
ton. The characteristic of this world
Is that nothing in it is settled. AT Il
time when we hoped that the arbitra-
ton planned last summer at The
Hague, Holland, would forever sheathe
the sword aud spike the gun and dis
mantle the fortress the world has on
hand two wars which are digging
graves for the flower Of English and
American soldiery From the presence
of such geological and social and ma
tional and international unrest we turn
with thanksgiving and exultation to
nv text and find that there are things
forever settled, but in higher ATTITUDES
than we have ever trod. Forever, V
Lord, thy word is settled in heaven
High up in the palace OF the sun AT
least five things are settled-that na-
tions which go continuously and per-
sistently wrong perish; that happiness
Is the result Of spiritual condition anu
not of earthly environment; that this
world Is q Schoolhouse for splendid or
dissraceful graduation; that with or
without us the world is to be made
over into scene of arborescence ana
purity; that all who are adjolred to
the unparalleled One of Bethlehem
and Nazareth and Golgotha will be the
subjects of supernal felicity without
any taking off.
Do you doubt my first proposition
that nations which go wrong perish.
We have In this American nation all
the elements Of permanence and de-
struction. We need not borrow from
others any trowels for upbuildinS or
torches for demolition. Elements OF
ruin-nlhilism. intidelity. agnosticism,
Sabbath Dissertation, inebricty, sensu-
ality. extravaganza, fraud; they are all
here. Elements of safety-God wor-
Shipping men and women by the scores
of millions, honesty, benevolence,
truthfulness, self sacrifice, industry,
sobriety and more religion than has
characterized any nation that has ever
existed; they are all here. The only
question Is as to which Of the forces
will gain dominancy-the one class as
cendant, and this United States gov
ernment, think. will continue as long
us the world exists; the other class as
cendant. and the United States goes
into such small pieces that other gov
ernmcnts would hardly think them
worth picking up.
Cemetery of Nntionn.
Have you ever noticed the size OF the
cemetery Of dead nations. the vast
Greenwood and pere lie Chaise. where
mighty kingdoms were buried! open
the gate and walk through this GENE
terry and read the epitaphs. Here lies
Carthage. born 100 years before Rome,
great commercial metropolis on the bay
of Tunis, part of an empire that gave
the alphabet to the Greeks and their
great language to the Hebrews; her
arms the terror of nations, command
ing ut one time 16,UUU miles Or coast;
her Hanlilcar leading forth 81 nyiladS,
or 100000 troops; her Hannibal carry
ing out in manhood the oath he had
taken In boyhood to preserve eternal
enmlty to Rome, leaving costly and i'm
posing monuments at Agrigentum
ghastly heap of ruins; Carthage, her
colonies on every coast, her ships ploW-
ing every sea; Carthage-where are
her splendors now? All extinguished.
Where are her swords? The last one
broken. Where are her towers and long
ranges of magnificent architecture!