Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1905-01-12
FALLOFP ORTARTHUR
Continued

Continued
Russia. Russia, while il is mighty
empire, has a social condition which
we might call rotten. Two-thirds of
the land is in the hands of royalty,
and this two-th;rds is the better por-
tion of the land. The other third is
owned by the peasants. and when
taxes must be raised for the meeting
of war Indebtedness or in fact any
form of Indebtedness it must be
wrung from the peasantry. Again
there is one single hand the Car
Nicholas, who rules with an iron hand.
People have learned of the freedom
of America and are clamoring for a
voice in the administration of public
affairs. Revolution and anarchy,
fruits OF a dissatisfied people, are
rife in the land and Russia has been
weakened on account of it. The So
cial condition of a nation says the
text must be righteous in order to
prevail, and with spirit of revenge
fulness against the land of their
birth it is hard work to get much
fighting out OF such soldiers. One of
the great Irish statesmen recently
said to his PEG pie "when Ireland gets
things righted in herself then may
she look for the rights which belong
to her. The strongest nation is that
which is bound and cemented togeth-
er by the warm ties of brotherly love.
And so with the individual. He is
never safe when the chords of broth
erly love fail to vibrate in his heart.
His character is unsafe if there is i'm
purity of any kind in his heart. BE
pure in heart if you would win the
battles of life successfully and gain
the celestial city.
Third-Lack of good men. The
soldiers of Russia are drunkards and
incapacitated for the hardships of
battle. A nation must have true
men to fight her battles; men endowed
with clear minds and strong wills and
able to meet strategy with strategy
and force with force. You must have
the man behind the gun in the battle
or all the fires of war will not avail
The great curse of intemperance is a
mighty foe to nations and to indiyid
uals. In Russia the work of the Red
Cross Society was unavailable be-
cause the funds had been squandered
in riotous living. Intemperance
ruins men and Incorporate men ruin
nations. No nation can claim great
strength when this demon of sin is
strong In its midst.
Fourth-Loss of fleet and loss of
Nan Shan Pass. Here is a city Sc
creted among the hills, and surround
ed by many small forts, all of them
engaged in protecting the Gibralter
of the east, Port Arthur. Nan Shan
pass was the opening by means of
which railroad supplies were furnish
ed the besieged city. and with the
loss of the Russian fleet in the en-
counter with the Japs the port was
left without supplies and the end
then must soon come These were
the entering wedges with eliminated
in the downfall of the city. When
the first wedge was entered, it was
only question of time when the
end should be accomplished. We, as
individuals, can gain lesson of great
value from this cause. Mans fall be-
gan by means of the entering wedge
OF sin. When Adam and Eve were in
the garden of Eden there was no sin
until the wedge in the form of the
tempter beguiled them and they ate
of the fruit of the forbidden tree
They were happy until the first sin
was committed and'then sorrow be-
gan, and so with Cain. he slew his
brother in a frenzied moment. This
was the entering wedge, but when he
had committed one sin he lied TO
cover up the sin which he had com
mitted. We, as individuals, have a
virtue called character which is of
priceless value. 1t is all right until
we allow the entering wedge to enter
it. Look out for the entering wedge.
The young man who goes to a saloon
for the first time opens crevice for
the entering wedge which may mean
his downfall for life and also for eter-
nifty. Keep the world out of your
heart, and you are safe. So with ma
tions. When nations allow bribery
to become rife in the land. it's
strength begins to wane and the be-
ginning of the end is observable.
I.onk well 10 unnr fnrti &c a tinna Id