The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-02
PEOPLES FORUM
Dr, billiard Sees Battlefields

pr, billiard Sees BattiefieIuS To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 We have gone through the bat tlefields of France and Flanders. AS we went on our way through country as beautiful as a poets dream, l was amazed. Such an endless procession of garden farms! such fields Of wheat, rye, barley, potatoes, cauliflowerj such hay, such cattle, such clean and beautiful houses l never saw. l had never imagined any place In the world was as beautiful and thrifty as certain parts of France and Belgium. l said surely the reports of destrution were greatly exaggerated-it never happened; or else these are the wonder peo- pie of the world to have so quickly reclaimed and recovered.
 Our guide made a speech. He said in substance thisi When the Germans came, if city did not resist, they spared 1t, but If they did then the Germans turned their guns loose and destroyed every thing. Said hei There Is a strip of territory reaching twenty Hive miles to Ypres where not a single house was left standing, not a single tree but what was killed, and not foot of ground that was not hit by a she'll" The shell holes varied in size from the size of a plate to holes big enough to bury houses In. We asked how they they had succeeded in re- laiming the land and rebuilding their homes so quickly. The guide told us his government had done 1t. That they expected Ger many to pay for it. so they did 1t well. The government paid men so much per square yard to dig up the shelf and barbed wire; that it was very dangerous on account of unexploded shells. Then the gov ernment had the houses rebuilt and supplied every farmer with a horse. cow and chickens. He said his country was well nigh bank rupt owing to the failure of Ger many to pay. He said the most of his people felt that if England and the United States had done their duty, Germany would be paying.
 We reached the town of Ypres. It is being rebuilt now and is very beautiful, but much of the ruins still remains. Millions of tons of barb wire are seen in great piles that extend as far as the eye can reah. It will be a long time be- fore all the devastation is re- moved. We crosser the linden burg line, examined the cap boxes" and trenches. There are places where the Belgian and Ger man trenches were within thirty right, war is he'll" Is there any remedy for war? Yes, If the na- tions will give place to the teach ings of Christ. I have gone through the art galleries and royal palaces; l have been on the | boulevard and in the historic cas- ties, everywhere there are monu- ments to warriors and destroyers of mankind. I have watched the | soldiers and guards strut. Every where it seems to say war Is glory" The nations of the world need to learn the Ten Command ments. the beautitudes and the Golden Rule. Every nation In Flu rope is on the verge of bank ruptcy. Oh!> how they need Christ Jesus, the Prince of Peace!
 This morning after an hours search, we found a little Baptist church. Drs. Hobbs, Gwaltney and l had the pleasure of speaking words of encouragement to these struggling, heroic brethren. They number eighty-fiv in a city of S00,060 people, but they are the salt of the earth. If the Gospel preached in that little ob&cure church were heard iand needed, the nations ofsthis earth would speedily becoTe the Kingdom of our Lord God bless everyone everywhere who is preaching and teaching the glad tidings of peace. Tomorrow we start for Berlin Yours cordially,
 J. E. DILLARD, Pastor Southside Baptist Church.
 Amsterdam, July 15, 1923.