T1113 NOUTir PfiATTK SBMI-WKBKbY TJUHUNR
SOLDIERS ARE
SUPERSTITIOUS
British War Museum Official Digs
Up Some interesting
Information.
NEARLY ALL WEAR AMULETS
One Officer Carrying Charm Refuses to
Reveal Its Nature for Fear of
Bad Luck Another Carries
Piece of Coal.
London. Certain Interesting super
stitions prevalent nniong British colo
nlnl troops nt tlio front nro described by
Kdwnrd Lovett, nn olllclnl of the Im
perial War museum nt London, In the
M ilng Post. He says:
"Many of the superstitions held by
British soldiers are also hold ly our
troops from overseas and by men of
the allied forces. One dny I happened
to meet an Australian soldier who wore
the figure C on the collar of his tunic.
This 5 Is known on the continent as
the I'cntnd, and In Belgium the Fifth
regiment Is considered to !n the lucky
regiment. The logic of the Pentad Is
as follows: Figure 1 stnnds for God,
absolutely ulonc. Figure 2 Is the mind
of God In operation as shown by the
works of nature. Figure B represents
man as the highest work of God. Tnk
Ing.jthcrcforc, figure 1 as being unique,
tho figures 2 and 3, that Is, God's work
In thc'hands of man, equal 5, and this
5 Is Bnd to represent everything. In
this country wo do not fully appreciate
the meaning of the figure 5.
Lucky Australian Five.
"To come hnck to our Australian sol
dier, lie told me that he knew nothing
of tho Pentad, and he was rather In
clined to sneer nt luck In general. Hut
he told me that his company, which
wns the Fifth, was very lucky, and day
nfter dny tho men hnd many narrow
escupes from death or wounds. The
company, In fact, had lost only 10 men
out of 180, while the Second company
had lost a much larger proportion, lie
nlso told mo that the No. 13 was con
sidered by them n lucky number, and
most of tho men In the Fifth company,
curiously enough, had 13 In their regi
mental numbers, his own number be
ing B1327.
"On ono occasion, nfter lecturing to
some men from New ZenlaiMl and Aus
tralia, I was entertained for the night
nnd put up In an ofllcer's hut, Beforo
turning In I chatted over the subject
of folkloro and soldiers' mascots with
four ofllcers. Ono of tho ofllcers told
mo that he carried a charm, nnd I snld
I would like to know what It was. It
turned out to bo simply a Swastika,
which was apparently new to him, and
ho wns glad to hear more about It.
The second officer took from his pocket
a small cross of grotesque form, which,
ho Informed me, was his mascot. Tho
third ofllccr Inughlngly added, "Well. I
need not show you mine, because It Is
only a piece of coal, wrapped In n little
bng which I brought over from Aus
tralia." The fourth (and this to my
astonishment, being the "highest pos
sible") said, "I also have a mascot, but
I regret to say that I don't Intend to
show It to you. I won't even tell you
what It Is. because It would spoil my
luck." Nothing I could say would In
duce him to alter his decision, Ills was
the most superstitious case of all.
"The commonest charms among the
soldiers of France and Belgium uro
made of aluminum and copper frag
ments of German shells. It Is consid
ered that If you wear a piece of an
enemy's projectile It Inoculates you
against future danger from such
sources. In Italy the men wore the
klpds of charms and amulets which
have been common In that country for
many generations even centuries, I
may sny. They consist chlelly of phtti
He emblems, and mny be seen by thou
sands In the streets nnd markets of
Naples especially.
What the Germans Wear.
"I have ii number of examples of
German chnrms, some of which were
taken from German prisoners, while
others were collected by myself In Ger
many about 12 yenrs ago. They nre;
of a character you might expect from
such n people, nnd consist largely of
pigs, many of which, I regret to sny.
are grossly vulgar and offensive. An
other German charm Is n small model of
a fungus, which Is of natural blood-red
color. This Is really a phallic emblem.
A third kind is a teetotum, the mean
ing qf which Is 'chance. On the other
hand, In the German navy, or what re
mains of It, they have rather a pretty
charm. It consists of n small, cheap
medal, hearing the figure of Christ
stilling the tempest, with the motto
'Safety In storms.' I gathered from
several of my friends that the charms
In common use by the Germans were
generally small objects, such as I hnvo
mentioned, which hnd been presented
to the wearers by their mothers or sis
ters, but In few cases had the clmrra
any definite logical meaning.
Can Anyone
Know?
By REV. W. W. KETCIIUM
Director of the Evening CUuea,
Moody Bible Institute, Chicago
GEORGEOUS EVENING
GOWNS AND OTHERS
JEWS IN SERBIA
IN BAD PLIGHT
TEXT These things have I written
unto you that believe on the name of the
Bon of God; tlint ye may know that ye
have eternal life; even unto you that bo
Hove on the name of the Son of Qod.
I John 5:13 It. V.
I Cnn nnyone know In this life
whether or not he Is eternnlly saved 7
This certainly Is
an important thing
to know, If It can
be known.
The Bible, the
theme of which Is
salvation, gives
this Information.
If anyone, deslr-
I n g to know
whether he Is
eternally save d,
will go to the Bi
ble, It will tell
him, for it speaks
in unmistakable
terms.
First of nil, the
Bible states plain
er wnntever race
Economic Ruin and Epidemics
Have Fallen to Their Lot
in Balkans.
BULGARIAN OUTLOOK BETTER
Investigator Urges Shipments of Food
and Clothing to Roumanla Fund
of $35,000,000 Being Sought
In United States.
New York. Reports of the condi
tion of Jews In the Balkan countries,
oh made to the American Jewish Be
lief committee by Its Investigators
abroad show that economic ruin, epi
demics of typhus, tuberculosis, nnd
other diseases have fallen to the lot of
Balkan Jews to an extent equal to that
suffered by their co-rellglonlsts In
other war-torn countries, but that po
litical and religious repressive meas
ures hnve been lucking.
Tho first detailed account of tho sit
uation In Serbia In many months Is
from Dr. Isaac Alcalay, chief rabbi of
Serbia, with headquarters In Bel
grnde. lie snld Belgrade was still
without regular communication with
the provinces, because the railroads
nnd bridges destroyed by the Austrlnns
hnvo not been restored.
"During tho wnr." he wrote, "Jews
In Belgrade suffered proportionately
more tbnn the rest of the population.
Most of their habitations were exposed
to gunfire throughout the 15 months
that the city was under bombardment.
Almost nil homes are destroyed. Tho
PATROLS READY FOR NEW MEXICAN OUTBREAKS
Three-Inch Held pieces going to their station on the border along the lUo
Grande. The military authorities nrc taking all necessary precautions to bo
ready for uny new outbreak on the Mexican border.
Jewish populntlon of the city, formerly
8.000, now numbers no more than 4,500.
The number Is being Increased dally
by returning refugees. Many men are
still with the colors.
"Economically, the Serbian Jews
hnve suffered terribly. Because of
tho uncertain political sltuntlon, all
regular commerce Is Impossible, nnd It
Iv difficult for Jewish citizens to Improve-
their condition.
Have Suffered Terribly.
"Such n (dtuntlon Is unfortunnte, for
the war has brought us new dutle".
The Jews of old Serbln took a very
active part In the Balkan wars nnd
In the world wnr. The years of fight
ing hnve deprived more thnn 400 fnm
Hies of their bread winners. These
people have to be helped.
In Bulgnrla, according to n report
from Miss Hetty Goldman of this city,
tle condition of tho Jews Is some
hnt better than In Serbia. Poverty
Is not so widespread, nor are henlth
conditions so hnd.
"Bulgnrlnn Jews are able to meet
the needs of their own poor, but they
hnve recently been confronted with
a new responsibility. Iloumnnlnn Jews
nre seeking refuge In Bulgaria,' nnd
tbelr Bulgarian co-rellglonlsts nre nt a
loss to know what to do with them.
There Is no work, even for skilled nr
tlsans. "A soup kitchen Is being run for
these people of Sophia, hut many nre
desperate. An allotment from our
American Jewish relief fund must be
mnde to care for them."
In Boumnnln there Is need of cloth
ing and stnplo foods. It wns Miss
Goldmnn who made the Investigation
In thl country nlso.
Clothing Greatest Need.
"Tho people needed clothing above
everything else." her report rends.
"Almost everybody Is shnbby. nnd n
lnrge percentage of the poor nre prac
tically without clothing. I went Into
mnny homes where the Inmntes hnd on
mere rngs or were huddled In torn
blankets of sacking.
"The second greatest need Is for
staple foods, such as dry beans, pens,
rice, vegetables, fats and the like.
Such supplies as uro to be hnd nre sold
nt exorbitant prices.
"I was painfully Impressed by the
number of sick In Boumnnln. In Bu
ehnrest, out of n Jewish population of
45,000 there wns an average of eight
funernls a day Inst winter. A largo
percentnge of typhus enses In Ituchn
rest and Jnssy hove been nmong Jews."
Mnchlnery for the effective dlstrlbu
tlon of relief In the Bnlknn countries
Is In operation. More thnn S200.00C
worth of supplies, Including several
tons of .kosher mcnt, wns sent from
New York late In July to Constanzn,
Boumnnln. The American Jewish re
lief committee, under the chairman
ship of Louis Marshall, plans to con
tinue regular shipments of this kind
to tho Balkans und to Poland, Gnllcla,
Ozecho-Slovukln, and the other coun
tries. For this purpose n fund of S.in.OOO,
000 Is being sought In the United
States this year.
ST. THOMAS PICKS UP
American Port Regains Former
Marine Standing.
Improvements Slow During the War.
but Ships Are Now Calling
Regularly.
Bt. TbomuB, Virgin Islands. This
American port Is beginning to regain
Boino of its former murltlmo Impor
tnnce. Owing to the war. Improve
ments In thU direction have been slow
since the Virgin isiantis were pur
chased from Denmark, but now, after
considerable agltutlon by business men
of St. Thomus, American steamers are
beginning to call here, This Is tho
result of Representations which hnvo
been tnudo to Wushlngton In behalf of
the Inhabitants of the Islands.
The Islanders feel that American
BteuroRhlp owners, nnd especially the
shinning board nt Wiliihliiii hnve
heretofore overlooked tho facilities of
the hurbor of St. Thomas for provid
ing conl, fuel oil. und other stores.
While few American steumers hnvo
been culling at St. Thomas for sup
plies, mnny hnvo called at the neigh
boring British Islands, where facilities
are not considered as good us here.
The price of conl Is cheaper at St.
Thomas than at the British Island.
To bring this matter before the ship
ping board and to obtain all the help
possible from tho American people nnd
congress, n meeting of the Inhabitants
of the Virgin Island was held here.
Resolutions were adopted calling the
attention of the shipping board to the
facilities of the port, such us a pier
tl.OOO feet long with thirty-one feet of
water alongside and all up-to-date ap
pliances for the ijulck dispatch of ves
sels wanting coul. wuter, fuel oil and
other stores.
The resolution was carried to Wash
ington by Darwin O. (.uriy, collector
of customs, who laid It before the ship
ping board. Mr. Curry bus since re
turned and reports that that honni
members of congress, and American
business men have promised to do all
they can for the Island.
Another oil depot Is being erected
hero to meet Increased demands. Tho
people of St. Thomas believe It pos
sesses far better facilities than ,nn
other West India Islands, nnd nre de
termined to muke known Its nvallublll
ty ns a port of cull for supplying
steumers.
Marine Good Walker.
Richmond, Vn. Ralph Walter Slater
ambled over from his home nt Mount
Tell, W. Va., to Charleston, a dlstanca
of 20 miles, to Join tho marine corps.
Having successfully passed the esaml
nation he strolled over home another
2(1 miles, to tell his folks good-by.
Completing his fnrowell he made Ida
way over the West Virginia mountains
back to the recruiting olllce in u.
Sinter walked 78 miles to become a
murine.
ly that all people
or class nre lost.
This message of the Bible Is resent
ed by mnny, but why should we resent
knowing the truth about ourselves,
especially since God, who tells us we
arc lost, also tells us that he has made
provision whereby we mny be saved'i
Is It not better that we know out
actual condition than to go on in ig
norance of It? If we know we nre
lost, and also know there Is salvation
for the lost, then we mny be saved If
we desire.
If for a single moment you doubt
that nil men are lost, I would usk you
to rend tho third chnpter of Romnns,
und find out just what God says Is the
uctual condition of all men. The tench
lug of this chnpter In Romans, which
Is confirmed by other portions of the
wora or uod, gives the plain, un-
varnished truth concerning this matter,
It should stir us to tho very depths of
our beings, and would leave us In hope'
less dcspnlr If God did not at once tell
us that he has graciously provided, In
the Lord Jesus Christ, salvation for nil
men, nnd tlint they may be snved If
they will take Christ as their Savior.
In the next place the Bible makes
a clear distinction between people who
hnve tnken Christ by faith as their
Savior and those who have not done
so.
It snys of those who hnve fnlled ta
muke Christ their Snvlor thnt because
of this failure, since they nre nffllcted
with sin, they shall perish. What could
be plulner concerning this thnn the
stntcment of our Lord himself, spoken
to those who hnve not settled this mo
mentous question, "Unless ye repent
ye shnll nil likewise perish;" or this
one, "He thnt belleveth not the Son
shnll not see life, but the wrath of
God abldeth on him."
You see, the Bible does not leave
anyone, who has not tnken the Lord
Jesus Christ as his personal Savior,
In doubt for a moment as to whether
or not he Is saved, but plainly teUs
him that he Is lost.
Now what does the Bible say of that
person who hits by fnlth accepted the
Lord Jesus Christ us his Suvlor? Does
It say of htm that he Is eternally
saved, or does It leave him In doubt?
Logically, If the one who has not tnk
en Christ ns his Snvlor Is eternally
lost, then conversely It is true thnt the
one who bus taken Christ as his
Savior Is eternally suved. But does
the Bible teach this, and does It us
plainly give "the believer In the Lord
Jesus Christ the assurance of his sal
vatlon, ns It gives the unbeliever the
nssumnce thnt ho Is lost? It certain
ly seems rensonnble thnt If one who
fulls to accept Christ us his Savior
can know he is eternnlly lost, tho ono
who nccepts Christ as his Snvlor
should be able to know ho is eternally
saved. This Is precisely what our text
snys the believer mny know: "These
things hnve I written unto you thnt
yo mny know," not hope, nor feel, but
"know thnt ye hnvo etemnl life
..Numerous pnssnges In the Word of
God substnntlate this teaching, nnd It
Is only becuuse wo hnve henrts of un
belief thnt we ever doubt It. It Is so
wonderful, nnd It seems too good to be
true, thnt God should eternnlly save
those who uccept Christ as their per
sonal Snvlor. But It Is true just the
sumo, for God has said It, and he can
not lie.
It is n marvel of God's grnco that
the believer In tho Lord Jesus Christ
at once hiu? eternal life (John 3 :10) ;
that he passes nt once from death
unto life, und thnt ho shall not come
Into Judgment (John 5:24). God who
snves has promised to finish the job,
nnd hns mudo provision to do so. It is
not for us, if we rcnlly nave appropri
ated Christ ns our Snvlor, to doubt
that God will fulthfully finish our sal
vation; hut as Paul tells the PhlllppU
nns (Phil. 1:0), so should we be con
fident of this very thing, "thnt ho
which hath beguu n good work In you
will perform it until tho dny of Jcsua
Christ."
Heavy sutln cloth of silver nnd rich
faille nre the mnterJnls thnt nre In de-
mnnd for formul evening gowns. These
materluls are gorgeous in themselves
and therefore udapted to the present
styles In evening dress, which depends
upon graceful draping of the figure and
not upon embellishments for Interest.
It Is beauty of fabric nnd beauty of
lines thnt must hold the nttentlon.
.Sometimes, In the simpler models,
the drapery suggests the ense nnd flow
ing lines of the classic Greek garments,
and sometimes n single piece of mater-
iul appears to bo wrapped about the
figure, with a long loose end forming
n trnln. But nn urtlst In draping mny
use mnterlnl more freely thnn is Indi
cated In either of these styles so long
as he knows how to use drapery to
glorify the figure. The corsage Is usu
ally plain and flat at the 'front nnd
held In pluoe by nnrrow shoulder straps.
It follows the lines of the corsetless
figure very closely here nnd does not
concern Itself with covering much of
tho back. Gowns of this kind, cut In
irrram
step lengtn or a little shorter, In pen
cock shades or jnde green nnd In the
regulntlon evening shndes, worn with
satin slippers nnd silk hose to match.
nre likely to out-shlne any rivals.
The draped sntln gown In the pic
turo Is one of those In which the mnte
rlnl seems to bo wrapped nbout the fig
ure nnd to end in n short train. It is
of white sntln with a drapery of tulle
on one shoulder that falls nlmost to
the nnkles, from the other shoulder
strands of bends fnll in long loops nnd
there Is n trailing spray of silver rose
at the back to finish up the splendor.
The pretty dress of turquoise georg
ette crepe shown in compnny with this
gorgeous evening gown, does not nsplre
to rlvnl it. Yet It might appear at tho
same function nnd prove us pleasing,
Not every womnn cnn enrry off mugnif
lcence, nnd times hnve so chnnged thnt
mnny fine Indies hnve no longer mucb
use for it. The simpler, fine-grained
hlngs suit them better ; so they choosi
that which fits personality nnd do not
attempt to play n role that does not
please them.
Paris Launches New Silhouette
He who is happy Is forgetful.
Church Must Be Democratic.
An undemocratic church In a demo
cratic uge Is an anachronism, und no
matter how ancient her lineage, or well
natntillKlipil her historic nosltlon. unless
she Is In closo and sympnthetlc touch f nftornoon, pictured above.
rlli tlinse irrnnt wnrhl movements HllU Plnltt Skirt lllllde Of fibre
cord. It Is long since the redlngoto
nourished, hut here It is, pure and
simple ns to hue nnd complex ns to fin
ish. The during line at the sides und
the collar as shown here appear In suit
coats in which the original style Is
closely followed,
Unlike Its prototype, the overgarment
pictured fastens on the shoulder and
underarm scum unit n henw clii.- n-,i.
They nre In the experimental stage j )s iIK.(l about tho waist. This Is
Just now; but designers nro drawing ,1R1viy for ormimem. as it does not In
upon mnny sources und times for Ideus Huonce the semi-fitted Hum in nnv u-.iv
nnd presenting entirely new creations The sleeves show a departure from the
, stvie or tne uirectolre coat In a wide
llnre at the hand and they are faced
The tunic skirt and the straight
line, und the chemise dress hnvo bud a
long reign. But now they bid fair to
be dlspluced, beautiful as they are. by
fitted lines, the full hip und skirt, pan
nier and other draperies thnt look to
the period ofl.ouls XV for Inspiration,
nnd to the time of, the Second Empire.
Changes In styles front present lines
to those for fall promise to be radical
Will t Illl C tltilllj UllllllillH-IHO
that of newness, to compel success for
them.
The Dlrectolte Influence- Is the dom
inant fenturo In the odd costume for
It has a
silk appar-
is doomed to defeat nnd to spiritual
deuducss and decay. Bishop Guerry,
ently In an Irregular brocaded pattern, ,
and yes--u redlngoto of sutln entlro-1
ly covered with u scroll lmtteru of silk
with satin In white or a light color.
Brown, in ninny shndes, Is u favorite
color for fall drosses, Dlrectolre red l
nnother nnd soft shinies of olive or
Jnde green. ep