Once Mr. Beecher, preaching on war, and the tax burden, spoke of
Russia as having a standing army of fifteen hundred billions.
One hearer laughed, Mr. Beecher grew red, stamped on the floor,
and exclaimed, “I say Russia has fifteen hundred billions of men
in her standing army”--that settled it! Well, but Mr. Beecher’s
error in mathematics did not invalidate his arguments for
patriotism, or duty, or home, or the love of God; nor need you
be disturbed by the geology or astronomy or history of the Old
Testament.--N. D. HILLIS.
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