Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1856-05-30
OLD SERIES. VOL. %, NO. 27

' w Nuc PAVNihSS VI
AFchangcl have peculiar prediction for
the 6ic Of Christmas. Or this day they
seek in all directions throu ghout the PROV.
incc, fOr newborn babe. II no woman
has given birth to one, II i, counted a sign
Of great misfortuncs, and : is the same II
the infant should be female. ", however,
1t be boy, the scctarics ca ry It away with
them, aud the oldest men, r'pairins 70 somo
secret place. and ranging Themselves in 4
circle, throw the wrctchcd niant from one
10 the other, as masons threw q stone, until
II expires. He into who's, arms tho child
falls ,adi'regirdcd a, another Simeon, and
chants the "duHc diaHi," Tho mother
Of the victim, on the other hand. Is proclaim.
ed Madonna. Tho body /, dismOmbcrcd,
and the whole sect rartak, Of the bloody
fragment, calling it the communion!
4 second class Of Russian schismatics.
quito As numerous and important as tho
Raskolniki arc tho Duchobo .dri, or 4" War
rior, Of the Spirit" Thso arc widely
spread, and recognize neither authority,
property, nor priest, but favor eOmmunistic
ideas, mingled with Chris ian mysticism,
after the manner OF tho Qg kcss. Paul l.,
successor Of Peter the Great, once summoned
before him tho chief Of thi Duchobordli,
who was a WAGNER from village in the
government commune Of Norc,roi, and tho
man entered the Emperor presence with
his hat on his head It ,cclas that Paul, a.
head Of the church, had promised himself
convert, bat when he Jaw b,fcrc him a mau
witt his head covered, be frsot himself 30
completely as to demand, foamlns with rag,
the meaning Of ,ho phenomenon.
"Inr,s- 'akc my ha, r." replied tlc
.s,a, -. !, against Ir law"
" But 10 You know in who's .a..'.-
stand - continued the Tmi isa' p.aala.
=" In the presence or Paul sya .r g..ar."
replied the peasant, calmly.
This was to much for his 'Iajc,ty. Laden
with chains, the man was imprisoned g..
lie in an orthodox monastery.
The orthodox church SEQ. the number or
schismatics increase continually. The mum
boz of the s,cts thcmsclyc, appear to grow.
and among them are many Sho have arisen
since the time Of Peter the Great. 4 church
in which the Ignorance Of tie clergy is only
cquallci by their dcbascmcut, cannot indeed
hil to fall prey To such differences. Tho
Russian scots include among their adbCrcnt,
not only peasants, but merchants, and even
MOBILES. Almost al the ;,li,mi,hs AMI
brokers or So Petersburg. Moscow, Riga
and odessa ar Nop'.i. They have extensive
branches throughout the whole kingdom.
aud great possessions, and the government
,olcratcs a ,chismatc church IN 81. Pctcrs-
burg and ono in Moscow. Some enlightened
minds declare that here is the sod ot death
i3r the Russian orthodox Church but this
appears to Us unrouuiol, ns Well As the
opinion o. those who assert that great
porular movement is one lay 10 spring from
the midst Of these s-ct,, which will carry all
Russia away with it.
However this may BE-, the Russian sJT-
crumcnt is uncrasiusly aud seriously occu.
pi,I with the subject, Peter the Great.
VIII, dill no, hesitate 70 usc violence, pcrso-
cu,cl the sccts Of his time with fro and
sword. Thi, made them only the moro OBJ
,,inatr, anil from that period commcnccdA
concealed pr,sclyti'm almost impenc.rnblc.
How could fanatics b, attacked, when they
concealed their doctrines beneath the shadows
or vaults. and showed, moreover, the most
absolute Submission to ;h, civil laws Of the
Empire? The government could according
~ only employ the police aglin', thcm,
which OF course brough; the matter 10 no
definite result. Tho following account ola
traveller who resided Cor some time in tho
eastern aul southern parts Of Rus.1. WI
show what measures were employ ~ ..-
police
In one Of the south m governments Of
Russia-hc ays-wL.ta the Rai!o'arIiw wcro
worry numerous. Young rric.t. newly in.
stalled one day r,ceiycd letter from his
h;,bor IN which il was enhincI upon him
;,nn,Ii,,.,v ~ convert all the di.,cnter-
,i,h;, ~. ,,i,l;,,i,r. nader r,n,lty be.
inc thrown into prison.
II, Instantly -, n work assembled ali
III. po,loloil, h, could find. and did hi,