Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-10-25
SHOCKING CRIME IN RUSSIA.

The Inodlide Russe, of the 9Th ult., re-
cords case OF a peculiarly horrible charac-
ter, which hns lust been heard before the
criminal tribunal at Vladimir. A man nam
ed Kursin, a member Of a numerous and
fanatical Russian sect called "The Sect of
the Saviour" lately killed his own son, and
offered him as Il sacrifice to God. The mar
rative in the Russian journal is as follows:
"Tbe doctrine of this sect consists in an
absolute negation of all earthly property
An adherent possesses nothing whatever,
and according to his notions everything
around hlm is evil personified Such ideas
naturally prompt these unhappy men TO acts
of frightful despair, They believe it is ne
cessary to constantly impore the mercy of
the Saviour by every means, for it is He
alone that can save them. The accused
person, who was twenty-seven years of age,
killed his son, little boy of seven, in the
conviction that this act would be agreeable
to the. Saviour. His own account of the
crime is ms follows: -IH
"One night felt so strongly that The
human race must soon perish, that could not
get moments g rest. rose and lighted all the
lamps before the images of the saints, and
throwing myself on my knees I ferventlY
prayed God TO save me and my family
Suddenly the idea came to me of saving my
son from eternal damnaton, for as this only
child was beautiful boy and finer than mos
boys OF his age, l feared that he would be
come, after my death, the prey of hell, ant
determined to sacrifice him 10 the Lord
Filled with this idea continued to pray.
said to myself that if during my prayer thu
thought of sacrificing my SON to God camt
to me from the right side, would execute
It; If, on the contrary, it came from the lett
I would give it up; for, according to our re
ligious teachings, the thought which come
from the right side is from our good angel
and that from the left side is the instigatiol
of the devil.
"'After long prayer, tile thought cam
to me from the right side, and l returne
full of joy to the room where my son slep
by the side OF my wife. Knowing that sh
would oppose the sacrifice desired to offe
to God, sent her to the market to purchas
provisions. When she had gone, l awok
my child, and said to him, Get up, my SOL
put on thy white shirt that | may admir-
thee.' When he had done this, laid hir
ON the bench, and stabbed him several time
in the stomach.
"The child, in struggling, fell frequent
upon the knife, and when found, was cove
ed with wounds. The father, il seems, ii
tending to end the lads suiIerings, cut I'll
stomach open from top to bottom; but eve
then he fingered for little while. Th
frightful scene occurred just before sunris
! Kursin says that just as tile child ha
! breathed his last, the trst rays of the su
shone through the window, and IN MI
ment of ecstacy he fell on his knees an
implored God to mcrcilully receive his sa
=, rifice. Kursn continued his narrative
these terms;
"'Just as had thrown myself before Il
= holy images, and as my son was lying IN h
blood, the door opened and my wife can
in. She instantly saw what had passed, an
, seized with horror, she fell senseless TO Il
I ground. raised her and said, Go to Il
Mayor and tell him all, l am going to Gl'
a fete TO the saints. I"
We learn further from the Russian ourn
a that Kursin, after lie had been sent to prise
resolulely refused all kind Of nourishmep
and died Of starvation before the senlcn
on him could be executed.