The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-04-26
Vow Religious seets in Russia.

The Gazette of st. Petersburg has an ar
ticle about them which is worthy OF notice ;
the principle facts which it states are in
| reference to the "Stundists" who were
until lately, the sects of the Dissenters ap-
pear to have made but little progress.
The "Stundsts" are so-called because
during the hours-in German SMnden-
when the rest of mankind are asleep, they
hold their meetings for reading and discus-
| sing the Bible. The number Of them is al
ready considerable in the provinces of
similar to those of the Anabaptists. They
re baptize, and reject fasting and the ven
Grafton of images, asserting that they have
gone back to the practice of the primitive
church. Another sect called the "Groan-
ers" are much more original in their reli
gion. They are so called because instead
of praying, they think it sufficient to turn
their eyes upwards and groan. Their
leader is man of Kalougha, named Tx
hauf, q shoemaker, or cobbler by trade.
who is strong opponent of every sort Of
religious ceremony he allows no kind of
address from the creature to the Creator
in words the act of sighing he holds to be
His followers admit no sacrament, not
even that of ma, riage, and regard priests
as mere walking pieces of useless lumber.
In the same province of Kalougha, there
has also been discovered another sect,
which rejects all sacrameDts, but admits
confession of sins made to one of the elders
of their community. Lastly, there exists
Psk ola a denomination of "Seraphines,'
consisting chiefly of peasant women. The
Chief article of their creed is that the end
of the world is at hand. Their founder
was a monk, named Father Serapbin, who
lived in wood. The police routed him
out of his hermitage and deported him to
9Th Tho Saronhines bava laY, tod
his loss ever since, but their body does not
gain adherents for want of q director. One
remark seems TO apply to all the Russian
sects it is curious that anciently they
were formed on the principle of q pharisac
adherence to some particular form or cere-
is to rid themselves of every sort of ritual,
and they all agree in holding the Russian
clergy in sovereign contempt. The SUI
preme pcntiff of the empire, Count Dimi-
til Tolstoy, thought it his duty to resort
to some measure that would enable him
to put his forces in motion. He drew up
a plan of ecclesiastical reformation, new
"Statutum," la Peter the Great, and he
called on the Bishops to give their opinions
upon it. One and all have just done SO,
and their unanimous judgment is that they
would prefer resigning their sees rather
than subscribe to Protestant Reforma,
ton, and that they would not recognize
any authority save that of a Council as
competent to effect such transformation
of the Russian Church. Will permission
be granted them to assemble at Moscow,
as they have asked for leave to do 7 What
will come of the crisis in Church affairs
that has been provoked by tho useless
meddling of Count Tolstoyf l own that
l do attach very great Importance to it.
1t is evidently the beginning of the fulfill
ment of Count de Maistre's prophecy, who
asserted fifty wears ago that the Russian
Church was like an embalmed corpse, and
that it's first contact with the free air of
Europe would suffice to cause it to fall in
to the dust like an Egyptian mummy. But
a grain Of faith can remove mountains, and
the present is certainly the time to pray for
don Tablet.