Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-02-07
From the New York Observer.
primitive Christians in Russia
By REV. Epw1s JOHNSON

By REV. EDWIN JOHNSON.
One Of the most interesting chan
tiers IN WaIlaoe's remarkable bool
on "Russia," is that in which h,
gives an account of the Mokolanl.
religious sect scattered over the EN-
. pre-, numbering many thousands o
members, and rapidly increasing
The attention of Mr.. Wallace wa,
: trst called to them from the fac,
that. whatever their religious belle,
might belt certainly seemed to have
beneficial influence on their mater.
lai welfare. He saw that thew were
better housed, better clad. more
punctual in tho payment of their
taxes and, in q word. more prosper
Gus than their neighbours But he
found difficulty in getting an authen.
tic knowledge of their doctrines. as
agent Of the government, and hence
their replies TO his questions on d oc-
trinal and eccIesiastical matters
were vague and evasive.
| At last, however taking advantage
of their curiosity to learn about for
eign countries, and perceiving that
their faith had q likeness to Scotch
Potestanlsm, he adopted the habit
of leading the conversation from the
weather and crops in Russia to the
weather and crops in Scotland, and
then gradually to the Scotch Pres
pyterian Church. On nearly every
occasion this policy succeeded. When
the peasant heard that there is q
country whore the people interpret
the Scriptures for themselves, have
no bishops, and consider the vener-
alton OF images as idolatry, he in
varably listened with profound at
tention, and when he learned further
that in that wonderful country the
parishes annually send deputies
TO an assembly ID which all matters
pertaining to the church are freely
and publicly discussed, he almost al
ways gave expression to his aston
lshment, and had to answer
whole volley of questions. "Where
10 that country ?" as il to the East
or West p SIS it very far away ?"
eff our Presbyter could only hear
that
This led to interviews with the
Presbyters CT pastors, and subse-
quently one, competent to expound
Holy Writ, brought to him COM
pany of twelve peasants armed with
copy OF the Scriptures, and prepar-
ed,-as he was not,-for o long dis
cussion. Beginning almost at ram
dom, with the question whether it is
lawful to eat pork, he led on to more
important theological subjects.
eff the logic of the peasants was
not always unimpeachable, their
knowledge of the Scriptures left
nothing to be desired. In support
sages from memory, and whenever I
indicated vaguely any text which l
needed, they at once supplied it ver-
batim, 80 that the big folio Bible
served merely as an ornament.
Three or four Of them seemed to
know the New Testament by heart.
Never have l seen men more honest
and courteous in debate, more earn
est in the search after truth, and
more careless of dialectical triumphs
than these simple, uneducated peas
ants" Mr.. Wallace informs Us that
Molokani have not formulated their
religious beliefs, and that they have
no elaborate ecclestical organization.
They hold that the bible is the only
rule Of faith and practice, but tnat it
is to be spiritually interpreted, and
| by esch reader for himself. The
Apostolic Church is their model, and
they utterly reject later innovations.
Each Church selects for its own
membership pastor and two assist
ants. On Sundays meetings are
held in private houses, the govern
ment not allowing the erection of
public houses of worship by heretics
or dissenters. 1.-TWO or three hours
are spent in psalm singing, reading
the scriptures and friendly converse
ton on religious subjects. If any
one has doctrinsl difficulty which
he wishes to have cleared up, he
states it to the congregation, and
some of the others give their opin-
ions, with the texts upon which the
opinions are founded" Moral sup
aversion and discipline are faithfully
applied. If a member has been gull
ty of drunkenness or other fault, he
is first privately or publicly admon.
ished BY the pastor, then, if unre-
pentant, suspended from fellowship,
or finally expelled. In case Of pc
cuniary or other troubles, the men,
bers lend each other aid. ssThis
system of mutual control and mutns
al assistance has no doubt some-
thing to do with the fact that the
Molokani are always distinguished
from the surrounding population by
their sobriety, uprightness and ma
terial prosperity"
/ Their readiness 10 modify their
opinions in accordance with what
seems to them new light, while it
saves them from bigotry, renders
them somewhat liable to the inroads
of fanaticism and false teaching.
Still, their habit of appealing to the
Divine Word, and their established
moral integrity, are efficient safe
guards.
1t is surely very interesting TO
find this type of pure, primitive
christianity shining in the midst of
prevalent superstition. May it not
be, like the kindred leaven that de-
veloped the great Reformation, pre-
cursor of a mighty Protestant move
ment in that vast empire now COM
manding so much of the worlds at
tention
II As az illustration OF what simple,
honest minds may learn from rever-
emit study of the Scriptures, and Of
the intelligence, thrift and social or.
der ensuing upon the ideas and in.
situations Of true Christianity, it il
, notable.
It is obvious also that If the
Church Of England is drawn to seek
some fellows hip or comfy with the
Greek Church-an alliance, howtver
III