The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-07-20
RELIGLO US MO TEMENTS IN
RTLSSTA

"cOue tue religious COnultlOu
of Russia. DR.. Schaufler himself was
converted many years ago through the
agency of certain Moravian meetings for
singing and prayer at Odessa. in South
ern Russia, which were held in a carpen-
ter's shop. The religious interest spread
from this point into few other cities
and many German Protestant villages.
This was fifty years ago, and within that
period, as we are told, many village
once in bad repute has been rescued from
drunkenness, idleness, and misery, and
now the movement has reached the Rus
slams far and wide from these influences
started in the southern borders of the
empire.
DIR. Schauffler gives the following ex-
tracts from two German newspapers.
The first is from Christian paper pub
lished at Stuttgart:
I'VE have often alluded with emphasis to
what Is the perishing need, above all else. of
Russia In her present distracted condition-viz:
uttdt. spiritual Christianity. To day we re.
celve two newspaper articles one is from the
st. Petersburg Evangelical Sunday paper, cry
ing aloud for full liberty of conscience, and
showing the undoubted beneficial fruits it prom.
ises, not only to the eleven million dissenting
Russians, but still more to the so called Or.
tnodoX and exclusively privileged Russian
Church itself: forit would remove the annoy
ing shackles from that Church and the prevail
ing barefaced infdelity of the educated classes
IN her PALE and Nihilism, whose father that in
hdellty Is, would soon feel the influence of the
religious vitality of other Christian denomina-
| TONS"
The next extract is from the Coloqne
Gazette -
Amid the roar of the angry elements lin
Russia) there still exists one more anchor availa
BILE to the suffering ship of the State: it is re-
hgton. The Russian national character has
deep religious basis, but for centuries past des.
titute OF vital religion, they have been kept to
gether by the Capitalization of compulsory forms
and the ritualsm of their Church. Give to that
nation living religious consciousness, and
there Is ground to hope for powerful moral re-
suit. Our experience on this subject is entirely
satisfactory and conclusive. Which denomina-
tons IN Russia have preserved reliable, moral.
character? Which are the weathiest, the best
organised, and the ablest2 They are the so.
called heretics and the dssenters from the State
Church The Old Believers were always dis
tinguished flor solidity), and now, of late, they
are joined In the same spirit by the socalled
| Stundlsts The sect, and outgrowth of the
German Protestant colonists in South Russia
returning to the simple word of the Bible is
spreading with truly wonderful rapidity. Vii
lage after village turns away from the 'paps'
| (priests) and joins the Bible-readers. And as
the quiet evening air. the whole appearance of
the village is changed Quarrels and rows
cease; brandy shops are deserted; thieves.
drunkards, and idlers disappear; comfort and
wealth begin to grow in the village. These
are simply and literally matters of fact Now
we should suppose that the State would promote
this movement with all its available means,
based as 1T is simply upon the liberty granted
by the late Emperor to Bible reading. But
instead, the Stundists' are persecuted-of course
by the State Church. Similar scenes have been
witnessed at st. Petersburg. About the middle
OF the last decennium LORD Radstock originated
there work the centre of which was the Bible,
Just as with the 'Stundists. Its influence was
upon the educated and refined in society. The
reading of the Bible accompanied by simple
practical remarks; and prayer, was sufficient to
attract thousands After him, former officer
OF the Imperial Guard, De Pashkof took up
Lord Radstock's work and carried it on with
increased power. This rich man kept up re
ligious entertainment in his palace, consisting
again OF Bible reading, exposition and prayer
The number of attendants, male and female
grew rapidly. The work of extensive benevo
lenC ana Cnrlstlan EFFORTS was the FRUIT Ladies
and gentlemen of rank and means went per-
sonally into the abodes of misery, into prisons
and manufactures distributed Bibles, brought
bodily relief to the wretched and spiritual con
ISOLATION to the suffering took care of the sick
and opened soup establishments for the hungry
etc.
Thousands, from the nobility down to the
beggars, venerable old men, and children, were
gathering closer around Pashkoff 1t was time
for the State Church to bestir herself. The
entertainments of Pashkoff were prohibited
His friends were obliged to work more pri-
vately and secretly. Then the French preacher.
Mr.. Reigne, appeared, and again high and low
gathered shoulder to shoulder IN dense. solemn
audiences to listen to gospel truth"
But the Russian government, with its
traditional blindness, continues it's at
tempts to suppress these movements, and
we read that the Court of Justice of Mos
COW has ordered a newly built church be.
longing to the sect of Old Believers to be
pulled down.
The admission of the Bible into Rus
STA in the Russian language, instead of
the Slavonic, says DIR. Schauffler, marks
new period, as the movement of the
'Stundists' and of the Molokans' (who
read nothing but the Bible) plainly shows.