The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-01-09
a Minnesota Ministers Expert
euce IN Russia.

nee In Russia
Al the meeting Of the Minneapolis
pastors. Monday morning, lsr. IL. r
Sample read a paper giving tas obseT-
rat5azns made in his recent trip IN Eu-
rope The old world" said DIR. Sans
pie. Is rlzleh Al Advance Of us here.
1t Is finished and polished Its cities
are substantial. beautiful and clean,
One Will not realize how ragged are tlt
streets OF Nag York until he comes
back from the beautiful cities Of Stock
holm. Berlin or ST Petersburg.
Though their civilization Is old ii
is by no means In decay. There IS
more refinement and caltnra there,
more art and a philosophy much more
profound than our own. They have
more respect for authority IN the old
world. This is seen not only In the
governments, but in the family, where
children obey and respect their parents
more than do the children IN land
Our republican form OF government
does moi seem TO command the respect
Tor authority that could be wished In
the old world. also. there,as q great deal
of devotion to pleasure. The orchestra
is BY the side OF the workshop, and the
;heaser and opera ara well pstronized.
People fork TO the beer gardens, and III
fact 3 good deal OF the time is devoted
to sosiol enjoyment. Tho speaker
thought that n most respects
America is to be preferred to
the old world. Take it all in all. It's
government is the most favorable 10
happiness and advancement OF aLy on
earth. And 1t Is right here IN the val
ley OF the Mississippi that the highest
civilization tends to move. The speak
er gave al account OF his entry into st.
Petersburg. Notwithstanding his cor
rection, they insisted on writing his
nauae on his passport as Robert, son OF
John or Robert johnson, and as a sam
pie Of mankind he vas, so to speak.
dropped out There was a great deal
of Importance attached to the matter OF
passports. The doctor found himself
very closely watched. II he regarded
any particular building or person or
place attentsvely, q policeman was likely
to he detailed 10 watch him and all his
movements. This espionage sleeps not
night or day and one gets in a measure
AsSAi ~ H. II - / tSAiA-.- L. adhtil viii
the mails By the government. Letters
are opened and scrutinized, foreign
newspapers are CLOSELY watched. and if
in any way Objectionable to the govern
ment, are DESTROYED or the objection
able paragraph is blotted ont. Ii is al
most impossible to get any unfayorable
conn II On the emperor from any one.
Their no free expression of opinion,
for q ne is sure but what he Is being
vaIci by government spies. The
eniperv+ is never seen on the street.
When he goes out he is either in dis
guise or surrounded by a strong guard.
Assassins are known 10 be everywhere
On the alert. Especially has this sort of
thing existed since the assassination of
Alexander II. The doctor strongly e1-
pressed his opinion that an absolute
monarcv is far preferable to this nihil-
list despotism. The car is absolutely
the head of state and church. OF
course the highest kind OF freedom can
not be found under such a government.
They have a church in Russia which is
called Christian, but the light of gos-
pei truth is dim. Africa, with its pa
ganism is in a better state than Russia.
The Greek church differs from the Ro-
man church in several important re-
spects. 1t does not of course acknowl-
edge the prilnacv of Rome. There is
no instrumental music in the caremo-
MES of their religion, but a great deal
of vocal music. They claim a direct
apostolic succession for their church.
Piety seems to be confined to q
few. This is largely because of
the Ignorance that prevails Even
many wealthy people are unable
to read and write. As the relig-
ious rites are conducted in the unknown
Slavonic tongue, but few understand
anything of it. Yet the Russian
churches are constantly crowded.
Shrines abound everywhere. The
dead formality and rank superstitions
OF the Greek church calls loudly for
another Luther. There are Protestant
churches in Russia. They are not
molested SO long as they make no at
tempt to proselyte. The speaker paid
a high tribute to the work of Pashkoff
in Russia. He thought Christianity
was needed greatly. 1t would give
Russia greater prosperity than she has
yet known. It would soon drive
nihilism to the wall. The doctor thought
the Russian railroad system better than
the English. It is borrowed from the
American system.