The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-01-23
A Minnesota Minister'S Expert
ence in Russia.

ence In Russia.
At the meeting of the Minneapolis
pastors, Monday morning, DR.. r. f.
Sample read q paper giving his obser-
vations made in his recent trip in Eu-
rope. "The old world" said DR.. Sam
pie, lis much in advance of us here.
1t is finished and polished. It's cities
are substantial, beautiful and clean
One will not realize how ragged are the
streets of New York until he comes
back from the beautiful cities of Stock
holm, Berlin or st. Petersburg.
Though their civilization is old it
is by no means in decay. There is
more refinement and culture 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 our land.
Our republican form of government
does not seem to command the respect
for authority that could be wished. In
the old world, also, there is a great deal
of devotion to pleasure. The orchestra
is by the side of the workshop. and the
theater and opera are well patronized.
People flock to the beer gardens, and in
fact a good deal of the time is devoted
to sociol enjoyment. The speaker
thought that in most respects
America is to be preferred to
the old world. Take it all in all, its
government is the most favorable tic
happiness and advancement of airy on
earth. And it is right here in the val
ley of the Mississippi that the highest
civilization tends to nov The speak
er gave an account of his entry into st.
Petersburg. Notwithstanding his cor
r~ection, they insisted on writing his
name on his passport as Robert, son OF
John or Robert johnson, and as a sam
pie of mankind he was, so to speak,
dropped out. There was q great deal
of Importance attached to the matter OF
passports. The doctor found himself
very closely watched. If he regarded
any particular building or person or
place attentively, a policeman was likely
to be detailed to watch him and all his
movements. This espionage sleeps NOT
night or day and n gets in a measure
used to it. Great freedom is taken with
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 out. 1t is al
most impossible to get any ~unfavorable
comment on the emperor from any one.
There is nc free expression of opinion,
for en- one is sure but what he is being
watched by government spies. The
emperor 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 to be everywhere
on the alert. Especially has this sort OF
thing existed since the assassination OF
Alexander III. The doctor strongly ex-
pressed his opinion that an absolute
monarcy 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,i is In q better state than Russia.
The Ii Greek church differs from the Ro-
man church in several important re-
spects. 1t does not of course acknowl-
edge the primacy 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 e
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 formaIity 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. 1t would soon drive
nihilism to the wall. The doctor thought
the Russian railroad system better than
the English. II IS borrowed from the
American system