Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-04-19
RUSSIAN FANATICISM.
HORRIBLE THINGS DONE BY GER
TAIN PEASANT RELlGlONlSTS.


Not all the fanaticism of Russia goes into
political and nihilistic agitation, if the state
ments made in a recent article in an English
review by NJ. n Tsakui have a reasonable
foundation in truth.
In the province Of Perm, beyond the Kama
twenty years ago, he says, there was in the
depths OF the forests an educated peasant,
Khodkine, passionately addicted TO reading,
and spending most of his time over religious
books, which he expounded in his own fash
ion. He soon convinced himself that the end
of the world was at hand, and persuaded
himself and band of followers that the only
way to save their souls was to leave the
world to hide in the forest, and to make an
end of the life Of ignominy and sin in which
they were involved. His first disciples were
his mother, brother, sister-in-law and uncle
"Anti-Christ is already come" he declared,
land goes to and fro in the earth. The end
of the world is at hand; let us fly to the
forests, bury ourselves alive, and die OF
hunger and the half insane converts fol-
lowed his example, n large congregation
going with him into the woods, where the
men set ont to dig actual cGtacombs and the
women made grave clothes. Three days
were thus consumed, and then all the disci-
pies, dressed in these clothes, three several
times renowned satan and all his works.
This ceremony over Khodkine said:
"Now that You have renowned satan, you
must die of hunger. If you take no nourish-
ment and drink no water for twelve days,
you will enter into the kingdom OF heaven"
Blindly they set themselves to follow his
command Days of intolerable agony fol
lowed, and at last the tortured women and
children began 20 cry aloud for water.
Touched by the pitiful wailing of the chill
dren, some of the fanatics knelt 10 their chief
and besought him for mercy for the little
ones; but he was immovable and refused the
petition, while the children writhed in agony
sucking grass, chewing fern fronds, and
swallowing sand. Two of the band, able to
endure no longer, slipped away in the night,
and Khodiine, fearful that aid might be
summoned, determined to hasten matters.
THE hour is come Are you readyN he
said.
1--WE are ready they exclaimed.
Then, at his command, they began n mas
sacre The children were first killed and the
bodies of the victims buried. Then the sur
vivors decided to resume the fast, but the two
fugitives having warned the police, about
this time body of officers was seen approach
ing The madness of the fanatics reached its
height, and, swearing to shed their blood for
Christ, they began an indiscriminate self
slaughter. The women, and then the weakest
of the men, were killed with hatchets, until
finally Khodkine and three others were the
sole survivors. They attempted to escape
into the forest, but were captured and turned
over to justice.
A few years ago, NJ Tsakni says, the monk
Falare enjoyed great popularity on the banks
of the Volga, and taught that the sole mode
of salvation for man was voluntary death. |
at is impossible he said, "to continue to |
live in this world immersed in sin and false |
hood. We must seek safety in DEATH we |
must die for Christ" Large numbers of |
disciples attached themselves to this prophet |
OF death, and one night eightyfour persons |
met in a cavern prepared beforehand near a !!
river Straw and faggots were at hand, that !!
they might hasten death if tho police should |
interfere. They began to fast and pray, but |
one woman became skeptical as to the efficacy |
of death as a means to salvation, and in the
darkness slipped away to neighboring vii !
lage, where she gave the alarm to the author
tiles The inhabitants turned out en- masse
and went toward the river Their coming
was seen by sentinel of the fanatics, who
shouted:
"Anti- Christ is coming. Flyl Let us not
give ourselves up living into the hands of ,
our enemies.n
The mad band set fire to the straw, and the
peasant villagers endeavored to extinguish |
"A
The police and the villagers tried to snatch
the victims from the fire; but they defended
wrestling with their would be
saviors, throwing them aside and killing
themselves with hatchets, shouting all the
time, ave die for Christp Many of them
were saved in spite Of themselves, however.
After these had been tried and convicted
one of the condemned, Toushkoff, escaped
from prison, and himself began to propagate
the religion of suicide. More than sixty per-
sons in that same locality decided to give
themselves up to voluntary DEATH Whole
families fathers, mothers and children
were included in the number On q day
fixed beforehand they met for mutual mas
sacre in the house of one of their number.
Peasant P. entered the house of his neighbor,
and, after killing him, with his wife and
children, went to the barn where the other
fanatics were waiting for him with their
wives, and these calmly put their heads on
4 block, while p played the part of execu-
TONER. Then he went to the barn of an
other peasant woman, killed her and her
while an accomplish killed the
children. Then the accomplice put his head
IN the block and begged F. to cut it Off, p.
himself being subsequently killed by another
# the band, so that i'll all thirty-hve persons
net their death in this way before peasant
lood, was terrified by the spectacle and ran
o give the alarm.
A less harmful sect existing in the Cauca-
us and neighboring countries are called Pri-
yoony, or the "Jumpers.n They have car
led religious ecstasy to the highest point.
Their principal apostle calls himself God,
md teaches chiefly that, since the end of the
world is at hand, all must prepare for it by
repentance and publication from past sin by
to the elect of God The enthusi-
,,NFt Ia ait,1a iS s1tNh hiatt hoy lao1r |
heir work and devote all their time to
rayer and to listening to sermons. The
rincipal dogma of the sect Is belief in the |
escent of the Holy Spirit upon believers.
his takes place only upon the elect during | s
eligious meetings, and continually only |
pom two or three persons in each meeting (
Iabitually it occurs only at the end of the c
eeting, when all have been suitably pre- I
AIRED by prayer. The signs Of the presence
re usually pallor of the face, quickened
lythmic tapping with the feet, violent con- t
ortions and jumping, and in the end
eavy fall upon the ground Some of the
elieyers sway, and then, sPringing on the
le benches to the floor and there remain t
,retched out for an hour or more. Others 4
larch around the table with theatrical
ride shaken by hysterical sobs, and, while c
wiring in their places, throwing themselves
bout, falling on the ground, or, raising
again. they retain fixed look of
le greatest solemnity. AT the end of the
eeting the teachers and apostles embrace L
lch other and then retire to opposite sides I
the room Then the brothers and sisters n
,me to them successfully, throw themselves !,
4 the ground three times before them and
nbracu them three tineS-New York Sun.
No Longer Dependent Nature. A
One thing To he borne in mind in reflec- | IT