Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-03-22

Entered at the P0st0fce Gt alexandria. Virginia,
sccond-claSs matter.
Things Done ia the Name OF the Sa-
viOur.
Not all the faDaticism OF Russia goes into
political and nihilistc agitation, if the state
ments made in recent article in an English
review by NJ. \. Tsakni have reasonable
foundation in truth He declares that for
fifty years past there has been q sort of fer.
mentaton going on in religious thought in
that country, which mas produced or
brought to the surface all kinds of hideous
and uncouth monstrosities mental and ply.
sical, TO harass communities and destroy in.
dividuas. The general principle of all
these wild eects and theories is that the
world is as bad as it possibly can be already,
! and that the only chance of individual or
national salvation is in the wipiug out Of
social life CT in suicide. The rites of these
strange fanatics consist chiefly Of murder
and suicide, generally in horrid forms. In
stances are given by NJ. Tsai;ni.
In tho province of Perm, beyond the
Kama, twenty years age, he says, there was
in the depths of the forests an educated pea
SAINT. Khodkine, psssionateiy addicted to
| reading, and spending most o! his time over
religious books, which he eyp0unded in his
own fashion. He soon convinced himself
that the enc of the world was at hand, and
persuaded himself and band of follow
ers that the only way 10 save their souls
was to leave the world 10 hide in
the forest, and to make an end CT the life of
ignominy and sin in which they were in
volved. His first disciples were his mother,
brother, sister inlay and uncle. Anti
Christ is already come" he declared, land
goes 10 and fro in the earth. The end of
the world is at hand let us fly 10 the for
eats, bnry ourselves slive and Gie of hum
ger" aad the bali insane converts followed
his example, q large congregation going
with him into the woods, where the men set
out TO dig actual catacoLnbs and the women
made grave clothes !'hiee days were thus
consumed, and then all The disciples, dress.
ed in these clothes, three several times re-
nounced Satan and all MS works This cer-
cmouy over, Khodkiue said
Now chat sou have renounced Satan,
you must die OF hunger. II you take 10
nourishmenl and drink 30 water fer twelve
days. you will enter into the kingdom of
heaven"
Bliudly they set themselves to follow his
command. Days of iutoierabe agopy fol-
lowed, and at last the tortured women and
children beran 10 cry aloud for water
Touched by the pitiful waling Of tho child
rem, some Of the fanatics anelt 10 their chief
and hesougbt him for mercy for the little
ones but he was immovabfe auG refused the
petition, while the children writhed in agony
sucking grass, chewing fern iFonds, ana
swallowing sand. Two of the band. able to
endure no longer, slipped away in the night,
and Khodkine, fearful that aid might be
summoned, determined to hasten matters.
1.-THE hour is come. Are you roady?" he
said.
"We a.e ready" they exclaimed
Then. at his command they began q mas
sacre The children were first killed and
the bodies of The victims buried Then the
the two fugitives having warned the police,
about this time body OF officer was seen
approaching The madness OF the fanatics
reached its Insight, and swearing 70 shed
their blood for Christ, they began an indis.
criminate 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, M. 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 volunta-
rv death. st is impossible" he said, Ito
continue TO live in this world immersed in
sin and falsehood. We must sock safety in
death; We must die for Christ" Large
numbers of disciples attached themselves to
this prophet of death, and one night eighty
four persons met in q cavern prepared be-
forehsnd near p river Straw and faggots
were at hand. that they might hasten death
if the police should interfere. They began
to fast and pray, but one woman became
skeptical as to the efficacy of death as q
means to salvations and in tho darkness
slipped away to neighboring village, where
she gave the alarm to the authorities. 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. FlS Let US not
give ourselves up living into the hands OF
our enemies"
The mad band set fire to the straw, and
the peasant villagers endeavored to extin.
guish the flames, 4 terrible struggle fol-
lowed. The police and the villagers tried
to snatch the victims from the FIRE but they
defended themselves. wrestling with their
would be saviors, throwing them aside and
killing themselves WITH Gatchets, shouting
all tbs time, "We die for Christi" Many OF
them were saved in spite Of themselves,
however.
After :hese had been tried and convicted,
one Of the condemned, Toushkof, escaped
from prison, and himself began to propa-
gate the religion Of suicide. More than six
ty persons in that same locality decided to
give themselves up to voluntary death.
Whole families, fathers mothers, and chill
dren. were included ip the number. On a
day fixed beforehand they met for mutual
massacre in the house of one of their num-
ber. Peasant P. entered the house of his
neighbor, and. after killing him, with his
-; q. 81 6I ;l3aa zsaat- ta tha hasa u1haro.