New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-09
RUSSIA'S RELIGIOUS LAWS.
A REIGN OF INTOLERANCE WORTHY OF Thu
DARK AGES.

privileges that they have enjoyed are one by one
being taken from them. Almost every day sees
some new edict issued against them; or some
new stringency exercised in the execution Of ex-
isting laws Protests from outside, whether from
private individuals or from organized societies, do
no good, If, indeed, they do not actually do harm
The reason of this lies In the very nature Of tie
case This Jew-baiting is purely religious pcrse-
cution The Gar so regards it, and so do hia
Ministers and oil Russian officials. The talk about
the Jews being obnoxious for social or industrial
reasons is nonsense, and when put forward By the
Russian press is intended merely to bamboozlo
the gullible The Jews are hated simply because
they arc not and will not become members Of
the Greek Church, and every one else who per-
sists in remaining outside Of the pale Of orthodoxy
is hated Just the same. In proof of this one has
only to observe the persecution that is being
directed against the Stundists, the Old Believers
Lutherans and others. In the eyes Of this fanati-
cal and bigoted Government, all Protestants and
Roman Catholics are accused heretcs, whom 1t
is the duty of the orthodox believers TO persecute
despou and destroy. SO when Englishmen OF
Americans protest against the Jew-baitlng, II u
rs though Swiss Protestants had protested to the
Spanish Government against the lnquslton.
Russia is indeed, ruled to-day by religious
bigotry. The Car inherited his fanatical zeal
end intolerance from his mother, whose intense
RELIGIOUS fervor warped her whole life, and mace
her almost a mOnomaniac. This element OF the
Cars character has been greatly developed by the
circumstances Of his reign and by the anrewd
Vaccinations OF his clerical advisers who have led
him 10 believe that al the evils which befeI MS
father and which have come TO MIN were SENT ny
Heaven in punishment for laXity OF faltn' ana !"
drive him back to earnestness in SURPRISING her
esy He believes that peace ard prosperity can
only BIZ secured by shifting all unbelievers with an
lnsparing hand So he has given free rein to the
most violent and extreme spirits among the ortho'
dox propagandsts, 10 revive and enforce every
stern religious law, and to enact any new ones
that may seem desirable for crushing out all dis
sent from the orthodox creed.
The outside world can scarcely have any idea
of the extent to which religious intolerance Is
carried in the Russian code Of laws. There Is
scarcely any more heinous crime than openly dis
agreeing with the Greek Church, and 1t does not
matter whether the disScnter be a Catholic
Protestant Jew, MahOmetan or atheist. All are
alike hateful. For example, the Criminal Code'
Article l06, expressly provides that any one iouhd
guilty of propagating the views of heretical or
dissenting bodies or of circulating the doctrines
of any new sect dangerous to orthodoxy. VIII be
punished
Iishment from European Russia TO Transcaucasia,
from the Stavropol Government or from Trans
caucasia to Siberia and from Siberia 10 the most
remote regions of that country The same pun
ishments will be melted out to ds~enters who under
the influence of their fanatcisn, use Insulting
terms about the orthodox Church or orthodox
clergy dissenter who publicly makes known
his false doctrines TO the orthodox, with view
TO their joining his sect, even though his action
should rot result ia any secession from the or
thod0x Church, will be punished most severely
But suppose the dissenter persuades. directly OF
indirectly, some one to abandon the Greek Church
The same CODE Article 1874, provides that for the
| crime of perverting any one, either by means
of temptations or otherwise. from the Christian
faith TO Islamsm Judaism or other non-ChrstEI
faith the guilty person will be sentenced to loss
Of all civil and personal rights and penal servltude
from eight to ten years. For inducing any one
TO leave the orthodox faith for another ChflS'iaI
denomination the punishment Is the loss oil az
personal rights and privileges and banlshment N
Siberia. To such penalty Protestant or Cathone
is liable, if ever he ventures TO speak o, hs
reli gous faith. If it can be proven that he haa
thus spoken. it will be easy 70 find some one
10 declare that some one else has been by TINS
means persuaded to forsalIe the orthodox faith
OF course for Article ls8 Of the code says lhose
who leave the orthodox Church for another Chris
tan denomination will be given to the ecele'
siastcal authorities for instruction, correction ana
other Church discipline and until they reJon ths
Church the Government will take their children
in order to preserve them from perverslon by tneh
parents influence, and appoint guardians Tor tnen
of the orthodox faith. The erring parents VII
| be forbidden TO live with their children.
| 1t is a perious thing for one to be related IL
| any way 10 a pervert He is in danger of being
taken to task for not preventing the perverson
| Tho code SAYS in Article 1872, that any one who
| knowing that his wife or children, or othei
persons for whom he is legally responsible. In
| tend to secede from the orthodox Church, does
not strive 10 disSuaGe them from this sinful lnteh'
ton, or takes no lawful measures for preventing
! the secession, will be punished with lmprls1h
ment for a period not exceeding three months
! and il he be member Of the orthodox iatD
! will be handed over 70 the ecclesiastical powers
| for disciplinary punishment. Parents not leading
| their children to the sacrament beginning when
the children are seven years old. are 10 Dc SUD
! ject TO special disciplinary measures, and the az
tention Of the civil authorities Is to be dlrec'eo
! to their conduct. .
1t is evident thar much depends upon the spirit
| in which these Jaws are enforced Under reginc
of extravagant fanaticism, such as exists AZ
present no one outside the srlctesst pale OF ortnO
doxy is safe Any chance word, criticism OF
drunken priest. may condemn its utterer 70 hope
less exile. For under such law as THIS. VIVA.
| might not be construed criminalP Article i,e
saws that whoever publicly uses words with the
! object of casting obloquy upon the orthodox
faith, or SCOTS at the Holy Scriptures or the Holy
Sacraments, is punished with the forfeiture ~
| all civil rights and penal servitude for perio.
of from six to eight years. If this crime be no'
committed in a public place, but, nevertheless.
with the object of impairDg the faith OF t9 st
present or Of leading them into error, the guilty
person is sentenced TO loss Of all civil rights ana
! Punishment 10 a remote district OF Siberia.
There are many more laws equally seven,
under the provisions Of which any dissenter 10
| in danger of being convicted. II is these laws
that are being enforced against the Jews, lhey
, could as well be enforced against others but tot
. the fact that there would thea I've some serious
! complications. IT, for example. Roman Catholics
were prosecuted as the Jews are, the Romd1ni
| Catholic powers would probably intervene; II
more than express sympathy with the victims
! Rnt the Jews have no friends among the Govern.