The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-07-02
FATHER JOHN, OF RUSSIA.
The Greatest Man in That Country
Next to the Czer.
He II Regarded by the People as a True
Physician of the Gospel and Be
lieved to Possess Wonderful
Healing Powers.

H0 H AoB3rte0 Dy the feoplo as AEu0
Physician of the Gospel and Be
lieved to Possess Wonderful
Healing Powers.
Two jubilee celebrations have re-
Gently attracted attention in Russia
one the centennial anniversary of the
stoI1ning and capture Of the Turkish
fortress of Tsmail on the Danube under
Souvaroff, and the other the thirty-ffth
anniversary of the entry into the ortho-
tox ministry Of Father John Sergeyef,
one Of the most remarkable and popu-
lar men in the Russian empire. Itneeds
no comments, says the London Times,
to explain the patriotic outpourings Of
the Russians over the historic siege and
savage reduction Of Ismail, but of the
celebration in honor Of Father John Of
Cronstadt, there is much to relate that
is strange and interesting.
Father Ivan, or John, Of Cronstadt,
known and revered in every nook and
corner of Russia, has hitherto been al
most entirely unknown to English
readers; but circumstance just re-
ported by the British chaplain at Cron-
stadt seems to indicate that the Chris
tian influence of this remarkable priest
of the Russian church has at last found
its way even into the United Kingdom.
A short time ago letter reached the
British clergyman at Cronstadt ad-
dressed in English to the parish priest
of that port. 1t came from a CORE
spondent in county Kerry, Ireland, and
earnestly begged for the prayers Of
Father John on behalf of the writer,
who appeared to be in great distress Of
mind and body.
fuence and reputation of this wonder
full man, who, in the midst of his Rus
sian surroundings, seems to approach
as nearly as anyone perhaps could ap-
proach in these days to the first apos-
ties. He is, indeed, a true physician Of
the Gospel. His extraordinary healing
powers, and the spiritual and bodily
cures effected by the faithful accept
ance of his earnest consultations, are at
tested on all sides by many sorts and
conditions Of men. To those who be-
lieve in Father John-and their name
is legion-the age of miracles is not yet
over. Crowds press round him when
ever he leaves his humble abode, and
are happy if they can only touch the
hem of his modest garb. Father Johns
life is one of uninterrupted and self
sacrificing charity and Christian minis
tration among the poor, the sick and
needy, not however refusing his pres
, ence and prayers to the well to do and
rich, who send for him when all other
help fails, and never in vain, from all
! parts Of the country. He has no vast
business organization of charity and no
corybantic Christianity like "Gen."
Booth, and no religious politics like
Archbishop Nicanor, Of Odessa. Al
though enormous sums of money have
passed through his hands to the Rus
sian poor in all directions, he is still a
poor man, living in the humblest pos
sible way. Steamboats, and trains in
which he journeys to and fro on his
truly Christian work are besieged with
such crowds that the police have to
protect him from their pressure.
The report of his appearance in any
house in st. Petersburg the news
spreads like wildfre-brings throngs Of
poor people running madly from all the
surrounding streets to get within the
range Of his healing presence, to re-
ceive his blessing, or to implore his
attendance at the sick bed Of relatives
| or friends.
He advocates no impracticable Chris
tian theories like Tolstoi; his life is one
entirely of good works, and his in
| f1a cfov,
masses, who have not yet reached the
state Of cynical unbelief Of the lower
orders in other countries, Is greater,
perhaps, than any other Russian under
the car.
The festival IN his honor at Cron-
stadt, an island most difficult and In
convenient of access In winter, was at.
tended by great crowds OF people, rich
and poor, who made their way across
the ice Of the gulf to the isolated port,
from st. Petersburg and other places.
Thirty priests ofi3ciated at the church
service on the occasion, and deputationi
from various benevolent and other so
cieties, including even the beggars, pre-.
sented the reverend father with gifts oi
silver-bound Bibles and holy pictures
The most touching sight Of all was the
gift Of q small bunch Of flowers by q
poor sickly woman with a child in he,
arms. An eyewitness states that the
crowd and Father John were moved Il
tears. At q banquet In the evening, al
which the governor and admiral Of thu
port presided, paupers, mendicants and
moujicks sat cheek by jowl with ladies
officials and naval officers, to drink K
the health and long life Of Father John
An Automatic CaShics.
An ingenious system Of registratio,
is said TO have been applied for the pur
pose of making telephone pay station
automatic.' The principle adopted 4
the familiar nicksl-in-the-slot. An,
person wishing to use the telephon
drops In q ooin Of any denomination
| II - A. 1~1I