Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-11-24

as many OF you will-for European travel
is destined to change its course from south
ern Europe TO those northern regions-you
will have no more molestation or super
visal than in Brooklyn or in New York or
the quictest Long Island village.
Calumny the Third-Russia and its ruler
are so opposed to any other religion except
the Gree, religion that they will not allow
any other religion; that nothing but perse-
cution and Imprisonment and outrage in
tolerabe await the disciples of any other
religion But what are the factss | had
a long ride in St Petersburg and its sub
urbs with the project, brilliant, efficient
and lovely man, who is the highest official
in the city of St. Petersburg, and whose
chief business is to attend the emperor.
said to him, Il suppose your religion is
that of the Greek churchsn No. said he;
Il am a Lutheran. What is your reii-
gion2n | said to one of the highest and
most influential officials at st. Petersburg.
He said, II am of the Church of England"
Myself, an American, Of still another de-
nomination Of Christians, and never hay-
ing been inside a Greek church in my life
until went to Russia. could not have re-
ceiyed more consideration had been bap-
tiled in the Greek church and all my lie
worshiped at her affairs. | had it demon
strated to me very plainly that mans re-
ligion in Russia has nothing to do with his
preferment for either Office or social posi-
ton. The only questions taken into con-
sideration are honesty, fidelity, morality
and adaptation. had not been in St.
Petersburg an hour before / received an
invitation to preach the Gospel of Christ
I I,,ls 20 oil fc bnx
forgotten that the Crimean war, which
shook the earth, grew out of Russias in
reference in behalf of the prosecuted
Christians of all nations in Turkey
But" says some one, have there not
been prosecutions of other religions in Rus
SLAP No doubt, just as in other times in
New England we burned witches, and as
we killed Quakers, and as the Jews in
America have been outrageously treated
ever since l can remember, and the Chi
nese in our land have been pelted, and
their stores torn down, and their way from
the steamer wharf to their destined quar-
tiers tracked with their own blood. The
devil of persecution is in every land and in
all ages. Some of us in the different de-
nominations of Christians in America have
felt the thrust of persecution because we
thought differently or did things different
ly from those who would, II they had the
power, put us in furnace eight times
heated, one more degree of caloric than
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Prosecutions in all
lands, but the emperor of Russia sanctions
none of them.
had most satisfactory talk with the
emperor about the religions of the world
and he thinks and feels as You and do,
that religion is something between a man
and his God, and no one has right to in
terfere with it. You may go right up to
ST. Petersburg and Moscow with your
Episcopal liturgy, or your Presbyterian
catechism, or your Congregationalist's lib
eralism, or your Immersionist's Baptistry,
or any other religion, and if you mind your
own affairs and let others mind theirs you
will not be molested.
OTHER CALUMNIEs REFUTED
Calimny the Fourth-Russia is so very
grasping of territory. and she seems TO
want the world. But what are the factsf
During the last century and quarter the
United States have taken possession of
everything between the thirteen colonies
and the Pacific ocean, and England, dur
ing the same length of time, has taken
possession Of nearly three million square
miles and by the extent of her domain
has added two hundred and fifty million
population, while Russia has added dur
ing that time only one-half the number Of
square miles and about eighteen million OF
population Englands advance of domain
by two hundred and fifty million against
Russias advance of domain by eighteen
million What a paltry Russian advance
of domain by eighteen million as compared
with the English advance Of domain by
two hundred and fifty million The United
States and England had better keep still
about extravagaut and extortionate en-
largement Of domain
Calumny the Fifth-Siberia is den Of
horrors, and today people are driven like
dumb cattle no trial is afforded to the
suspected ones; they are put into quick
silver mines, where they are whipped and
starved, and some day find themselves go
ing around without any head. Some of
them do not get so far as Siberia. Women,
after being tied to stakes in the streets, are
disrobed and whipped TO death in the pres
ence of bowling mobs. Offenders heartheir
own flesh siss under the hot irons.
But what are the factss There are no
kinder people ON earth than the Russians,
and to most of them cruelty is an impossi-
bility. | hold in my hand card. You
see on it that red circle That is the gov
ernment's seal on a card giving me per-
mission to visit all the prisons of st. Pc
tersburg, as had expressed wish in that
direction. As the messenger handed this
card to me he told me that a carriage was
at the door for my disposal in visitingithe
prisons. 1t SO happened, however, that /
was crowded with engagements and could
not make the visitation. But do you sup
pose such cheerful permission and car
riagato boot would have been afforded me
if the prisons of Russia are such hells on
earth as they have been described to bes
/ asked an eminent and distinguished
American. Have you visited the prisons
of st. Petersburg, and how do they differ
from American prisons." He replied, Il
have visited them, and they are as well
ventilated and as well conditioned in every
respect as the majority of the prisons in
America" Are women whipped in the
street, No; that statement comes from the
of fabrication, a mandatory
that runs day and night, so that the sup