The morning call., 1892-07-24

is OF copper, and it Is of nearly tie size of
the dome OF the Capitol at Washington. 1t
took IVO pounds OF gold tn plate il, AMI
there IS not gold bracelet in Tiffany's
which Is better plated or polished than it is.
Ihe gold leaf which is spread over the inte-
Tior was hammered out of more than 100
pounds OF gold. There are solid silver
fences about the altar of that cathedral and
there are hundred and moro candelabra
In IL as high as your bead and made OF
wonderfully worked silver. About its
holy Of hOlies, into which women can
never 20. are CoTinihian pillars of mala-
ehlte faclngs. wOrIh 500. 900. and each square
luch OF these pillars. which extend upward
as high as the roof of your house, is of fire
enough stone to make a brooch and to set
In gold. There are two columns here inside
the malachlte ones OF lapis lszuli which are
no bigger around than YOUR sweptheart's
waist, but which cost $4,000 apiece. and |
might NIL this page with descriptions of the
gold bases OF the massive granite columns
the golden clothes of the gorgeous ikOns
aud OF the gilt and glitter Of this cathedral
alone. 1t is wonderful In its symmetry and
beauty and semi-savage oriental splendor
nut it has been soften led by the hand of art
till it ranks with st. Peters at Rome as one
OF the two finest cathed rails OF the world
lis cost. all told, has been nearly $40, 900, OO0
and 1t took solid million to make its fouu-
datioGs.
Still it is only one cathedral of a number
In 81. Petersburg, and IL is but type OF
the gorgeous splendOr and extravaganza of
religion which has perhaps stronger hold
upon It's followers than any other religion
III the world. All its churches are filled
with precious metals, aud without going
into description of those of St Peters
burg Will mention few of their wonders
which l saw In half days drive. In the
haZan Cathedral, which cost $1,000 900 in
1911, found a silver balustraie IN front OF
the golden altar. which weighed half ton
ana which was made of the Russian plate
which Napoleon Bonaparte seized when he
took Moscow, but which he had to throw
away on his famous retreat The Cossacks
gathered 1t up and gave it to this cathedral.
On tbs door or screen of the altar Of this
church the name of the Almighty ia en-
grAved in precious stones and there Ia n
painting of the Virgin set with Jewels
worth $4,000. The Cathedral Of St Peter
and st. Paul, on the other side of the Neva,
has great spire plated with pure gold and
It's Interior IS gorgeous In gold and silver. /
wandered into monastery yesterday,
where the golden doors OF the chapel
were open and the black-gowned monks
were at prayers. The golden book OF the
reader was on silver stand, aud the wall
or screen, IN front was one ma IS of gold
and painting. At one side was a shrine of
solld silver, which my guide told me con-
tained more than 5000 pounds of the pure
metal, and in the treasury of this monas-
terry there is fortune of jewels, gold and
gorgeous gowns, some of which sparkle with
diamonds. The vast amount of money, hnw-
ever, which Russia spends upon her religion
is on the thousands of Iittlo chapels which
you find In alm0stevery block and in nearly
every house. The sacred golden ikon, or
half-plcture half-image OF some saint. the
Savior or the Virgin, is found In nearly
every room and there is no store or busi-
ness house which has not it's gold shrine.
before which light perpetualy burns.
Before these shrines their owners, custom
ers and guests bow, cross themselves aud
utter prayers many times daily, and of all
the Impressions / have received since enter
ing Russia there are none so deep as those
have felt In the churches and in watching
the religious evidences Of the people. Their
religion may not be the best one its priests
may be and probably are 10 large extent
ignorant. but the people believe what they
profess and their creed is one of the strong
est forces OF their civilization and must
have an effect on their future.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.
ST. Petersburg, July 2.