The herald., 1894-12-13
Russia and the Rus,,ao Church

Der Sth printed an article OF "spec
ial contributor" entitled, The Russian
Church, and signed by ]. de Q. Donehoo
1t is not my intention to criticise the
above mentioned essay. but knowing
that vast amount OF erroneous ideai
prevail in this country concerning
Russia, l write these lines to call the at
tention of the author to a few errors
that he. perhaps unconciously, made.
Mr. Donehoo endeavors to show the
tolerance of the Russian peasant by
stating: I'm some villages Moham edan
mosques, heathen te mples and Christian
churches are found peacefully existing
side by side, and the leaven of heathen-
ism etiil remaining in this most Christ
ian Rnssia, is evinced by the fact that
be takes good care not to-otfend in any
way agaifet the beathea gods, much
pre.erring to keep on the good side of
them"
From Wbas source Mr.. Donshoo gets
this information do not know, but evi.
denuy he has never put his loot on
Russian soil.
| have travelled through that country
almost from one end 20 tha other, but
sonehoT have failed to find sRth mani
teatato:i OF toerHncs on the part OF the
Rnse(Gn peasant. eipply Tor the want of
these happy families" of divine editoes
IN R1seisu villages. Hnu conaeq emily
did not observe the 'leaven of hes IN IN =
lsm eill remaining in this most Christ
ian Russia"
Ih@re are Russian possessions in AHA.
the population OF which worship Mo-
ham or heathen gods, but there the
Russian peasant i5 sadly wanting On
the frontier OF the most Christian
Russia" few mosques and temples are
confined to tbs cities, where the tolsr-
ance or Intolerance OF the peasant has
but little influence.
MIR. Donehoo a.so state9, Baptism is
by lmm arsion and always in running
water" but the fact is ;he, ba IN 10 by
lmmerhlon and never in running water.
The Russian loves his ch ID TOO well TO
expose the tender babe to the danger o:
taking n lntal cold. Especially in the
winter, when the ics becomes two fee.
th'ck, through which it would be ne3s-
sary to break hole in order to perform
tn 8 baptism by i'm m-lereion and always
in running water"
The baptismal font is large vessel in
the shape OF tuD, and filled with tspid
water Ill which the child is immersed
three times. the forehead anointsd with
holy oil and then the babe is wrapped
in warm flannel.
Undoubtedly, the informant of Mr..
D1nehoo saw sometime in January. "a
procession go to sue river and people
Jump through big holes cut in the ice.
and conceived this to be ths rito OF blp-
tism. This is the feast of the Holv
Jordan. The priesthood at this time,
bless ths waters Of the near
eat river. and some fanatics imp into
the ice cold st1eam, under the impress
sion that By this act they will receive
great material aud spiritual benefit. A
of sublime faith, which
we can observe in almost evsry nation
on the globe, and which is nothing
more than sublime ignorance.
The word ''ikons," which the author
nterprets as sacred pictures, | have
tried IN vain to recall in my vocabulary
ot the mother tongue; but obstn atey
.hsre roturns the word "obrsz." little a.
object to the idea OF 1.-The Russian
as it exists in the imagination
# Mr.. Donehoo.
All preceding matter ia comparatively
Insignificant TO the picture drown OF the
Russian clergy. Even to the unnitat.
"a reader the statements boldly made
.nd claimed as facts must appear verv
lou otful. Mr.. Donehoo says there are
'J,uUO secular clergy who have TO marry
'eiore they are installed. and when
heir wives die are compelled to end
heir lives in O monastery.
Now let us reason ioF a m moment on
his assertion. Suppose the average
rieat, when ordained, is % years OF age
nd reaches 80; taking the mortality oil |
zen and women Gu an equa! basis an0 |
,rorlng the general opinion that the
Graol's family Is not conn plete without |
be bakers Gozsn," but accepting the
rdlnGry computation of three children
} family, we would reach the follow.
lg hgures In % years $4,000 priests
lu5t join the monastery and leave 1885,.
~ children, OF whom we Will assume
ut one-third are minors. Consequently
]. .OOO children remain to be taken care
. How? BY charity? This would
Id 1910 new mem bers annually to the
which, according to Mr..
oneh0o's statement, have only 600 in
ates.
We must, therefore, conclude that in
me unnatural way an exorbitent NOR
llty dlmln:shes this mem bers hip most
pidly.
Perhaps the grief and longing for their
ludren kill these poor wretches, like
cholera epidemic.
Aao. do not know, il Mr.. Donehou's
atement is correct, how it happened
at, next door to my faith er's hou o,
ere lived priest who had five chill
en-, nv playmates, whose wife died
lore | can rememo Der. and every
onth | received from him the escrs-
ent. am quite sure | was not hyp-
tlzed during this period
l nope the author will pardon my in.
'lsitlVeness for asking how he under.
Anos such statement es, "Bishops
ust be married. and so are ALWAYS
osen from the moDastic clergy ?"
Iea ne LABOR under the hallucination
at Russian monasteries are special
mes for happily married monks, whore
g cells resound with the sweet yoices /
teethlng babies?
But permit me nov TO replace these
city hctlons, from which the author I
awe some beautiful morals. by cold =
It's. :,
The Russian eccleaiastics ars divided 9
% two classes, called the black and q
lite clergy, "rshernajsri bjelaja du~ 4
vna." The black clergy is pledged to II
lDaCy, and are the monka from w hich n