The Portland daily press., 1896-01-09
ToLsToI.
Rev. Mr.. Van Ness's Lecture at the First
Parish House Last Evening.

The Rev. Mr.. Van Ness lectured on
Tolstoi before the Unitarian Women's
Alliance at the First Parish church last
evening. Mr.. Van Ness's lecture was.
a delight. Not only is he vivid word
painter, but, from the beginning of his
lecture where he describes his tiip to
Tolstoi's home, to his goodbye to the
great author aud reformer. every step
was carefully taken in regular progress
sion.
The lecture said that Count
Tolstoi had become reformer,
not from the motives that generally in
fuence men, net for power, fame or
wealth, for Tolstoi had them all, but in
order to following the footsteps of Jesus.
We all admire sincerity, and it was for
that reason the lecturer crossed two
oceans in order to see this man. Mr..
| Van Ness then described the trip from
! Stockholm past Cronstadt to ST. Peters
burg, the history in the Russian capital
+: the people, the great avenues and public
! buildings. He said that when the Ortho-
! dox Russian thinks of the Gar, it is not
of his temporal power, it is his religious
capacity. With MIN the Gear can do no
wrong; he is holy. It is for that reason
that the Nihillst wishes to show the
peasant that the Gar is mortal, that he
can be punished, and therefore lie strikes
at the Cars life. The story of the as
sassination Of Alexander was told, whose
death was directed by delicate woman,
| dan tor of nf
Petersburg Then the lecturer continued
on his way to Moscow and thence to
lula, at which place lies the country es
tate of Tolstoi.
When about to take the train for the all
night tide to Tula, it was noticed that
there was a large number of fine looking
officers in the railroad station. 1t ap-
peared that the governor of Moscow.
Prince Dolgorouki, had requisitioned
the train, and no one could go on it ex-
cept by his invitation. he was told chat
Mr.. Van Ness was desiring to take that
train, and he invited him to join the
party. The Prince spoke English per-
fectly and he invited Mr.. Van Ness, not
as special courtesy, but to learn from
him all he could about America for the
Prince is omnivol Gus of information.
The lecturer told the Prince how the
Americans loved Tostoi what we thought
of him. and how interested we were In
the Counts socialistic IDEAS The latter
statement did not please either the
Prince or his followers. 1t was evident
to see that they look upon Tolstoi as
little daft; that he is playing the role OF
Prince Bountiful But if a man other
than Tolstoi and not one of their order
should follow in his footsteps, it would
go hard with that man. 1t is we'll that
they take Tolstoi in this way, for if they
thought that his views were striking at
the very roots of despotism, it would
place him in very critical position.
The lecturer described his arrival at
Tolstoi's home; the plain, two story brick
and stucco house of dirty yellow color,
with long windows opening on the We
randall, the dogs barking and the chill
dren's German tutor extending q well
come fol the lecturers letters of intro
duction had preceded him. A brief sketch
of Tolstoi's life was given from his birth
in 1928, his love for his brother dwelt
upon, the circumstances connected with
the writing of his books.
A description of Tolstoi was then CIV
en- as he appeared in his coarse serge
shirt, beltsd at the waist, coarse trousers
and heavy moujik boots; man of ovsr
six feet in stature, slightly bent, with
long grizzly hair and beard, heavy eye
wide nostrils, who suggested strength in
his appearance. Only twice had the lee
turer stood before man who impressed
him in the same manner, the other being
Emerson.
JACKSON AND SWEETSiR.