New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-03

Russia was at once arrested and conveyed to
MOSCOW. where he has since remained confined
In monastery in the neighborhood Of the city.
The dispatches which have Just reached this
country evidently refer to the pains and the
penalties which the Procurator Of the Holy
Synod IL asking the Gear to pronounce against
him. In accordance with the verdict recently
rendered by the ecclesiastical tribunal assembled
at Mini Novgorod to try his case.
THE PROCURATOR OF THE HOLY SYNOD
In order to understand the position Of ~
Pobiedonotsoff in the matter. It may be we'll
to explain the functions and duties Of tine Pro-
curator of the Holy Synod. The Office. which
was instituted by Peter the Great, and which
was held until 1880 by Count Alexander Tolstoi
uncle Of the young priest. Is equivalent to that Of
Minister Of Public Worship in Western countries
The Emperor himself every one knows is not
merely the temporal. but likewise the spiritual
head Of the Orthodox Church. holding position
with regard to the latter similar to that OF the
Pope, inasmuch as 1t Is distinctly sacerdotai, and
in fact that Of "sumnus epscopus.' and or Pon-
TIN. Maximus. The PrOcurator or the SYNOD Is
the direct and principal representative or the
Car In the highest ecclesiastical administrative
body Of the Empire. The Synod comprises the
MetropOitans of Kiev st. Petersburg, Nov
gorod, Kolomna and Moscow. as well as nine
bishops elected by the former. the Procuratoi
the DEGREES of the latter are valid without the
previous approval Of the Procurator. and In I'M
portant cases he appeals to the decision OF tnt
Emperor. He is by virtue Of his office a men,
Der of the Ministerial Committee OF the Imperial
Council and Of the Cabinet: he stands on an
equal footing with the other Ministers, and has
the right interfere in their affairs in all mat
tiers which he deems TO be affecting either al"
rectly or indirectly the State Church.
1t will readily he seen from this how vast IS
the power thus concentrated in the hands OF
10 W suDprintpudence
direction are not only all the educational estab-
lishments Of the Orthodox faith throughout the
Empire, but even all the parOchial conslstories
In fact 1t Is no exaggeration to assert that his
influence is predominant In every phase OF the
internal policy OF the vast Empire and mas
much as he Is imbued with the idea that abso-
Iutism and orthodoxy form the only sound basis
for a Russo-Sav State system. and that they
are mutually supplementary. no liberal reforms
in the direction OF a constitutional government
need be looked for as long as he remains at
the head of the Holy Synod, with the power OF
arrestng at his will every one or the wheeis
Of progress and enlightenment Fortunately ne
is very honest man, perhaps the most honest
In the entire Empire. absolutely incorruptiDie
but terribly fanatical and jealous he holos
fast the belief that drastic and fearless meas
ures are necessary to extirpate all superstltions
and heresies. among which he inciudes not
merely the various onshoots from tne Ireek
Church. such as. for instance. the Stundists
etc. but also the Lutherans. and especially
the Catholics. Indeed he may be said TO have
won his spurs as the author or an extremely.
NO DANGER FOR LYOF TOLsTOI.
The present Emperor Of Russia and his con-
Sort while they may possibly permit for the
present the law to take its course with regard to
the young priest, Nicholas Tolstoi (although he
is likely to receive pardon when they visit
Rome and the Pope next spring. are far too en-
lightened and imbued with western and progress
sive ideas to ever permit any interference with
Count Lyof TOlstO the novelist being well aware
of the fame which he enjoys In almost every
civilized country. alike as an author, as a nu-
manitarian and as a conscientious student OF the
most intricate and complex social problems OF
the present day. Even the late Car. stern. re-
lentless and reactionary as he was. respected
the motives Of Lyof Tolstoi. When the latter be-
gan to write In his incendary fashion Alexander
III sent for him and urged him to desist.
'Will Your Majesty" answered Tolstoi. don
for an instant your imperial mantle. and judge
my works not autocrat. but as mere or
binary man? II a single word OF my writing Of
tends your human sense. l will cut off my right
hand"
Alexander became thoughtful. did not reply.
and took cordial leave of the novelist. who. no
matter what he wrote was ever afterward
treated with remarkable indulgence. and In spite
Of the late Cars deep respect. regard and affec-
lion for his old tutor, NJ. PObiedonOtsoff, he stern
~ bade the Procurator of the Holy Synod to be
silent on one memorable occasion. when the qucs.
ton was raised by that functionary as to wheth-
ar the writings and teachings Of the great apostle
Of Christian socialism were not Of a character
TO deserve the ban OF the Church. Infinitely
more brOad-minded than his father, Nicholas Ii
same immunity and indulgence to the most bril-
liant light Of contemporary Russian literature.
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