The herald., 1898-11-13
HE CAME FOR TOLSTOI
Aylmer Maude, Who Is Now at Hull
House

One of the most interesting guests ever
entertained by Hull house is now within
it's walls. This visitor is Aylmer Maude,
who lectured Saturday evening on Rus
sian Militarism' and Monday evening on
1.-The Teachings of Tolstoi." More nearly
than any other person Mr.. Maude stands
in the position of being the personal rep
resentative of the great Russian. He is a
brilliant and devoted disciple of the genius
of the czar's realm; his mission to this
country is directly in furtherance of the
movement which is nearest the heart of
the venerable writer and philanthropist;
..e has given to the world the best Eng
lish translations of some of Tolstoi's best
| works, including the recent and radical
enjoyed the intimate personal friendship
of the great apostle of primitive Christian
lity. Seated in the "octagon room of Hull
| house, Mr. Maude gave vivid and inter-
esting presentation Of the things which at
| the present moment occupy the chief place
in the thought of Tolstoi.
"As l was in consultation with Count
Tolstoi,'' said Mr.. Maude, "just before
| leaving for America, I have reason to feel
somewhat acquainted with those interests
which are uppermostin in his thought. Fore
most among these is the settlement In
| Canada of the prosecuted sect of the Douk-
| hobors, more than 200O of whom are almost
ready to sail from Russia.
1.-The name Doukhobors has come to
| mean a band of faithful and devoted
| Christians, who are in truth spirit-wrest-
lers-those who are wrestling against the
spirit of ecclesiastical intolerance, of per-
secution and of miitarism and are con-
| tending for religious liberty and the estab-
lishment of primitive Christianity as taught
and practiced by Jesus and his disciples
Their trouble with the Russian govern
ment began more than a century ago, and
has increased with time. A chief factor
in their difficulties was their conviction
of the wickedness of war and the taking OF
human life. Then they stood In the posi-
tion of the early dissenters and are to be
regarded as the way-makers for Protest.
| antism in Russia. OF course their non
combative convictions were directly op-
posed to the spirit of military service, which
has existed in Russia for many years.
1.-The crisis came in 1887, when military
prescription became the law of the land
When it was demanded that every young
man should give four of the best years Of
his life to army training and service q
terrible problem was laid before the faith.
| full Doukhobors They believed it to be q
sin for a man to kill his brother, even ir
| battle and when acting in the name of pal
riotism.
This conviction is the chief motive fol
the present Canadian colonization move
ment
Shortly after the military prescription
| law went into effect in 1889 the government
saw that the pacific doctrines of the Douk
hobors were likely to breed trouble, ant
therefore systematic persecution was be-
gun to suppress so dangerous an example
as they were setting to other peasants who
found 1t great hardship to give four year.
to military service yfhen their labor was
necessary to sustain their families. Great
secrecy was observed in the prosecutions
and the first martyre to the cause We're ir
the remote and semi-civilized mountain
! provinces. Many met the fate of Danish.
ment
| "While these prosecutions perhaps re-
duced the number of the Doukobors they
did not succeed ire breaking the spirit of The
faithful. The efforts to exterminate thi.
anti-military spirit came to the knowledg,
of Count Tolstoi, and little group of his
influential frieds went to st. Petersburs
to obtain, If possible, an audience with thu
czar.
1.-THE cZar's consent was easily obtained
to plan for ridding his hands of the whole
! troublesome matter by bringing the Douk
I hobors to Canada, and 1 have been in tn,
dominion to arrange the details Of the af
/ fair. The sect has now about 1900 faithful
members who wish to emigrate to Canada
| 1t was once more numerous than this, bu
persistent persecution has reduced it's ac
tive membership.
"As many of the men will be liable t.
military service next summer, it has beer
necessary to arrange for the immediate re
moval of ship load. am expecting to re-
ceive a cable message any day to the effec
that the ship containing some 1900 of thes,
humble colonists has sailed from Batoum
They are to be sheltered this winter in tn,
'emigrant halls or barracks used by tn,
Canadian government In caring for tn,
regular influx of the poorer classes of pros
pective citizens.
1.-THE first settlement will be near Ed
monitor, the northern terminus of the rail
road branching northwest from Calgary
Each man over IS years of age is to have
160 acres of land, and the government 4:
also able to offer other inducements Primo,
Hilkoff nephew of the Russian minister Of
railways, who Is under sentence of Danish
ment from his native country, is in Canada
looking for other desirable locations fol
the remaining Doukhobors, who are to b.
brought over later."-Chicago Evenins
Post.
4<
| Wall paper. late styles, low prices. at A.
A. EckstfAtd,s, a24 South saraxx street.