Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-09
A Country Where Fanatieal Sacer-
dotalism Prevails.
LAND OF CHURCH BELLS AND Music
Why So Little Sympathy Was
Shonn for Armenia.
IMPORTANCE OF THE ICON

W Durham in the Contemporary Review.
This custom of religious oliday-making
ia the bane of Russian industry and the
stronghold of priestcraft in the Eastern
Church There are about a dozen holy
days in each month throughout the year,
end every Russian almanac marks these IN
large red figures. You go out In the morn
irg probably intending to supply some nee
essary wants. and are surprised to find
every shop closed. The church claps its
interlict on commerce and Theoretically
seals up the avenues of industry by this
system which is enforced with astonish-
ing vigor Russia is the real home OF
church and state in the most perfect con-
tinuity of mediaevalism.
1t is a vain notion, which the western
mind generally cherishes, that In Russia
religious superstition Is gradually yielding
to the encroachment of modern progress
siveness Enlightened people in Russia as
sured me that never has the whole land
been 50 thoroughly dominated by fanat-
ical sacerdotalism as 1t Is at this day. l
saw evidence everywhere Of the truth OF
this proposition. No keynote of any new
song Of liberation has yet been struck by
the prevailing party. A lady of rank re-
lated to me how. in her own large clrcle OF
acquaiE tance, a number of fine young gen.
tiemen had ardently embraced the monas-
tic profession. The religious feeling Is no
wh.re on earth at this hour so energet-
ically alive as in Russia If you move
among the people you feel an all-pervadins
sense of religion in the atmosphere. You
can never move many yards from the
shadow of church. and between the count
less churches there are shrines on the
pavement with candles burning and icons
illuminated. before which. one after an
other, the people crowding along on bust
ness or pleasure stop by hundreds for ado
ration. Religion mixes itself up with all
affairs. commercial, social, military, polit-
1cal and domestic. The modern Russian Is
the plaything of the priest. while he is the
and blind priestcraft make the ''moujik"
what he Is
The wolsey of Russia.
During the late reign the amalgamation
in the bureaucracy, which so uniquely locks
church and state together, was intensified.
Pobiedonostseff is in Russia exactly what
Wolsey was in England, and what Richie
lieu and MaZarin were in France. AS the
procurator of the holy synod he reduced
Alexander III to puppet in church hands.
Just at this point We may glance at the
reason. which SO few people seem to take
adequately into account, why Russia has
remained so quieScent over the history of
the Turkish atrocities in Armenia. There
is such thing in the nation as public
opinion in the ordinary political sense, but
in no country is there such a powerful
public opinion in The religious sense. The
heart of Russia palpitated with popular
Jury when the Sunerings of the BulgarianS
were made known. All middle-aged En-
giishmen can remember also how. during
the ServiGn instruction, Russians swarmed
as private adventures over the Danube.
Why, then. do the people and government
remain Gallons to the agoDies of the Ar
n,enians. Simply because while Servia
and Bulgaria are orthodox, Armenian
christianity is not in affinity with the
Greek Church. Had Armenia modified her
religion into harmony with the ecclesiaS tic
ism of the Russo-Greek Church, Turkey
would not have been permitted to perpe-
trate any other massacre after that at
Sassoon. And the differences are not
in any sense radical or VITAL it is lamenta-
BILE that some reunion not long ago
effected. There are mere sects in
Russia than yIhere in Europe; but they
are underground sectS, not prOnOuncfng
their shibboleths publicly and not disturb
ing the magnificent Erastian unity of the
mighty empire. And, moreover, Russian
sectism Is ascribed to the inevitable honey
combing of society with surreptitiOus lib
eral ideas Among one hundred and ten
millions of people there must necessarily
be ramifications of opinion: but the main
current of orthodoxy sweeps resistlessly
on.
The Universal Icon.
The chief symbol of Russian religion is
the universal icon, that unique sacred pie
ture which Is everywhere in evidence
ArtistiGally the icon is unlike anything IA
miliar in other lands. 1t is picture con-
tanning painting whatever except the
face and hands. These are painted either
rudely, or with fair skill, or eXquisitely, as
the case may be. The rest of the icon IL
all in raised metal work-brass. nickel, sill
yer. gold. A Russian cannot understand
q world in which icons are not profusely
displayed in all quarters. They represen
the Virgin and Child or st. Nicholas, or
st. Sergius. or the Redeemer. any sacred
character sufficiently famous 10 deserve
homage In every church there is. II posi-
BILE, at least one costly icon, and in all
wealthy sanctuaries there are several of
great value. usually adorned with rubies,
amethysts, sapphires. diamonds and pearls.
The value of the jeweIed icons, and of
relics In caskets blazing with precious
stones. is, in some cathedrals and converts,
simply fabulous. The traveller soon be-
comes convinced that this most ancient of
European churches. the Russo-Greek, is
the most affiuent in the world Its treas
-ures are incalculable. and II has never real
ly been spoiled and stripped. as other Eras-
tan established churches have all been, by
reformations and revolutions.
With Due Reverence.
Nothing Is done In Russia without o,eis-
ance to the icon 1t is an insult Oh the
most fragrant order for a native to enter
The dwelling of another without the sign of
homage to the icon. In the bed room, the
kitchen. the drawing room, everywhere the
holy symbol is encountered In my cabin
on the steamer when 1 opened my eyes In
the morning gaudy little picture of some
saint was staring down on me. II 1t be OBJ
served. by way Of apology, that the uni
.versal homage paid 70 religious pictures Il
not alteration. then j can only reply that
IT Is an imitation Of it which is absolutely
perfect.
The religion of Russia Is remarkable both
IN its abundant accessories and in its elm
nation OF some Of the essential features OF
other forms of Christianity. Russia Is ths
land par excellence of church bells The
koiokol. or bell, is unspeskably dear to
Muscovite ears II you cannot sleep when
the air is paipitating with the clashine
reverberation of scores of bells. then you
had better keep out OF Russia, for very
early every morning the tintfnnabulatior
begins, and II does not cease for hours
and then the interval is very short Blu,
what wonderful bells they are. How deep
fitch and harmonious they are,
Musical Services.
1t seems a singular anomaly that organ,
are prohibited in churches. as are all Othei
Instruments. but the singing is so fine thai
Instrumental music ts not missed. TIL,