The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-12-04

sorry that my slight knowledge of the
 Russlan language made it impossible te
 Know exactly what he was saying | Yes, interjected MT H. nodding his | head at the same time affirmatively
 he says the Molokains do not believe
 in images icons or any representation
 whatsoever of Deity. They hold that
 Jesus possessed the spirit of God, but
 we may all partake of that spirit" The elder was talking all the time in Rus
 sian while the interpreter was stating
 this to me in English and it was no
 easy matter for MT. H. to listen and
 explain at one and the same time, "I understand, l understand he kept say
 ing, for that particular Russian word
 l knew. Then, putting up his hand for
 silence, he again turned to me, and
 said: 'They do not worship Jesus, nor
 Mary, nor any of the saints Worship
 should be paid to God alone.' What is
 the form of their service?" I asked.
 Interpretations from the Bible, psalms,
 chants sermons txets, prayers from the
 heart" was the answer
 Have you any regular ministers or
 preachers?"
 No. the Doukebars have. Their lead-
 CTS preach. We read chiefly from the
 New Testament There are the Sabba-
 tarians among us. When the spirit
 moves, they get up and speak or pray.
 However, we do not suffer because of
 the absence of regular preachers; for we have men among Us who are able to interpret passages from the New Testa- ment understandingly and intellectual ly. You misunderstood, when I say we do not pray We do not have formal prayers Yes, We sing the psalms. Our service is very simple. At it's conclu sion the men kiss one another, then the women kiss one another; though this practice is objected to by some of US
 To my next question, Have you any written literature?" the elder sadly re- piled: "No, nothing. We are not allow ed to print, so that all we know of our past is from tradition and hearsay Some of us came from the shores of the Volga. Our chief colony was the Mo- lochnaia, on the Molokai river, north west from the sea of Azov. Yes. Just back of the Crimea land. I told you' he continued, that some of us believe in baptism, though I do not It is merely oii ottLSi sis,L' lic ChulI Ill Npi tlip.ioA Greek) christens in childhood; but what can child know of this rite and it's value? Baptism, l hold, is the renew ing of man by the teaching of Jesus. The word water is used in a symbolic sense in the New Testament, just as the word fire
 T can't follow him further" MT. H. here said. T don't know what he means I'm not enough of a theologian." We now remained silent for time, and then the Molokain commenced to ask me some questions. These, through MT. H., I answered as well as l could To the question, Are you married?" answered Yes He was curious to know the American Gnitarian) form of which I explained. The elder here said: With us it is very simple. If two young people feel that the Holy Spirit has drawn them together in love. | hey come to me, and I read passage of scripture. Then l talk to them lbout the duties of man and wife. Then | say short prayer, whatever is in my | leart, and give them my blessing. That | s all.''
 Tn what way can we in America l pest help your" I asked,
 He sat silent and pondered. By and y he answered: Through helping us those of us who wish-to emigrate, ut particularly through literature, iterature Give us books, books, ,ooks''
 What, particularly, do you want?"
 inquired.
 First of all, the Bible; that is, the version of the scriptures, rhich is not allowed us by the authori- es"
 "Is this sop said in English to MT l.
 T think it is," he answered. 'The authorities do not allow hese people to have in their possession ther than the regular authorized Cor hodox GreelO version of the Bible.'' What else do you want?"I inquired
 Some liberal biblical exegess, the istory of the ancient Christian church the time of the apostles, some Uni arian statement of faith the orthodox { reek catechism, the Roman Catholic ( atechisnl and some Protestant cate { Msm." f
 
 as devoted to ways and means of ob- $ thing this literature and getting it in- l Russia. It will not be prudent to t lblish this part of our talk. I had E st promised to send the elder a Protes- s mt (Russian) Bible from London, and i ad written my name and Boston ad- 'ess upon a card which l was passing l cross the table, when suddenly there ' lme bang, which made me jump to i v feet in nervous terror, while the V her two were also alarmed as they r rned to look back of them. The un- | ,pected noise proved, however, to be 0 ,thing more than the heavy wooden j utter flying back to it's place from i e force of wind that had now begun e
 blow and which threatened heavy I of rain. The hour was so late a
 seemed best to break up our meet r g. The. elder promised to write out ill e more logical way his beliefs, and have n em forwarded to me by our prear- s nged underground" railway They b ud then translated, and printed in F lgland and America. W Although afterward I visited other | and through them obtained a rther information as to their present q sthod of life, yet from none did get u ch clear and precise views as from u Is Molokian elder. It may be that my a I,l