The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-06
RUssIA's MOST SACRED SHRINE.
The Neutrality-suspicious. Picture of
the ''Mother of God"

the ''NIother of God"
Rev. Dillon Bronson in lions Herald.
1t is O'Clock in the afternoon in Mos
COW. June IA, Russian time dune % every
where else), but Russias sun is more than
TWO hours high and will peep over the hor-
lion tomorrow morning before o'clock.
We are standing in the broadest street OF
the city near the Incompatible Kremln
and opposite a gigantic gateway, under
which nestles a Gttie chapel of colored
marbles with blue pyram dal roof flecked
with golden stars. Every pasSer-by faces
the chapel, uncOVers himself, and solemnly
makes the sign Of the cross several times.
Even the passengers on the crowded dou-
ble-decked horse cars go through his
strange ceremony. Here comes a gang OF
dusty lahor6rs. Every one Of them steps
and. bowling low toward the chapel crosses
himself again and again, There are some
long haired, long-gowned priests of The
RUSSIAN church. very intelligent, good
looking men, too. with clear compilations
and kindly eyes, kneeAne on the marble
steps with their faces pressed AGAINST The
nard pavement. Every cab driver
in his padded robe. which makes him MI
the front seat entirely, finds time to re-
move his squatty hal and ,ouch his fore
mead, chest and right and left shoulders.
SNFt ONti tltiE d Ep4tnNl0 carriage with
pranolng black stations is hating, and a
wealthy lady with maid steps out 10 kneel
before the sacred shrine. Here close by us
are merchants coming from their pretty
shops in the matchless glass arcade near
by. They, too, without exception. pay their
homage and make the sacred sign; and The
poor peasants from afar. with black bread
and on.cns IN cloth, with coarse cloth
ing and straw shoes ard stout walking
stick which has helped them over a hun
dred Versts-they, Of course. are flied vie
rapture, and prosrate hens Ives flat upon
Inc pavement, kissing everything in reach
in passionate alteration
Nv nat is he meaning Of all th.s?" we
ask, and as We search eagerly but in van
IN the throng for some one who looks as
though he could speak a word of some
other language han Rus ian our eyes rest
on a rOyai carriage which we had over
looked. 1t is drawn by beautiful black
horses, with liVeried, bare-headod attend
ants, who are taking - rom the carriage a
blackcn@d picture of the Blessed Virgin
This, then, must be the wonder-worIs ng
Mother of Cod the most sacred picture
IN all Russia, before which The Car pros
trates himself before entering The Kr,m-
lin. We open our German Baedeker and
read that the picture is 80 years old, was
brought from Mt. Athos, and is covered
with pearls and precious stones 1t is taken
III a royal sc every lay TO The homes
OF the sick, where it works miracles and
receives great sums OF money. Il has a
cash in one cheek made long ago by a
Tartar sword; but Millions would now
gladly give their lives TO save the idol
from such iudignity.
We enter the chapel when the picture
has been SET in place again, and buy a t ny
cande which We place alongside a hundred
others filling the room with a fling odor
FaNY Won al
to the orthodox II distinct smells Of Mos
COW. We will not kneel, and we cannot
stand with score kneelug behind us en-
| deaVoring to see the sacred ikon, so we
back out INTO The ar, feeling the scorn re-
Elected from half-hundred faces and Won
der what the Christ and his sweet mother
think Of this. II is awfuly sincere The
tears and prayers, the pr, rations and
kisses. and the avish gifts Of he wretch
ediy poor make our hearts ache. We have
seen raw idol try n many hands, but noth-
ing more pitifuf than this