Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-01-19
THE MEANING OF
TOLSTOTS EXCOMMUNICATION.
The Russian Philosophers Gospel
and Love of Self-DeaiaI.
Nv Ernest I'll. Crosby,

Copyright 1901, the Christian Herald,
New York;
There is living at the present time in
central Russia, about six hours by rail
south Of Moscow, venerable old man
who has been trying with all his might
for twenty years past to live the Christ
life, and now the news comes that he
has been communicated by the Rus
sian Church and that the Metropolitan
Of Kieff, the Archbishop Joannicus, has
addressed a circular to all the arch
bishops and bishops of Russia warning
them not to give him the privilege of
the Church in life or death. \ strange
thing, is it not, that a man whose
whole desire is to follow Christ should
be cast out by the Church that bears
his name!
And who is this old man against
whom poor, impOtent JOannicus has
now done his worst? Leo NickOlaevitch
TOistOi is a representative of one of
the Old and noble families of Russia.
Born in 1928, he was brought up as
came a student Of the great University
OF Kazan. He gave up his studies
there suddenly, and the story which
they tell of him to account for his de
plrture throws a light upon his whole
life. One bitter winter night he went
to a bah at nObleman's house in the
neighborhOod OF Kazan. When he en-
tered the house he left the sleigh
which had brought him, with its peas
ant cOachman, outside to wait for him.
He passed the night in feasting and
dancing, thinking Of nothing but his
own pleasure. When in the early
morning he was about to return to the
city, he found that his coachman was
nearly frozen TO death. For several
hours the man lay unconscious, and it
was only by the most strenuous eff
forts, by continuous chafng of his
arms and legs and the administering
OF every remedy at hand, that his life
was saved The nina OF young Toll
stOi was much struck by this dramatic
incident. 1t seemed to present to him
a picture OF the society in which he
lived. There was he, young noble
man with all the money he could use,
although he had never been of any use
TO anybody. going into the warm, gay
and brilliant house to pass the night in
costly amusement, while his driver, the
representative OF the great working
class, which builds the houses and
prepares the food and drink, and does
The hard manual work Of the world,
was shut out there in the cold and not
allowed to enter into luxury which he
and his fellows had produced by their
toll Tolstoi left the University, for
he could no longer find it in his heart
to devote himself selfshly to his own
intellectual improvement while the
great mass of his countrymen were IN
poverty and want.
For some years he applied himself TO
the management of his estate, trying to
ameliorate the condition OF mis- serfs,
but il was disCOuraging work. and ne
was finally induced to drop it, and go
into the army He served in the Grim
can War. and took part as captain OF
artillery in the defence of SebastopoL
and while in active srvice he began TO
write short stories and novels In this
literary work he had instant success.
His books were praised by the critics,
and read eagerly by the novel-readers
of ST. Petersburg and Moscow. When
the war came to close, Tolstoi was al
ready a famous author, and the career
of a great writer was open before him
He made his home now at St Peters
burg, and was received with open arms
by the literary and fashionable circles
OF the capital He frequented the clubJ
and theatres. went to balls and dinner{
parties, gambled, fought duels. drani
and led generally the dissipated liz
which is the rule among men Of
class on the banks of the Neva- 3
still he found no peace fer his q
in all these diversions. At bottom
was always serious man, longing
lead good life. and not knowing
to sat TO work about\ it He had 3