The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-01-28
,0ME RUSSIAN TRAITS
;ENTLENESs. UPRIcHTNess AND PA.
TENT SToLlDITY OF PEASANTS.
interesting Sights Witnessed During the
Annual Pilgrimage to- Troitsa Monns-
terry Sacred Relics-How Russians DO
TheIr Duty In Religious Why.


Their Duty I'm Religious Way.
TO me, when was in Russia. in the
summer OF 1897. Russia seemed the
country of freedom. says n writer in
ihe Saturday Review. / was n for
,igner. L did not concern myself I'm
questions of either politics or religion.
went at the time OF the Medical Con.
sress, and with friend who was a
member OF that congress. so that
had certain advantages In nv favor.
After the stories / had heard OF the
Russian custom house l was in some
anxiety for the safety of my manu-
scripts. My bags were not even
opened at the frontier. My friend
was carrying book by Edward Car
Denter for Count Tolstoi. book for
Didden by the Russian censor. and the
book reached Tolstoi I'm safety. / have
never seen anything so orderly or dis
Greet as the collection, examination
and return of passports at the railway
station on the Russian frontier. Wher-
ever went, In Moscow or In St.
Petersburg, l found so far as | was
concerned. delightful absence of of.
hcialism. l could go where | liked. do
MS l pleased. was not expected at ev-
cry moment to conform to some I'M
known regulations. us one is expected
IN Germany, for instance. The same
freedom seemed to exist even among
the natives. Peasants would Chamber
mp against the windows or n royal
palace, the coachman would turn to
the prince whom he was driving. and
light his cigarette from the cigarette of
his master
And 1 think l never saw people so
friendly with one another, except, per
maps, in Spain. And this friendliness
in Russia goes somewhat further. be-
comes n more definitely helpful thing.
than 1t does in Spain. No doubt it is
partly due to the influence of the eli
mate, to the necessary dependence up
on each other in their struggle against
cold in winter and heat in summer.
But IL has become an earnest help
fulnesS which has stamped itself upon
the very faces of the people And
after all one has heard of Russian
brutality, it is interesting to note for
ones self the signs of gentleness that
are to be found not only in these
grave, bearded, patient faces, but I'm
many little unexpected ways One
hardly thinks of Russia without think
ing of the knout. Well. the Russian
calEen drive without whips. using
only the end of their reins, and the
reins finish in n mere bunch of rib
bons.
When the Russian is cruel he is
cruel just as the barbarian always is,
because he is Indifferent to pain, his
own or another's. He does not spare
because he would not complain. And
he has the Mahometans readiness
to sacrifice everything for a cause
which to him is that spiritual and
temporal power which is his religion,
and which has taken far deeper root
in him than any mere sentiment, es-
Sentially modern one, of tolerance or
of sympathy with suffering In the
ROumiantsof Museum ut Moscow
there is the cage in which Emilian
Pougatchef was imprisoned; it is n
cage only very slightly higher and
wider than the height and size of an
average man; it has chains for fasten-
ing hand and foot together, so that
the man can only stand upright, with
out even moving. inside the iron bars
of his portable prison. But Pougat-
chef was a religious revolter and to
spare one who had taken up arms
against religion would have been to
spare one who was n dangerous enemy
of God.
The word which I should use 10
represent the main impression made
upon me by the average Russian, the
soldier, the railway porter, the laborer,
is uprightncss; and it seems to me to
contrast very favorably with a quality.
perhaps equally strong, which is to
be seen in the face and the bearing of
the average German. TO the German
discipline and obedience are painful
duties; he appreciates them and he
acquires them. but he becomes some
thing OF an automaton in the process.
To the Russian they are the duty
which is its own reward, a sort of
religion which it is q delight to full
fill.
The Russian has a genius for self
sacrifice; self-sacrfcc has made him a
martyr and n conspirator; it has given
him strength and weakness. He can
resign himself to anything, and resig-
nation can just as easily be heroism or
mere apathy. The heroic side Of II we
all know; the other. at times comic,
side may be seen any day In the streets
Of Moscow by watching a cabman who
has been paid too small fare. He
does not explode into anger, like
cabman in any other part of the
world; he does not contest the matter.
he does not even demonstrate; ne looks
at the money i'm his open hand with
wOcbegOne expression. closes his hand
upon it i'm q gesture of weak despair.
and seems TO say. "WCl, 10 has hap
pcncd to me again"
But n we would see what ,s really
at the root of the national character.
the actual nature of the peasant 80
is not even in Moscow that 90 must
Dc sought. but i'm such place as Ser.
gicyo. and ON such am occasion MS tine
annual pilgrimage To- the Troitsa mon.
ustery. ON the Day o. the Assump-
ton The monastery dubious and ON
eular with its red walls and gold and
green domos and spires. is set ou the
triangular point of small hU: gl
about 10 are bright c0l0rcd sheds and