The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-26

Special Correspondents Of The Sunday Rspuoho-
Moscow. July IL am in the Jerusalem OF
Russia, in the holy OF holes OF the worlds
greatest Empire
Moscow has more pilgrims than Mecca,
more shrines than Rome and moro worship
srs than Benares on the banks OF the Gam
ges-
It has 400 churches. monasteries On every
side Of Il. converts every Hilltop, and
you can't throw stone without hitting q
priest.
Talk about the United States Steel Gem
pany and the modern trust
The biggest trust on earth Is this Greek
Catholic Church.
1t has 100000 stockholders in Russia
alone and every one OF them Is subject to
daily assessment.
The money flows IN a steady stream week
day and Sunday all the year through and
the amount IN the treasury Is beyond COM
putation.
Even tho church itself does not know
what It has.
Tho capital controlled by the Synod. s,5,-
900 900. is a mere bagatelle IN comparison
with the total assets. and the $I-ooo0o0 .
year furnished by the Government for
church purposes Is a drop IN the bucket
compared with the gifts Of the people
We think We have grand churches. They
are nothing in comparison with the cathe-
drals and churches Of Russia.
There Is one church hero which cost S1o,-
ooo 900 to build. and there Is a cathedral In
St. Petersburg which cost more than tho
Capitol.
The Moscow church refor to is that of
"Our Savior"
1t stands on the banks Of the Moscow
River. Just outside the Kremlin. and It's
great golden dome may be seen blazing out
under the sun from any part Of Moscow.
The church is Of white stone. built N the
shape OF = Greek cross. It has golden Gu
polas at its corners. and a great dome In
the center, all Of which are covered with
copper plated with gold.
1t took 800 pounds Of gold leaf to plate
the dome, and It Is estimated that there u
100000 worth Of gold upon It
The interior OF the church has marbles
and precious stones which cost 81 900 oo. and
there are sacred pictures within It which
cost $4,000.
ST. IsAAcs CATHEDRAL COST
TWENTY MILLION DoLLARA
The St Petersburg church IL n I1aaa'a
Cathedral.
II has cost about twenty millions. and IN
sold dome is as largo as that Of the Cap
itol At Washington.
II took hundreds Of pounds Of gold to
plate II, almost as much as the dome Of the
church Of Our Savior.
Tho Kaxan Cathedral Of st. Psssrsbury
has . silver fenos about its altar. made OF
half . ton OF Russian plate which was ~
captured by the Cossacks from Napoleon
Bonaparte, and tho Cathedral Of St. Peter
and st. Paul has a spire plated with pure
gold and an interior gorgeous with gold and
silver.
You have All heard Of the Kremlin, tho
hottest place in this holy city. Moscow -
twsnty-nvs miles in circumference.
Il u mighty commercial and mauufao-
turing center having vast business build
ings and hundreds Of factories
H. a.
rounded BY . wall q little more than .
mile In length. This space 10 filed with old
churches and palaces and 10 known ~ the
Kremlin.
The churches have docnss ct soid, each ~
big as . olro,1s tent
There IL . sfeat tower with q golden
clcck, and In the churches and palaces are
treasures beyond computation
! have gone through many Of the bufld-
fngs. accompanied by the priestly Guidss,
and by tudicious bribing have had q look
at the treasures.
Ono II q picture Of tho Virgin drss,ed In
Q robe covered with diamonds
The robe u sometimes kissed b. the wcr-
shippers. and ! am told that all who touch
II arc now carefully watched to zee that
they don't bite OF the diamonds.
According to report, this SIN was once
committed By . Princess who was worship-
ing there.
She appeared overly religious. and kept
her lips long on the feet Of the Virgin, ap-
parently praying in agony.
After she left one OF the solitaires was
missing. She was charged with her crims
and confessed and she went to Siberia
This picture is frequently carried through
the streets in one of the state carriages.
and upon great occasions 1t has a golden
chariot with q priest in attendance.
It IL known as the Iberian Mother and
is said to annually bring in thousands Of
dollars.
NICKEI-IN-THESLO BOXES
ARE EVERYWHERE.
The nickel-in-the-slot box must have
originated with the Russian Church.
The only difference between tho contr1bu-
tdon slot hoxes and ours Ii that with US you
get the prize instanter, while here you are
simply laying up treasures in heaven.
The Russian Church has the slot system
scattered all over tho empire.
There are slot boxes for charity hung un-
der sacred pictures on the corners of the
streets slot cans at tho cashiers windows
Of the banks. at tho hotel offices where you
pay your bills, on the tables Of many of the
restaurants. in the cigar stores, where the
slot machines have matchbox attachments,
and especially in the waitn8-rooms at the
nilroad depots.
In the station hero counted twelve Of
these tin beggars chained to the walls Of
the ticket offices.
Each box was sealed with the seal of tho
FOOD SIJPPTIED AT