New-York tribune., 1903-03-28
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
RELIGIOUS roLERATIoN IN RUSSIA.

RELIGIOUS ToLERATIoN IN RUSSIA.
To the Editor Of the Tribune.
Sir: In June, 1875. my way back from TiAis IN
the Caucasus to my missionary station at Tabrtz,
Persia l stopped at Erivan. and from there made
an excursion Etchmiadzin, at the foot Of Mt
Ararat After visiting the school and monastery
I called on some evangelical brethren. The history
of this little community is interesting. Some years
before vartabed, that is, monk noticed young
man coming very frequently TO church. ASKING
him what his object was he replied: Il seek the
Spirit the vartabed gave the young man re-
lgious instruction and after time advised him TO
go TO Constantinople to the American missionaries
On his return he could find no trace of his friend
the vartabed, and was in a quandary what to do.
He must give to others what he had received. but
If he proclaimed openly his message he might ex-
peCt disappear mysteriously az his friend had
done Finally he went to a bosom friend. and
having bound him by an oath to keep his secret.
told him Of the spiritual change which had been
wrought in him. This second man received the
Obligation to others. aid Iikewise and thus the
work went so that at the end Of the year there
little community of nine or ten who met IN
secret for worship Shut Shut IN IN am9ng& 18th themSGvH. d f
struction in the ways of God and therefore. when.
after short stay, 1 was about to return to krl-
van, was met by an urgent request to stay
have ever seem and We have many questions to ask
you 1t was a blessed day In my exPerlenEre- For
tons with which those hungry souls piled me
ABOUT H ocoek & at 6nt tneS van nraH
to u.s. [ took therefore, for my text John xiii 81:
l9ye one, one @ anoner az 7 have loved you f2at ,e T
door opened. the chief of police followed by some
Of his men. marched in the Bibles and hymn I,1,,
Next morning l was summoned TO appear before
RHssa aW 1 ." answer HTs wa that IN What had
done l was acting m conformity to the Word OF
which there was copy Of the Russian code,
forth his m band and and PaGGnmg m od i on the
This experience determined me to see whether tI,t
Of Tag SoT TbarfT T' IN n' R2Hsa Annraton to the
local Governor leading tc no result. and. falhng 10
% the cSroy OF hT6 m aa nsn in @ m
made my way to St Petersburg. and there. with
standard work Russia succeeded In obtaining
eee S@P{ 70 OF or2 1 m sa pr
In 1873. 1879 and 1880 l made visits there and IN
again aga for ST Fctcrsbnre 4St@ Of intfodutton
from our minister Mr.. Foster. procured me an m
terView with Count lEnatier. th" Minister CT m
interior; From him went to the Grand Duke
%f nn m or "as a n T0n
gelist The Caucasus being absorbed In the empire
l found different atmosphere. My petition 10 the
Minister OF the lntcror-nt that time Count Tol-
to the Gar and received by him. met the same
tmc 0 s Petes6r@ hSa get Count m Pas6k
leader Of the evangelical movement there. had m
nG Confrence at a ST. q5 g Th confer @
ence was held but; before It closed some eighteen
TashkoF, and Korn, were hanished from the en-
going on was, in great measure stopped.
In 1887 several Of my friends in the Caucasus
enterns the c9ant in ben
ID to oBsn ens and a
ceived Il note stating that his majesty regretted
he, was unabis 70 see me. Making a fourth visit
to TO- ST Pstsrs6urs drew up a petition emphaisia-
underfo.t On the part Of many officials OF that
Syns ST ne esnoy n whGh & Is s. 50 SoSny
that God-fearing men and women. loyal subjects