Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-25

Mother, and Ia said TO annually bring
In thousands Of dollars
CHURCH SLOT BOXES,
The nickel-in-the-slo box must have
originated with the Russian church,
'fhe only difference between the contrl-
button slot boxes and ours is that with
VI you get the prize instahter. while
here you are simply laying up treasures
in heaven, The Russian church has the
slot system scattered over the empire,
There are slot boxes for charity hung
under sacred pictures on the corners OF
the streets, slot cans at the cashiers
windows OF the banks, az the hotel Of
fees where you pay your bills, on the
tables of many Of the restaurants, in
the cigar stores, where the slot ma
chimes have match box attachments,
and especially In the waiting rooms at
the railroad depots. In the station here
counted ~ Of these tin beggars
chained 20 the walls OF the ticket Offices.
Each box was sealed with the seal OF
the church a cross In red wax. and |
saw it would be impossible 10 rob the
boxes without breaking the seals
| counted 10 slot boxes along the walls
and in the chapel just next the big
bazaar In ST. Petersburg. ana at the cor
ner OF the street nearby were II more
boxes, making &c IN all in less than half
block These slot boxes were of tin
They cost probably about 10 cents
apiece. ana It Is a poor box that does
not make 100 per cent on the investment
day
CHURCH BEGGARS.
The country swarms with church
boggars, Monks and nuns, as well as
laymen and laywOmen 20 about with
slot boxes hung around their uccks,
begging you to drop IN some money for
the church The people are generous,
and every one gives SO that the sum
total OF the contributions must De onor-
nous, There are many shrines con-
sidered especially holy which can be re-
lied upon for SO many thousands Of dol
lars every year There are painted Ma
donnas which yield the church enor-
nous sums one for instance, is In a
little chapel AT the Iycrsky gate, near
the kremlin. The chapel is always
througcd. and even the emperor wor-
ships In H. Its annual contributions |
and candle sales are said 10 net $4,000 |
a year. or as much as the salary Of our |
president
MONEY IN CANDLES.
Talk about money TO burn, The Rus !
sian church has H. At least Il gets it |
out Of the smoke In every chapel can |
dies are kept continually burning before |
the altar. and the candles contributed |
TO a great church are numbered by |
thousands. Every man, woman or child |
who goes 20 prayers buys candle to /
put In the Candlest.cks before the altar |
and many think that their sins are !
washed away according as the flame /
burns long or short The candles are OF |
AN sizes, from that Of your finger 10 as |
big as your leg, and they cost a good /
round sum. Some are wax and some |
tallow. Indeed, Il Is estimated that So |
600 600 talloW candles and 1000 600 wax /
candles are annually used, and that In 4
there are also consumed 200
000 600 candles made Of parafiine So
O0C 000 made Of oil and glycerinc, or In /
all a grand total of S50.OO0,O00 candles i
This is in European Russia alone. Now,
suppose each candle nets cents, and /
you have a gross protit Of 5000 OO0 from
the candles.
This estimate ! should say was re-
small. Indeed I am told that |
10 annually takes l2O.OO00OO pounds Of |
wax TO supply the church candles and :
that many Of the converts have factor
les which supply the trade. The same
candles are used over and over again,
being blown out shortly after the wor-
SHIPPER leaves and fixed up for another
customer The ends are also melted
down and recast There Is a big profit
in the crosses and images sold by the
church, and also in the icons or sacred
pictures. which are made IN vast guam
titles and are used In every house.
might almost say, In every room in
Russia.
PILGRIMS OF 1908.
We are accustomed TO think OF pill
grims as connected with the crusaders,
and do not realize that there are mill
lions upon millions who are making
today There are tens "
thousands Of Russians who &c from all
parts Of this empire 10 worship az I
Jerusalem. There are pilgrims from |
Africa. Greece and Armenia who march |
on foot and by sea to the sacred places |
cf Palestine and there is also vast ]
pilgrimage Of Mohammedans TO the city |
OF the erueihed Christ The pilgrimages !