The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-17
JOHN OF CR0NSTADT
AND HIS INFLUENCE.
Character Sketch of the Most Re-
marlSabIe Man in Russia.

IN
Firm the Baltimore Herald.
With Russia the scene of stirring
events, the name of Father John of
Cronstadt," has again come conspicu
ously to the front in news from that
empire. For the last quarter of a
century Father John, though not a
factor in the official life of his coun-
try nor a leading dignitary of her
church, has stood out prominently
sometimes. from the somber background
of national sorrow. sometimes from
one of national rejoicing, whenever
Russia has attracted the attention of
the world
Ten years ago he was heard from at
the deathbed of Alexander III, admin
istering the rites of the church to the
dying Gar. Next he appeared as a
conspicuous figure at the soemnities
attending the coronation of the present
Car, and then ministering to the spir-
itual and physical needs of those in
lured and dying in the crush and panic
at Moscow during the free distribu-
| ton of coronation cups, which panic
cost hundred lives and put a stop to
the festivities throughout the empire.
Last week dispatches from St. Pc
tersburg told how Vice Admiral Maka-
thur to take command of the fleet
there, stopped long enough on his jour
| ney to receive the sacrament and the
churchs blessing from the hands of
Father John at st. Andrews Cathedral
in Cronstadt.
In Russia Father John is universally
known, beloved and revered as the
holy seer and miracle worker Of his
church. Though less well known
oh Il III IA fN,s
| good have extended far beyond the
| boundaries of his native land and even
bridged the ocean. Since his early
youth. when he was on the point of
entering monastic orders and taking
| up missionary work among the wild
| Tartar tribes on the Asiatic steppes,
he has followed with deep and active
concern the missionary endeavors of
his church in foreign fields. OF this
interest the Russian Orthodox Church
| of st. Nicholas in this city has re-
ceived an ample share.
In the study of the Rev. Father
| Alexander A. Hotovitsky, archpriest of
| the Church of st. Nicholas, the chief
adornment is large picture of Father
John bearing his autograph. This was
| presented to Father Hotovtsky last
summer, when, during visit to Rus
| STA, he called upon Father John to
| thank him for the interest he had talk
| en- in his little flock. portion of the
| funds necessary for the erection of the
| handsome new church edihce was col
| lected in Russia and Father john
| both by personal donations and by
| enlisting the interest of others In the
cause, became a substantial contrib
| utor.
The visit of Father Hotovitsky to
| Cronstadt occurred on July 10 Gold
! style). 1t so happened that this was
Father Johns name day. Faithful to
a custom of many years, the Russian
| divine on that day celebrated a solemn
mass in the cathedral and then enter
! tained at dinner the many friends who
| had come to extend their good wishes.
The Rev. Father Hotovitsky was one
of the guests.
"Vice Admiral Marakoff was toast
master at the dinner" said Father
Hotovitsky yesterday. 1T was only
natural that he should be, for he and
Father John are bound together by
ties of warm personal friendship.
| There were present at that dinner
| many dignitaries of church and state,
| but, nevertheless, 1t was a most DEM
| ocratic affair. Father John has some
quaint notions, and even in a land of
such marked distinction as Russia,
rich and poor may meet at this table
on terms of equality IT was a good
dinner, and good things to drink went
with it, for Father John, though or
dinarily he lives as frugally and abb
stemiously as monk, believes that
God put the good things of life on
| earth for the cheer of man, and he
| loves to see others enjoy themselves.
Father John in some respects is the
most remarkable man in Russia to-
day, and he certainly is the most talk
ed of. He represents a type all by it.
| self in the Russian church, and no
one has so wildly brought home to
the people its power and potentiali-
ties with a complete leaving out of all
the ostentation, pomp and grandeur
with which it formerly charmed and
awed the people.
Those who have been wont to con-
slider Father John as a mystic or as a
man of a monastic cast of mind have
erred. He is the opposite. He took
d wife, and he mingles freely In the
common life of the people. and he en-
joys a good joke. He has secularized
religion, and both by life and teaching
has steadily striven to lift the COM
mon life to the level of religion. He
is a strong advocate of the living help,
and he turned his back on monastic
orders just because he felt he was
needed and could be a potent influence
lOE BOOu ny IGtlldiillHS III the open lie
where those that needed him could
have access to him. The great throngs
that constantly besiege the doors of
his simple dwelling in Cronstadt when
he Is there and the crowds that gather
at railroad stations during his many
Journeys through Russia which occupy
the greater part of his time have
shown that he was right.
His influence reaches from the
90 fl1 TNxaR 70 hA hra-
vel in Russia. He takes from the
abundance Of the rich with both hands
and scatters 1t as freely among those
that need IL. II is only through the
remarkable gifts he receives that he
has been able to maintain something
like twenty-five asylums and institu-
tons in different parts of Russia, of
which he is the founder.