The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-02-10
i FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1905,
The Great Reactionary.

AMI Tho special correspondent Of the Chi-
cago Tribune sends an interesting ana
Illuminating story from st. Petersburg OF
lilo position and influence OF Mr.. Pobc-
donostcff, the Procurator-G eneral OF 'ne a
Holy Synod or Russia. NJ,
lis the most unconipromislng reactionarS
and most ardent supporters Of autocracy
I'm ali its phases to DO found IN Itussla
d to.day. Apart from his position as the
Official head OF the church, M. Pobcdone-
steff was the tutor of tic Car in his
youth, and thereby acquired a great per-
bsonal ascendency over the mind of Mich
II olas III, which has never been shaken
1t was never thought that the Russian
Torquemada would even understand the
aims OF the worklnglnen, but the depths
& Of his hatred to any change and his blind
\ and faintical adherence to the uttermost
4 claims Of autocruc y have never been as
clearly expressed iii this remarkable let
ter to the Gear, which has just been
made public. 1T Is interesting TO note
that Pobedonosteff, i'll addressing the
B Car, uses the capital letter, just as he
4 does in addressing the deity. q
H TO THE GAR.
u Our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, has
imposed lpon Thee the holy duty OF erect
#4ng the orthodox Cross in the extreme
"A Orient IN the midst Of peoples who be-
NJ liepe a in idols and not i'll God, and who
therefore resemble impure monkeys.
K Truly, this task is rot easy, THIS task
or carrying the Cross. Still less easy
,sBit 10 erect the Cross among the ene-
niles o.. the faith But the hour of vic
tory Is now at hand. 5ii
rs THY sovereign WILL hundreds of
thousands OF children Of the orthodox
d Church who are sincerely devoted to Tree
h;tve been sent 10 the defense Of the fatll-
5erlaad and of orthodoxy. Every hour.
every day, increases the assemblage IN
the far Orient or Thy armies of faithful
\ sib5ects.San6 ut is in thcse#times that
Thy servants Q Gear. and Thy mobiles
which came a bout Thee dare to trouble
THY sacred and yeritably orthodox soul
+ BIZ their insensate Vaccinations to en-
feeble Thy antocratlc5 power and to create
States generals. i5 4
All these ma cfinations are because Thy
enemies are enraged and envious because
to Thee it Is given the happy and historic
mission OF establishing the orthodox
4idtln III lie AJileiit. iioh i'tt..t
the right,#as orthodox and Amounted Of
E God, 10 do everything according to Tiny
will and the desire of Thy heart; Thou
hast the right to put TO death and to
pardon Thy taithful subjects; Thou hast
the right to visit "fhy wrath or Thy
mercy on Thomsoevcr Thou wilt: Thou
ereignest for the glory of Russia and to
terrfy Thy enemies. IN.
But Thou. o Gar, hast not the right to
violate the sacred oatlrTwhlch Thou hast
given before our Lord and Master, God,
to keep the promises OF Thy ancestors, to
preserve the fAutocracy and Thy Orthodox
faith which is bound up in it. DO not
forget, o Gar, that Thou art the Anoint-
ed of God Call back to Thy memory
: how THY face was beatiled in tho On
spensky Cathedral when Thou pronuunc
est THY sacred promises, to Our Lore
and Master God while Thou vert in
vested with Thy crown. Thy scepter arf
'rhy insignia of power, which were givei
Thee first by Thine ancestors, and thci
BY Thy faithful orthodox people. Hcarlt
en- not 10 the counsels Of those abou
Thee, violate not Thine onths, For u
NO Autocrat, Thou violate Thy oath
those about Thee viii commence to vic
late II also, and then will fall all III
prcstlge OF the Church, the state, tn
Holy Synod, all Thy holy hleinrchies
ana MT last the orthodox Faith Will fal
md heresy will trilmpb,
II i5 PoBEpoNosTE
& With such advisers the Gar can ncve
understand the real needs OF his sub
jects T55l 4