The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-16

bJAbeamAh-4 the gfeato9t COMMENTING
power Of the vast empire through which
II IL spread. This being the case, he nat
urally opposes all other religious bodies
IN Russia as not merely inhlCting injury
upon Christianity, but as tending to the
political dislntegration Of the empire. Mr..
White recalls that never In any Of their con-
VIBRATIONS did he hear Pobiedonostssh
speak a harsh word Of any other Church
or Of any religious ideas opposed TO bis
own; but It was clear that he regarded
Protestants and diasident scots generally
as but agents In the process Of dlsintegra-
ton, which in western Europe seemed APP
preaching q crisis. and that he considered
the Roman Catholic Church In Poland az
practically a political machine, managed
by a hierarchy implaoably hostile to the
Russian Empire and to Russian interests.
II seems that, In discussing his own
Church, Pobiedonostseh never hesitated
TO speak plainly Of It's shortcomings. I'm
ouestionably one Of the wishes nearest his
heart Is TO reform the abuses which have
grown up among It's clergy, especially In
their personal habits. Here too, Is a rea-
son for any repressive policy which he
may have exercised against other religious
bodies. Everything that detracts from
the established Russo-Greek Church de-
tracts from the revenues OF its clergy,
and, as these are pitifully small, aids 10
keep the priests and their families In the
low condition from which he IL earnestly
endeavoring to raise them Our author
goes on TO say that, as regards the severe
policy inaugurated by Alexander III.
against the Jews Of the empire, which
Pobiedonoe' self more than any other man
Il supposed to have inspired, the latter
seemed to have no harsh feelings against
Israelites as such; but his conduct APP
peared to be based upon a theory which,
In various conversations, he presented
with much force; namely that Russia,
having within It's borders more Jews than
exist In all the world besides, and having
suffered greatly from these as from an
organization really incapable OF assmila-
ton with the body polite must pursue
a repressive policy toward them and isolate
them In order TO protect its rural popula-
tion.'
It was Characteristic Of the man that,
while he was very civil in his expressions
regarding the United States, he clearly
considered all Western civilization failure.
He seemed TO anticipate before long
collapse in the systems and institutions
OF western Europe. To him socialism and
anArchism, with all they imply, were but
symptoms of widespread political and
social disease, indications Of an approach
ing catastrophe destined to end a civiliza-
ton which, having rejected orthodoxy.
had cast aside authority, given the force OF
law to the WITNESSES Of illiterate majorities,
and accepted as the voice Of God the
voice Of unthinking mobs, blind TO their
own interests and utterly incapable OF
working out their own good, It was evil
dent that he regarded Russia as represent
ing among the nations the idea Of Heaven
given and Church anointed authority,
as, in other words, the empire destined to
save the principle Of divine right and the
rule OF the httest.' With such funda-
mental views 1t Is not surprising to learn
that as regards public instruction, he held
to the idea, 80 thoroughly carried out In
Russia. that the upper class, which Is 70
conduct the business OF the State should
be highly educated. but thai the mass OF the
people needs no education but what will keep
them contented In the humble station to
which 1t has pleased God TO call them.
What seemed. however, to be a clash
between the Procurator's orthodox con-
servatism on one side and his Russian
pride on the other was observed by orr
author on his return from a visit to Moscow,
in the course Of which he had had sundry
walks and talks with Tolstoy. When he
mentioned this intercourse to Pobiedonost-
seff, the latter showed some interest. 1T
was clear that no was separated by who
orb Of thought from the great novelist,
vet Il was none the lees evident that he took
pride in him. He naturally considered
Tolstoy as hopclessly wrong in all his funda-
mental ideas, and yet was himself too much
Of a man Of letters not TO recognize in his
brilliant countryman one OF the glorics Of
Russia
Another curious, indeed amazing, rcvcla-
ton Of the man was the disclosure Of
love for American literature. He is a wide
reader, vet it appears that in tho whole
breadth Of his reading American authors
arc those that he prefers. 'Of these his
fayorites we're Hawthorne, Lowell. and,
above all, Emerson. Strange, indeed, was
il 10 learn that this arch prosecutor this
'Torouemada Of the nineteenth century
this man whose hand Is especially heavy
upon Catholics and Protestants and dis
senters throughout the empire, whose name
ia spoken with abhorrenoe by millions within
the empire and without II, still reads as his
favori:e author the philosopher Of Con-
cord Pobiedonostseh told Mr.. White that
the first book that he ever translated into
Russian was Thomas Kempis's Imitation
OF Christ and Of that he gave his visitor
the Latin original, Of which he made the
translation, with a copy Of the Russian
version itself. He also told our author that
the NEXT book he translated was a volume
Of Emcrson's 'Essays,' and he added that
for years there had always lain open upon
his study table a volume Of Emerson's
writings. There Is thus, clearly, q relation
Of Pobledonostssfi's mind TO the literature
Of the Western world very foreign TO his
feelings regarding Western religious ideas
Our author was convinced that the Prooura-
tor Of the Holy Synod had distinct literary
Gift, and he felt equally certain that his
attachment 10 the Church was sincere.
II is interesting 10 learn that these Inn
pressions we're not made upon Mr.. White
alone. He records that 1t fell TO my lot
10 present 10 him one Of the most eminent
Journalists our country has produced
T..ri.. A Mana n man who ootiid dfeciiaa