Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-04
Young Father Gapon Who May
Yet Prove the Most Powerful
Man in Russia.
HIS EXPERIENCE AS CHAPLAIN.
One After Another Of the Prisons
Helped Him to Develop Very
Strong 0rganlzauOu.
sneclal Cnrresnondence.

Special Correspondence.
~T. PETERSBURG. Feb. 2O.-Al-
though 80 much has been cablsd
about Father George Gapon, tho
- priest whose fame became world
wide on Bloody Sunday, Jan. 20. the
stories sent out about him have been
az contradictory as the imaginary pho
tographs OF him which have been prine-
ed. An authoritative account there
fore, Of this man who has shaken
empire and Ia likely TO shake 1t asnl''
may be Of value. | am sending 'h'S
letter through private channels.
Father Gapon is now "a years OLD. tall
and bony, with somewhat emaciated
features that reveal traces OF lifelong
self-sacrlfce and suffering His hair Ia
beginning 10 turn gray. His complexion
| is swarthy His piercing dark eyes
! glare out on the world from beneath
bushy black broWs and are filled with
| the fire Of fanaticism. He wears HIS
| hair black except for the threads
| Of gray--in flowing locks, which fall
| down over his neck, and his beard, TO
! all Appearances, never has been trim
| med
He wears the long black robe OF the
| orthodox Greek priest, that, reaching
| 10 the ground, exaggerates his height.
| Round his neck Is silver chain, 10
| which is attached a silver cross, the en-
| blem OF his holy calling Beneath this
| priestly robe Father Gapon wears the
| rough garb OF the Russian peasant con-
| sisting " coarse wooden vest and under
wear, besides pair OF huge jack-boots
reaching above the knees and Weighing
more than anyone outside OF Russia
would like to carry around. On his
| hend Futher Gapon wears the tall
round black hat OF his priesthood, which
also strengthens the impression that his
| stature Is extraordinary
Usually Father Gapon Is silent and
| reserved and his impasslye features
convey the impression OF solemn OBJ
! stnacy but when he is engaged In con-
versation on subjects which interest
him his face lights up, his impassivo
| demeanor gives way to excitement, and
| he becomes eloquent Seen at close
| quarters, when the fire OF enthusiasm
| burns within him, It Is easy to under
| stand the marvellous power which
| Father Gapon has contrived 10 gain
| over the duh masses of the Russian
| DOpulation His fervor IN infectious,
| HIS zeal is convincing and his words IL
logical though they often are. contrive
10 reach the heart and feelings OF his
listeners. Thus 1t Is that at q public
meeting Father Gapon can work his
! audience TO any pitch of excitement. so
| that II az the climax of one or his ora
lions he were to call upon them to throw
themselves against n stone wall they
would M likely as not carry out the
suggestion without question. He Is GER
talnly the most interesting man In
Russia aud the development OF his
career ls awaited with interest by the
whole civilized world.
BORN TO HARDSHIP.
George Gapon was born in remote
village In the Russian province OF Pol
tava, his father being liberated serf.
His birthplace was a miserable little
wooden hoyel, consisting OF two rooms,
badly lighted, badly ventilated and un.
clean. His father earned a weekly
wage Of s. as "A farmland The boy
was the only child OF his parents, and
his fellow villagers declare that he gave
evidence of unusual intelligence al an
early age He attended the village
school, and at the age Of ~ years Ia