The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-07-27
RIGHT ARM Of RUSSIA
The Church'S Powerful Influe-
nee as Shown at This Time.
PRIESTS BRAVERY IN WAR

-Chureh's Vast Wealth at Cars
Disposal If Necessary.
The Russian church is woven
through and through the fabric of the
Russian state, and it will do every.
thing in its power to bring victory
TO rest upon the arms of the cZar
In previous Russian wars the chu~cb
has been distinguished by the extraor.
binary courage of its priests on the
field of battle and by their success In
persuading the troops that they were
hghting for God as well as the Ger;
and would go straight to heaven IL
they we're slain.
A former Russian officer, now living
In New York. tells a characteristic
story on this head.
Il have twice seen Russian priests
rally disorganized troops and lead
them back into battle after their own
officers had lost control over them"
THE first time was at Pleva, during
the Russo-Turkish war. A battalion
ordered to attack one Of the breaches
was met by such a withering fire
from the Turks that most of the off.
GERS and nearly a third OF the men
were shot down in few momelts.
The battalion wavered, hung back, and
was on the point Of breaking and
scampering to the rear. The few Off
GERS left were beating the men with
their swords and calling them all
kinds Of opprobrlous names, without
result.
Then the priest attached to the
battalion-the regimental chaplain,
as you would call hm-rushed to The
front, holding aloft an ikon, shouted to
the men to charge for God and the
Car, and went ahead himself without
waiting for them. They followed With
a cheer, drove back the Turks and
held the breach for a time.
The other incident, which was very
much of the same nature, happened
during General Skobeeff's victorious
campaign against the Nero Turco.
mans in 1882. Just before the siege of |
Geek Tepe, which ended that cam |
paign, small engagement was fought
In which the Russian forces were Sc
Ve"ely handled by some captured field
pi' 1es worked by. the Turcomans.
me Russians were naturally eager
to recaptnre these guns, alike as
matters OF honor and because of the
h'rm they were doing in the hands OF
n - enemy. But attack after attack
iron them failed, although made with
desperate gallantry, until at last a
taI l
horse, rallied that famous fighting reg
iment, the Pereshaff Dragons, which
was actually in a mad rout, and took
the guns by furious charge that bore
comparison with the charge of the
600 at Balaklava."
y The Russian catechism, which Is
taught to every soldier and indeed to
every Russian. practically speaking,
asks:
"In what light Is the authority Of
the Emperor to be considered with ref
erence to the spirit of Christianity"
The answer Is: "If 1t pleased the
Supreme Ruler to place upon the
throne OF any nation or nations even
the hateful personifcation Of vice and !
wickedness, 1t would nevertheless be- ,
come the imperative duty of every /
human being who has faith in the
sacred mysteries OF our holy religion |
TO bow with a submissive and rever- |
ent spirit, both in thought, word and !
deed, to, the wise and inscrutible pur. |
pose of the divine dispensation.'
In answer to a question whether 1T
is obligatory on us to pay taxes to
our gracious sovereign. the emperor"
the following amazing reply is given:
1T Is incumbent upon us to pay
every tax In compliance with the su-
preme command, both as to the
amount and when due. 1t is the
same with reference to the time when
due. The Emperor Is to signify at
what periods he will gracously re-
ceive our taxes-we must always be
ready. Should our wives or children
be in utter want OF the necessaries of
life the monarch has prior claim by
legitimacy. |. e.. divine right. and we
must consider our disastrous clrcum-
stances as one Of the peculiar trials
of Providence and cheerfully seize so
favorable an opportunity or proving
our obedience and resignation to the
divine decree"
The present Car is a devout mem.
Der Of the Orthodox church, as well as
It's head upon earth. He and not the
patriarch Of the church, Is regarded
as the viceregent of the Almighty
The patriarch Is his friend and coad.
jutor, but Is subordinate to his will
In all matters In Russian church his.
tory two patriarchs have tried to as.
sert supremacy Both failed utterly.
One was banished to Siberia and died
there, working as a missionary. The
other the famous Patriarch Neon, the
Cardinal Wolsey of Russia, thought
himself strong enough to take a stand
against the Car in the seventeenth
century. He had to relinquish his
titles and honors and die in ignomin.
Gus solitude In monastery cell.