Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-03

lists retaliated by presenting petition TO
the Russian government, in which they
asked to be released from the control of the
Polish bishops and to be officially acknowl-
edged as an Independent sect. The Rus
sian government has not yet given its de-
cision, but there is every probability that
the answer will be favorable to the revival
lists who resist the archbishop's eviction
orders with the greatest vigor.
The peasants of the parishes In which the
"Cuffers" are strong not only refuse to let
the refractory priests go, but will not allow
their successors into the churches. They
come to mass armed with knives, stones
and pitchforks and when the new priests
ascend the pulpit tell them that they are
not wanted and that the only priests they
do want are those sent by the Holy Moth
err" Peasants who are for the new priests
come to blows with the revivalists, who
generally seem to get the better of the
fight, forcing the new priests and their fol-
lowers to retire. When the archbishop
heard of these scenes he ordered the cnurch
in which they had been enacted to be
closed but the reyivalists opposed this. The
archbishop appealed for assistance to the
Russian government, who also refused, re-
marking that the new sect was perfectly
peaceable until the bishops had interfered
with them At the same time articles ap-
peared In the Russian newspapers greatly
In favor of the Cutters as body OF peo-
pie opposed to resistance against the ex-
listing government. But the Polish press,
with the exception of the EocialiStfc organs,
davotes whole columns to hurting invect-
ives against the sect in general and Koz-
lowska In particular.
According to them there is hardly crime,
except murder, OF which she is not guilty.
Her visions, they affirm. and her retirement
are but excuses for licentious conduct; and
her pretended piety but q cloak under which
the priests under her authority indulge IN
the most horrible orgies; the anti-Christ,
the sect processes to wage war against, her
own son, and ruin must inevitably overtake
Poland Ii the followers of such tensts and
such a woman continue to exercise their
baneful influence upon the ignorant peas
ants, Meanwhile the Ignorant peasant
does not seem at all inclined TO resist this
influence. Poor as he is, he has no objec-
ton to getting himself married, his children
baptized and his aged parents buried with
out being obliged to sell some of his house,
hold goods to pay the priest. On the other
hand he pays the taxes, leaves politics to
the squires and to the unspeakable disgust
of the patriots says that his village priest
has forbidden him to resist the Russian gov
eminent
Finding the government deaf to their en-
treaties. the Polish bishops appealed to
Rome. where the new movement had been
favorably regarded by the pope; and they
gave their version OF the part played by
Kozlowska with such energy that the holy
see refused to recognize the sect as q
brotherhood and directed that the foundress
be placed under medical supervision. But
1t is long way from Rome to Plock, and
the Russian government cares little for
papal edicts; 30 Kozlowska defied the Pol
ish bishops second time.
1t is not to be supposed that the revival
lists organisation stops at the visions OF
their head, or that they are content to hold
the parishes already obtained When num-
bers are against them and their priests are
obliged to leave the parish church one OF
the peasants is found only too ready to
give up his cottage for the cause, and an
altar is erected and mass said daily to a