The National tribune., 1908-11-26
THE rRYfH Amour THE DoukHo-
RORS.


The wSr1d iAas only known of the
Doukhoboss thru the excesses of a small
fanatical section of them. and now the
members of that strange community
feel called upon to say something to the
effect that the ftenzied men and women
who startled the community by march
ing naked, are not in any sense repre-
sentative bf them. The word Doukho-
Dor is Russian and of obscure meaning.
The best translation is wrestling with
the spirit" They are people who have
| differed decidedly and energetically
from the Greek Catholic Church in
Russia, bitterly condemning the drunk
enness, ignorance and cupidity of the
priesthood and calling for a more spir-
itual religion. They absolutely refuse
to bear arms in war, and it is said Of
them that in the midst of a battle in
the Crimea they threw down their arms
and stood singing psalms until they
were driven to the rear. They take the
Bible literally, like our -Mennonnites,
with whom they were closely associat-
ed in Russia. They believe in doing
what the Bible directs and IN refusing
to do what the Bible forbids. Some say
that they recognize the Trinity; others
that they do not. They claim that they
are all divine; that the spirit OF God is
lodged in each one Of them, and they
do reverence TO one another as temple
! of the Holy Spirit. They always begin
their services by bowling to one another
in reverence to the spirit within. They
do not believe that salvation is a mat
ter of form, theory or churches, but
comes thru change In the inner life.
land in common, but they have seced-
ers, who take up individual farms. They
recognize no man-made authority and
no priesthood. They were induced to go
to Canada largely thru the influence OF
Leo Tolstoi, and by his help the money
was raised to transport about $500
from Russia to Canada. The troubles
and hardships they encountered in the
voyage were terrible, but they endured
them with the for,itude Of religious be-
lief. They arrived in Canada too late
TO put In crops for the Winter, but
they went to work at whatever they
could find, and are highly esteemed by
their employers and neiEhbors as faith
full, reliable help. The men hire out to
the railroads and roadinakers, while
the women stay at home and work the
lands with the assistance of the boys
Some towns were entirely built by the
women and boys. When the houses
were constructed the families drew
lots for them. They refused to con-
form to the Canadian law and take up
individual titles for their lands. spar
ring with the authorities and quoting
Scripture against.the Canadian statutes.
The celebrated pilgrimage a few years
ago was due to a misrea6ing of letters
written by5their leader in Russia, but it
sufficed to. draw away some 1900 de-
luded pilgrims, who went thru the
towns proeiainling that they were going
to meet Christ Their leader was a
ZSsiol, WHO pTedSueu tlat IL was wrong
to make use of metals obtained from
the earth and smelted by the labor
Of enslaved humanity, that it was
wrong to train horses or cattle to do
work, that IL was wrong to use money
which bore the superscription of Cesar,
and that it was wrong to till the earth. |
They would go to tropical country, |
where all their wants would be sup
piled. The example of Jesus abandon
ing His work at the carpenters bench |
to go back and forth thru the country
preaching repentance to men was given |
to influence them. This madness is all |
over, and the Doukhobor villages to-
day are inhabited by quiet, modest wo- |
men and children and few infirm men, |
The strong men work on the railroads |
and the women and boys attend to the |
fields The houses are comfortable and |
we'll built, and cattle and pigs and |
sheep are rapidly increasing in num-
bers. The men will not vote or take |
any part in Government. but the Cana
dams hope that the children who are
growing up so well will become highly |
desirable citizens.
-U-