Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1909-06-12

side Of the Atlantic For years the "Douks"
were looked upon as joke and Canada was
laughed at and ridicred, but now there is
different tale to tell. Most of the stories that
brought the immigrants into contempt were
based upon the doings of a small minority Of
Ghe communists, religious zealots whose fervor
led them into extravaganza of conduct such
as could be explained only by mental de-
yangement. These ZealOts went naked in the
riddle of winter on pilgrmages through the
snow in search of the Messiah. They would
yct work and they would not sanction work
ny others. They even turned loose their
horses, cattle sheep and hogs Given to them
by the Canadian governmenD, because they
ESidnt believe that horses oxen should be
made to toll for man that sheep or hogs
should be eaten by man.
The majority of the immigrants, however.
we're industrious and painstalling and had lit
Gle sympathy for the fanatics. These indus
erious ones have built up the community prop
erty until now the DOukhObor colonies are
among the best in the Saskatchewan country.
They are as deeply religious as ever, and they
cling to their old Quakerlke customs tena-
cJously, but they no longer are looked upon
- a problem by the Canadian government and
there will be no more talk of dispossessing
1hem from the magnificent domain they oc-
aupy
The Doukhobor has made good.
The first shipload of Doukhobors left Ba-
Goun, in Asiatic Russia. in January, 1899, bound
Sor Canada, and by the middle of that year
more than 1000 of them had settled in the
far northwest Now the number of these pc
%uliar reigionsts in Canada exceeds 10000
The creed of the Doukhobors is somewhat
vague in many details. The principal points
CT their belief however. are these: There is
one God: the Holy Trinity is beyond compre-
hension They do not believe in praying in
temples made with hands, and say that all the
ceremonies of the churches, being useless,
were much better left alone. Luxury in food
ur dress is condemned and going to war car
Tying arms or taking oaths of any descrip-
zion are forbidden. Their mode of life is
strictly communistic all laboring for the com
mon good. They are abstainers from alcohol
and tobacco, and, for the most part are vege-
zaTians.
For many years the Doukhobors lived in the
neighborhood of Kief, in what is called Lit
de Russia" In the reign Of Alexander l..
Ehey all were banished 10 the Wet mountains
OF Georgia. in the Caucasus. There they lived
for many years among the half-savage Ma
nometans who have been the rulers of that
region for centuries The crisis in their for.
tunes came in 1887. A universal CONSUMPTION
was declared throughout Russia Every
healthy adult male was ordered to be ready for
service in the army
For the next three years the Doukhobors
were prosecuted unrcmittingly. There were
Snnumerable banishments imprisonments.
noggings and tortures that cannot be de-
scribed but the Doukhobors were immovable.
Their condition was pitiable in the extreme
when Count Tolstoy and the Society of
Friends in England came to their relief by
Tzlising funds for their emigration to Canada.
There was little difficulty about obtaining
Sufficient land at little price for the 1000
Doukhobors who came to Canada during the
first year. Each male over Is years old was
allowed to take up 100 acres subject to pay.
Ynent of $40, which was three years deferred.
The Dominion government also gave a grant
at SIS to each man, woman and child, who
reached Winnipeg before June 30, 1899.
The region where these Russian exiles have