The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-10
Lazarus Malleck, Persian Mis-.
siOnary, on Darkest Russia 50
Lectured at Kansas Ave. NJ. e.
Church Last Night
ON RUSSIAN RELIGION
Ignorant, PovertyStricken Peas
ants Worship ''Ikons.
Images Are Credited With MI
raculous Powers.

While several OF the delegates to the
Sunday school convention which was
in session here last week were waiting
at the Union Pacific railroad park for
a home bound train Saturday, one of
their number, a tall, heavy built youth
tried to run around the rim OF the
fountain. He had good start when
he lost his balance and fell in. There
was a spIashhng and connection until
he emerged dripping. The incident
furnished amusement for all but the
youth mentioned. He stood around
and dripped until train time.
A religion of 'ikon'' or picture wor-
ship, gross Ignorance. and superstition,
of which their priests take advantage,
and great poverty-these are the char
acteristics of Russian peasant life ac-
cording to Rev. Lazarus Nalleck, Per
sian, who gave an address at the KAN
sas Avenue NJ. E. church last night
Urmfah. Persia He was converted tc
Christianity from Mohammedism
when he was Is years old Since then
he has spent ten years in Russia in
mission work and about five years IN
the United States. He is a student
now at Nebraska university at Lincoln
and is taking a medical course at the
school with the idea of returning 10
Russia upon the completion OF ms
course and putting his knowledge into
good use in missionary work. In his
talk last night. he told of his being
persecuted by the Russian government
on account of his missionary EFFORTS.
also of having Travelled hundreds OF
miles on foot through European coun-
tries. He speaks English fairly well.
He said in part:
Russian peasants home in 1893 AS
entered, a woman of about 40 threw
herself at my feet. This is the form
of salutation which peasants there give
to those whom they think above them
IN the one low room I saw two
rough stools for chairs. a shaky tapie,
and a bench, and a picture of the
Virgin Mary, or the 'ikon' of the fam
Nv There was no bed, but huge
stone which covered about one-third OF
the floor served as a couch for the
rags served as bedding. This home is
typicaI of the Russian peasant class.
Their food consists of black bread and
a sort of baked dough made from the
oil of sunfiower seeds.
after a meal they wash their hands
by filing their mouths with water and
blowing il on their hands. .-----
THE men and women dress great
deal alike Both wear boots-no socks,
both lust encase their limbs in rough
cloths and thrust them in their boots.
Both men and women wear rough
coat and skirt. Their overcoats are OF
sheepskin with the fur turned inside.
"Of course they always wear a small
'ikon' around their necks. This pic
ture is placed by the priest around
their necks when they are baptized
about eight days after birth-and is
supposed to be worn during their lives
and is also buried with them. The
dead body of the peasant is placed in
the coffin along with two sticks. The
priest tells the living that the sticks
will enable the dead to get out OF the
coffin at resurrection day.
mo phase of Russian life is so much
a part of Russia as its religion. The
peasants believe that the emperor is
commanded by God and as long as they
think that they will never have another
form of government.
However, every prince also makes
his bow to the 1kons.' I have found
these pictures in every Russian home
and business place have been in.
have heard of a peasant worshipping
a barbar sign, thinking it was an i'm
age.
"A great many shrewd people of Rus
sia take advantage of this ignorance
and superstition. A Russian Jew, a
wine merchant, told me that he and the
priest of his village where he sold wine
placed a picture of the Virgin Mary in
a watering trough at night and put
lighted candle beside it. The peasants