The daily sentinel., 1912-03-30
Associated Press.

and near the center of it is again
the mad monk" Heliodorus.. An
end was suddenly put to the monk S
amazing eX-territorially from the
civil and ecclesiastical power. For a
presumptuous telegram addressed to
| the emperors, accusing the Holy
Synod of heretical and uncanonical
proceedings, Heliodorus' patron,
Bishop Hermongenes, was dismissed
from membership in that body. His
refusal to depart for his diocese in
Saratoff led to its being taken away
from him. Finally both he and He
liodorus, who had come up from
Tsaritsyn to give him battle, were
| exiled to remote monastaries in Gro
| dino and Vladimir provinces. This
| order was enforced only after a fort
| night of insubordination. in which
Hermogenes was sustained by some
of the most influential leadrs of po-
litical and court circles.
Meanwhile. Heliodorus had disap-
peared in a mysterious manner from
the capital, ostensibly to make a pill
grimage. He mysteriously reappear-
ed in Petersburg after fortnight S
absence and also made show of
submission and departed for his place
of exile.
The personal element in these sem
sational developments includes a
third figure, Gregory Rasputin, re-
puted holy man" residing in Tsars-
koe Selo. He, it now appears, was
the power behind Heliodorus, ena-
bling the latter to say and do what
he liked, in defiance of the Synod,
and of the whole government. The
interdict upon the press of st. Pc
tersburg and Moscow against the con-
fiscation of about 10 issues of diff
ferent newspapers, including some as
influential in ruling circles as the
Novoe Vremya and Golos Moskvy, is
another manifestation of Rasputin's
power. His support was on personal
grounds recently withdrawn from
Heiiodorus and his group with i'm
mediate consequences to them.
Rasputin keeps as much in the
background as possible. With all
the slyness of the peasant when deal
ing with persons in authority, Ras-
putin avoided getting into trouble
with the Holy Synod, though he has
demonstrated repeatedly that the
Snyod is powerless before him.
This untutored peasant from ST.
IBERIA has gained all his power in six
years. He owes his introduction in
the ante-chambers of the great to
Hermogenes, Hellodorus and Theo-
phanus, who led the tra-reaction-
AIRY movement which came in the
wake of the revolution. Rasputin.
however, restricted himself to the
religious sphere of action. Those
who came near him conceived an
idea that he was person of extra
ordinary spiritual experience and
power. Such is the view held in the
highest circles. One of the Minis
ters of State who attempted to open
the question about Rasputin during
the recent stir was stold that Rus
sia exists these six years thangs to
Rasputin's prayers.
The Duma views the matter diff
ferently. An urgent Interpolation
on the censorship of the press in con
nectlon with Rasputin was adopted
with but single dissenting voice.
The text of the Interpolation re-
produced one of the incriminated ar
ticles from the Golos Mosky challeng-
ing the Holy Synod to call upon the
author for proof that Rasputin is a
chylst (flagellant secretarian), cor
rupter of bodies and souls, sly
conspirator against the holy of hol-
lies, the Throne and Church Altar.
The charge of being a chlyst con-
veys very definite meaning to the
Russian ear. At mathis and yespers
priests of the Orthodox church rare
ly fail to admonish their flock
against the denominations of the
| chlysts. These sectarians, however,
practice the utmost secrecy. and
are among the most punctual of
| church-goers. When the priest ad-
monishes, they groan and mutter hor-
rors of the very practices which they
carry on in secret.
| The chlysts now thrive in 80 prov
| inces The most notorious thing
about them is their religious meet
ings tcalled exercises in zeal") car
| ried on either with immunity in
palaces or under constant fear of
discovery in some secret under
ground passage or out of the way
| chamber. On entering the meeting
room, the men put on white calico
or linen shirts. reaching almost to
the ground, and provided with long
sleeves. The meeting communes are
allegorically called ships, the presid-
ing prophet pilot. the sleeves. sails.
Women put on similar skirts with
the addition of white skirt. They
also cover their heads with white
kerchief, with red spangles. All wor-
shippers hold a candle in the right
hand and handkerchief with red
| spansles in the left. These handker-
chiefs are called ArchangeFs wings.
Generally all remain barefooted. If
outsiders are present, the service is a
formal one of reading, diversified
with singing and preaching. If all
by themselves, the chlysts perform a
variety of religious dances, of which
the circle is the supreme degree. in
which they tumble and writhe in