The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-04-04
MAD MONK now
NEAR THE CHURCH
OF Russia and a Cyclone
Sweeps through 1t as a
Result.

" swept through the Russian
Church, and near the center OF 1t is
again the mad monk" Hellodorus.
And end was suddenly put to the
monks amazing exterritoriality from
the civil and ecclesiastical power.
For a presumptuous telegram ad-
dressed To the Emperor, accusing the
Holy synod az heretical and uncanon-
zeal proceedings, Hellodorus's patron,
Bishop Hermogenes. was dismissed
from membership in that body. His
refusal to depart for his diocese I'M
Saratoff lied to It's being taken away
from him. Finally both he and He
lIodorus, who had come up from
Tsaritsyn to wage his battle. ware
exiled to remote monasteries in
Grodno and Vladimir provinces. This
, order was enforced after fortnight
OF INSTRUMENTATION, in which Hermo-
genes was sustained by some of the
most influential leaders Of political
and court circles
Meanwhile, Heiiodorus had dIsap-
peared in mysterious manner from
the capital, ostensiSly TO make a pill
grlmage. He mysterlously reap
peared in Petersburg after fort
highs absence and also made a show
] of submission and departed for his
place of exile.
4 The personal element in these sem
sational developments includes a
third figure, Gregory Rasputin, a re-
Eputed holy man" residing in Tsar-
skoe selo. He, IT now appears, was
the power behind Heliodorus, enabl-
ing the latter to say and do what he
liked, IN defiance of the synod, and
OF the whole government. The inter-
diet upon the press of st. Petersburg
and Moscow against publishing any
thing about Rasputln, and the contis-
cation OF about ten issues OF different
newspapers, including some as infiu-
entail in ruling circles as the Novoe
lvremya and the Golos Mosltvy, is an
other manifestation OF Rasputin's
power. His support was on personal
grounds recently withdrawn from He
liodorus and his group with immedl-
tate consequences to them.
Rasputin keeps rs much in the
background as possible. With all the
A slyness OF the peasant when dealing
with persons in authority, Rasputin
avoided getting into trouble with the
Holy synod. though he has demon
strated repeatedly that the synod Is
powerless before him.
This untutored peasant from 81
IBERIA has gained all his power in six
years He owes his Introduction in
| the chambers of the great to
IIerm genes, HeHodords and Theo-
phanus who led the ultra -reactionary
movement which came in the wake
Of the revolution. Rasputln, however,
restricted himself to the religious
I. sphere of action. Those who came
near him conceived an idea that he
was a person OF extraordinary spirit
ual experience and power. Such is
the view held in the highest circles,
lone OF the Ministers Of State who at
tempted to open the question about
lRasputin during the recent stir was
told that "Rnssia exists these six years
thanks to Rasputin's prayers"
The Duma views the matter differ
entity. An urgent Interpolation on the
censorship of the press in connection
with Rasputin was adopted with but
a single dissenting voice. The text OF
the Interpolation reproduced one OF
the incriminated articles from the
Golos Moskvy challenging the Holy
Synod to call upon the author for
proof that Rasputn is n chylst alag
ellant sectarian), corrupter of bodies
and souls, a sly conspirator against the
holy of holes, the Throne and Church
Altar.
The charge Of being a chlyst con-
veys a very definite meaning to the
Russian ear. At mathis and vespers
priests OF the Orthodox Church rare
ly fail to admonish their flock against
denominations of the chlysts. These
sectarians, however. practice the ut
most secrecy, and are among the most
ipunctual of church-goers. When the
priest admonishes, they groan and
mutter horror of the verp practices
which they carry on in secret.
The chlyst now thrive in thirty
provinces. The most notorious thing
about them is their religious meet
ings (called exercises in zeal'D car
ried on either with immunity in pal
aces, or under constant fear Of dis
covery in some secret underground |
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 presiding prophet
pilot, the sleeves. sails. Women put
on similar shirts with the addition of
n white skirt. They also cover their
heads with white kerchief. with red
spangles. All worshipers hold can
die in the right hand and a handker-