The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09

(Copvright, 1914, by Curtis Brown)
 T. PETERSBURG, August Ss Holy Russia is speculating as to the fate of Ivan Tchurikon, I2z3aHI peasant Edison, social reformer' and prescribed heretic. whom Procurator of the Synod sabler and Metropolitan Vladimir &hnt to expel from the orthodox church. Of all the self-taught geniuses who have risen on Russia's soil since Poet Lomonossoff, the fisherman's son. none has been such a marvel as Ivan Tchurlxoff The half lterate peasant Ivan, Ivan Tchurikoff who has convert ed 10000 drunkards to total abstinence; who has built a model village equipped with all the appliances and amenities or civilizations; who has given thorough fright to a government which systemati- callv shows it's dread of progress ana light
 Ivan Tchurikoff, known to his disciples as "Pratetz Ioann''-Brother Ioann--is the organizer and autocrat of the ''Tresven- niki'' of St. Petersburg province. "Tres- venniki'' means 'Sobermen" The Sober men movement aims at redeeming the mouiik from vodka. As extended by
 
 also from excessive eating eff he ever gets a chance to eat excessively); and from other vices and failings; and at turning him into civilized and humane man. Sobermen movements have always existed In the 70s one such movement Tn Kurslx province was governmentally sup pressed with jail and knout. There is a modern colony of sobermen in Vladimor province, which fourished until lately when the police, zealous to emphasize the czar's new rescript against drink, threw into jail the leaders, Kolosloff and Gri- gorieff Minor movement of sobermen ex- ,st elsewhere. But Brother Ioann's sober men are the wonders of their kind; and Brother Ioann is the wonder of sobermen chiefs
 Rrotber Ioann is a mild-faced, deep- eyed. meek-looking, thin peasant; in mien a tvnical Muscovite mystic with feryent anostolic air, who talks slowly through his nose in a peasants sing-song voice. --. oriein he is half Tartar. He was born 40.odd wears ago in the cabin of parents vvbo could neither read nor write. Little Jvanushka taught himself both arts. He taught himself all sorts Of other things and began to think. A miracle happeneu. y, ern village grew up young man With hahits of cleanliness, neatiness, mooesty and love A terrific passion for reforming, lecturing, showing how to do 1t, burned in Ivan. Ivan became a bore. What in censed his sluggish fellow villagers most was that he worked at "machinFi. At diabolism He was always inventlng something: catch for the gate; new bell for cattle; way to hold the blpie open in church. The villagers had no sym pathy for that kind of thing; and when he sinvented' as he imagined, screw propeller and fitted it to toy epaddle- steamer, they whacked him soundly Tor being such a fool as to think screw propeller would drive steamer. The whacking served to increase Isanushka' s zeal to reform.
 When aged seven and twenty Ivan had the usual mystic's vision. It bid him turn the world from drink. from excessive eating and from all bad manners. Around Ivan, now transformed into the Scriptural 'Ioann.'' gathered aspiring men and wom- en. All Russian mystics and holy men get demoralized the moment they find worshippers Brother Ioann proved the exception. He is genuine holy man. He started to collect money, vagabonds n and drunkards The money was to found a model village where everyone who live in virtue and sobriety and the veg- abonds and drunkards were to people 1t. Cynics laughed. They laughed louder when they hear dthat guileless Ioann had bought marshy, worthless land for his village, in the simple faith that he could reclaim it. Today the village ts in ex- istenoe: ft shelters 2o fazn1lIes with 1zol persona. the aappiest. sobGest moet proc