Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-10-23

ceueQ.
Apropos of this same atmosphere,
| was fortunate enough to see, about
a week ago, spectacle that might
have been lifted bodily from old
Russia. The occasion was the arrival
from Juneau of the Bishop Mariov-
chsky of the Holy Russian church.
When the steamer Tilikum, bear
ing the reverend gentleman, entered
the harbor, the five bronze bells of
the cathedral began carol OF well
come. And all Sitka seemed in
stantly to appear in the main street
Indians, the Russians of the Russian
colony. and the American population
by far the most curious of all,
crowded down the street to the
wharf. By this time the Tilikum
had made landing. and the august
cause of all the uproar had made his
appearance. In solemn but simple
state he crossed the gangplank,
raised the episcopal wand in silent
blessing over the town, and stepped
upon the dock.
In mein he was eyefilling and sat
isfying. Tall and thin, swart and
black haired, he achieved that su-
perb attitude of sanity benignity
and conscious power peculiar to the
higher priesthoods of all religions.
He was dressed completely in black
silk. His head-dress was of that ma
terial, in shape like cardinals, flat
tened on top and bearing in gold
the insignia of rank. A long loose
robe hung to his feet. In his right
hand he bore the episcopal wand, a
simple staff of ebony.
As he moved slowly up the street,
/ followed at a prosper distance by
two accompanying priests, the scene
became singularly intimate and
touching. Many of the Indians that
had gathered were parishioners Of
the local priest But it seemed that
they had come to express their love
for a returning friend rather than
homage for a great prelate. An an
eient squaw, presumably beyond the
age of bringing sons to her lord s
house. pressed in front of the bishop
and knelt in the dust. She threw
open the folds of shawl to disclose
a tiny wriggling mite of humanity in
the hollow of her arm. The sacred
staff was raised, likewise two fin
gers of the left hand. A patriarchal
smile, two words of Greek, and the
woman had slipped aside again, her
burden once more tightly smothered
in garment folds, and light of Won
derful content in her cavernous eyes.
She had found the blessing of holy
man.
was surprised to see another
woman, one of the local Russians,
advance with hands outstretched as
one who welcomes an old neighbor
was vastly more surprised when
NJ. Mariovchsky, instead of extend
ing the stately benediction, clasped
her hand in his and raised it to his
lips. / made a mental note that here
was a truly wise man, who acknowl-
edged above the puissance of Patri-
arch and Pontiff the universal sover-
eighty of woman.
Sitka is no world capital. It is
but five minutes walk from end to
end of the main street. So to the
little blue-and-white dolls house
cathedral the visitor came; was sa-
laamed to by the local dignitaries,
and was clasped to his own.
Into the wide doors flocked the
parishioners, suddenly become in
tensely quiet and reverent. Soon |
heard the drone of the elaborate
Greek Catholic ritual, a service of
Thanksgiving. AS I turned away
with the scattering spectators the
picture in my mind was of an ancient
crone. blessed with a man-child in
the winter of her years, and of the
faith that had made for her a mo-
ment almost beautiful. All, that
faith, that depends upon nothing
more substantial than the bruised
dreams of the world! What things
it can do among mortals!
Honest to Gawd, I'm all in to-
night. There was quite heavy sea
today and we had lots of trouble
with the gear. At one place 1t stuck
and we had to row to the other end
and start over again. AS a result
I'm stiff and sore. Luckily there's
a hot sulphur spring on Baranoff a
mile away, and we go over there
every few days for resting baths.