Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-23

During the course of the year 1909
complaints about Rasputin's behavior
! increased to considerable extent. He
was once more called before an eccle-
siasticaI court to give explanations in
regard to his general conduct Among
his judges figured again Bishop Feo-
fame This time Rasputin could not
clear himself of the charges preferred
against him, and ne was invited to re-
tire for one year into. a monastery
by way of penance. But Rasputin re-
fused to submit himself to this sentence
and categorically declined to do as he
had been told. He gave as a reason
for his disobedience 10 the commands
of, his ecclesiastical superiors that his
conscience obliged him to resist be-
cause it would be impossible for his
spiritual sisters and daughters" to ac-
company him in his retreat and live
together with him in the monastery
they wished him to enter.
At the time this incident took place
Rasputin was already living in st. Pet
ersburg, whittier he had repaired on the
invitation of some of his admirers and
protectors, who had the opportunity to
listen to his preachings in Kieff and
other Russian towns. Among them fig
ured the Countess Sophy Ignatieff, a
woman of high standing, irreproachable
reputation and great influence in some
circles of the capital, where her salon
was considered the center of the con-
serVatiVe orthodox party. Bishops and
priests figured among her daily visitors.
and it was among her habitues that the
most important ecclesiastical appoint
ments in the empire were discussed.
Often lit was the candidates whom she
honored with her protection who were
chosen for a bishops place or for that
-. 90 Of ria mn
asteries the heads of which are quite
personages' in the state
The countess was already an old wom-
an, widow of a man who had been muir
dered during the revolution of 1905, and,
moreover. incapable of being even sus-
pected of any frailties of conduct She
was the mother of a large family, and
though by no means brilliant. was yet
clever in her way, with a slight propen-
sity to intrigue. she was extremely
devout, with a strong tendency to ex-
altation where religious matters came
into question, and was continually Ia
menting what she called the relaxation
of modern society in those practices of
strict church discipline which Russians
belonging to the higher classes have
lately taken to forgetting. She would
not have missed attending any of the
long church services, sometimes so tir-
ing in the Orthodox faith, which are
celebrated on Sundays and many feast
days, and she strictly tasted at pre-
scribed times. Indeed, her whole ex-
!stence was. as regards its daily rou-
tine, more that of a nun than of a
woman of the world. But for all that
she liked to keep herself well Informed
as to all that was going on around her,
and politics was her especial hobby.
!, Among those who frequented her
house were Mr.. Sabler, then procurator
of the holy synod. together with his
future successor, Mr.. Loukianoff; a good
of ministers-she was dis
family related to Mr.. Stolypine, a fact
that had considerably added to her i'm
Eportance during the latter's lifetime
and a few influential DANES belonging 70
the immediate circle of friends of the
imperial family. All this constituted
a coterie that had gradually assumed
perhaps more Importance than it really
deserved. but that brought into st. Pet
ersburg society an element with which
lit would not have been wise to trifle
and which 1T was impossible to over
look for any one caring to concern him
self or herself with the course that pub
lie affairs were taking and assuming.
ILLIODORE AND RASPUTIN.
A few years before the time L am
referring to, that is about 1908 or 1903,
a good deal of interest was excited not
only in ST. Petersburg, but in the
whole of Russia, by a monk called IL
liodore, who also preached a new gos-
pei to those willing to listen. There
was, however, about him none of the
pecularities which distinguished Ras-
putin. and no one had ever found one
word to say against his morals. But
he off al n oh
scale. and with certain Protestant
learnings. the feelings of fervor of the
people. At Saratoff, where he lived, he
did a great deal of good, and he had
built there a large church, orthodox,
of course, which soon became a center
of pilgrimage to which flocked thou
sands and thousands of people DESTROYS
of hearing him and of listening to his
inflamed speeches. They reminded one
of those crusades that in the middle
ages had stirred whole nations to rise
and rush to deliver the Holy Sepulchre
from the yoke of the infidels. He was
far more a Peter the Hermit than Ras-
putin, and had, moreover education,
which the other lacked.
But ecclesiastical authorities in st.
Petersburg did not approve of his
teachings, and he soon came into con-
fiict with them, together with the bish-
op of Saratoff, who had all along sup
ported him and who considered him
being really a good and pious man. This
conflict led to a quarrel, the result
of which was that Illiodore was con-
fined in a monastery, whence, how
ever, with the help of his disciples
and adherents, he contEived to make
his escape There was also a whole
series of lawsuits, into the details of
which it is useless to enter here. At
last the monk was unfrocked for rebel
lion to his superiors, by a decree is
sued from the Holy Synod. He be-
came fearful of further ambulance and
managed to get hold of a false pass.
port, with the help of which he made
his way into Norway, where he is still
residing, and where we shall find him
presently mixed up in a most extraor-
binary adventure with which Rasputin
was concerned But before all this
had occurred there was a brief period
when Illiodore was quite an important
parsonage in Russia, and the salons
of the Countess Ignatieff and of other
ultradevout ladies used to see a lot
of him whenever he happened to be in
St Petersburg. These feminine listen
ers were very fond of him, and did
their best to spread his reputation all
over the capital