The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1921-06-29


| took place under the following cir
| cumstances.
In 1900 Nilus returned to Russia
and wandered in poverty from mon
astery to monastery. 1t WAS then that
he wrote Notes of an orthodox, or
the Great and the Little" small
volume in which he described the con-
version of an intellectual atheist to
religious mysticism. This booklet
elected some very warm reviews In
the Russian religious periodicals
which eventually reached the Grand
Duchess Elizabeth FiodUrovna who
thus became interested in Nilus.
The Grand Duchess had always
fought against the Adventures who
surrounded the Gar and especially
certain Phillip of Lyons. She was
greatly dissatisfied with the confessor
of the Royal family archpriest famy-
scheff, whose duty it was to preserve
the Car from malign influences. The
Grand Duchess thought that Nilus, a
Russian mystic and orthodox, would
exert favorable influence on the
Gar
Major General Michael Petrovitch
Stepanoff was greatly attached to the
Grand Duchess, and it was thru him
that Nilus was sent to Tsarskoie Sielo
and there introduced to Helena Alex
androvna Czeroy, who was later to
become his wife. This took place in
1901.
When Nilus left France. there re-
NAMED in Paris a person very dear
to him, namely, Nine. X. This woman
who had lost her entire fortune and
who was greatly saddened by her sep
aration from Nilus, became interested
in mysticism and frequented all the
occult cenaeles in Paris. 1t was thus
that she encountered Ratchkovsky
who moved in the same circles. and re-
ceived from him the manuscript of
the Protocols of the Wise Men of Zion
which she transmitted to Nilus. 1t is
quite possible that RatchkOrsky. who
was then intent on removing the in
fluence of Philip on the War. wished
to make use of the Protocols in order
to gain the good will of Nilus. who
he thought would be the successor of
Philip.
Nilus produced very good impress
sion ON Helena CzcrOy and the rest
of the Court who We're opposed to
Philip. Thanks to the aid of these
persons. he was enabled TO publish
in 1902 the first edition of the Pro-
tocols with an appendix on his own
religious experiences. The book was
entitled The Great in the Little and
the Antichrist as Near Political
Possibility" A copy of it was present
ed to the Car and Czai,ne. At the
same time the adversaries of PEilipp
: arranged the marriage between Nilus
and Mile. Czerov and the ordination
Of Nilus into the priesthood. Arrange
ments were also being made to estab-
| fish Nilus as the conftssor of the
| Gar. Things looked so promising that
NiIus had already ordered pricstly
garments.
However, Philip and his followers
| trlmped up canonical prohibition
| against the induction of Nilus into the
| priesthood. As soon as this prohibi
ton was called to the attention of the
ecclesiastical authorities. Nilus fell in
| to disgrace and was forced to leave
Tsarskoie Cielo. Again penniess eN-
| cept for the meagre honorarium which
| he received from the "Feuillets de In
| Trinite," he again wandered from
monastery to monastery. Marriage
was impossible, for Nine. Czeroff pos
sessed nothing beyond, the pension
which she was receiving while ut
Court and which would have been
withdrawn had she married Nilus.
In 1908, however. Philip had ceas-
cd to exert any influence on the Car.
The friends of Nilus obtained the I'm.
pcrial consent to grant Mile. Czerov
her pension even if she married. II
was also thru the Influence of Mile
Czcrov that Nilus was enabled to pub
fish a second edition of the Protocols
with new material concerning st
Seraphin de Saroff. | remember that
ibis edition bore title different from
the first and was published in Tsars
koic Sielo under the auspices of tho
White Cross.
Nilus married Nine Czeroc hut til,
| ,,,,,;,,J pr,b;I,itinn still held rODT