登陆注册
5382300000115

第115章 CHAPTER XVII(6)

These nationalities are therefore allowed the most perfect freedom in the exercise of their respective religions, so long as they refrain from disturbing by propagandism the divinely established order of things.

This is the received theory, and we must do the Russians the justice to say that they habitually act up to it. If the Government has sometimes attempted to convert alien races, the motive has always been political, and the efforts have never awakened much sympathy among the people at large, or even among the clergy. In like manner the missionary societies which have sometimes been formed in imitation of the Western nations have never received much popular support. Thus with regard to aliens this peculiar theory has led to very extensive religious toleration. With regard to the Russians themselves the theory has had a very different effect. If in the nature of things the Tartar is a Mahometan, the Pole a Roman Catholic, and the German a Protestant, it is equally in the nature of things that the Russian should be a member of the Orthodox Church. On this point the written law and public opinion are in perfect accord. If an Orthodox Russian becomes a Roman Catholic or a Protestant, he is amenable to the criminal law, and is at the same time condemned by public opinion as an apostate and renegade--almost as a traitor.

As to the future of these heretical sects it is impossible to speak with confidence. The more gross and fantastic will probably disappear as primary education spreads among the people; but the Protestant sects seem to possess much more vitality. For the present, at least, they are rapidly spreading. I have seen large villages where, according to the testimony of the inhabitants, there was not a single heretic fifteen years before, and where one-

half of the population had already become Molokanye; and this change, be it remarked, had taken place without any propagandist organisation. The civil and ecclesiastical authorities were well aware of the existence of the movement, but they were powerless to prevent it. The few efforts which they made were without effect, or worse than useless. Among the Stundisti corporal punishment was tried as an antidote--without the concurrence, it is to be hoped, of the central authorities--and to the Molokanye of the province of Samara a learned monk was sent in the hope of converting them from their errors by reason and eloquence. What effect the birch-twigs had on the religious convictions of the Stundisti I have not been able to ascertain, but I assume that they were not very efficacious, for according to the latest accounts the numbers of the sect are increasing. Of the mission in the province of Samara I happen to know more, and can state on the evidence of many peasants--some of them Orthodox--that the only immediate effect was to stir up religious fanaticism, and to induce a certain number of Orthodox to go over to the heretical camp.

In their public discussions the disputants could find no common ground on which to argue, for the simple reason that their fundamental conceptions were different. The monk spoke of the Church as the terrestrial representative of Christ and the sole possessor of truth, whilst his opponents knew nothing of a Church in this sense, and held simply that all men should live in accordance with the dictates of Scripture. Once the monk consented to argue with them on their own ground, and on that occasion he sustained a signal defeat, for he could not produce a single passage recommending the veneration of Icons--a practice which the Russian peasants consider an essential part of Orthodoxy. After this he always insisted on the authority of the early Ecumenical Councils and the Fathers of the Church--an authority which his antagonists did not recognise. Altogether the mission was a complete failure, and all parties regretted that it had been undertaken. "It was a great mistake," remarked to me confidentially an Orthodox peasant; "a very great mistake. The Molokanye are a cunning people. The monk was no match for them;

they knew the Scriptures a great deal better than he did. The Church should not condescend to discuss with heretics."

It is often said that these heretical sects are politically disaffected, and the Molokanye are thought to be specially dangerous in this respect. Perhaps there is a certain foundation for this opinion, for men are naturally disposed to doubt the legitimacy of a power that systematically persecutes them. With regard to the Molokanye, I believe the accusation to be a groundless calumny. Political ideas seemed entirely foreign to their modes of thought. During my intercourse with them I often heard them refer to the police as "wolves which have to be fed,"

but I never heard them speak of the Emperor otherwise than in terms of filial affection and veneration.

同类推荐
  • 甫田之什

    甫田之什

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 潭州沩山灵佑禅师语录

    潭州沩山灵佑禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Heritage of the Sioux

    The Heritage of the Sioux

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道德经纯阳真人释义

    道德经纯阳真人释义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 山水纯全集

    山水纯全集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 赤潮

    赤潮

    傍晚时,美灵和佳霞从镇上回来了。国强站在楼上,看着那辆蓝色的摩托车沿着村道开进来。摩托车开得很快,不时颠簸一下,佳霞的头发在风中飘了起来。佳霞这一年小学毕业。国强对镇上的中学不放心,虽然养鲍鱼还欠着钱,可和村里稍微像样点的人家一样,国强还是咬咬牙,选择为女儿交一笔不算便宜的择校费,让她到城里去读书。佳霞从摩托车后座上跳了下来。她穿着条花裙子,长得长手长脚,是个漂亮的小姑娘。和女儿相比,美灵又黑又瘦,眼眶塌陷着,曾经娇嫩的脸蛋现在显得有点儿憔悴了。国强从楼上下来时,他的小儿子佳敏也从屋里跑了出来。
  • 妈咪又又又又跑啦

    妈咪又又又又跑啦

    他一定是太过仁慈,才会这么在意他身边这个特别的小秘书,甚至几日不见就开始怀念起她的味道,更可恶的是,这个女人早在多年前就怀了别人的孩子!
  • 稽神录

    稽神录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 剑心武神

    剑心武神

    轻罗离愁犹余殇,杯酒难释敬行郎;凡春似锦遥无路,独有荆棘守寒广。飘摇垂月映如靥,蜉蝣且来斗思量;海萍微浮波轻起,西风卷帘升惆怅。人生难允柴米断,只身流落到平康;雅阁挂帘十二载,故城遥盼归行郎。
  • 追随你的心

    追随你的心

    本书全面解读和诠释苹果“教父”乔布斯经营理念与管理思想的作品,完美地展示了乔布斯的创新思维和商业智慧。本书将理论与实践相结合,以乔布斯的经典语录开篇,结合他本人以及商业史上的经典演讲案例,针对苹果公司及商业中的关键问题,如创新、管理、经营、用人、生活等都有独到的见解和剖析。
  • 始皇女帝

    始皇女帝

    她是飘飘起舞的纷纷白雪,是泰山之巅那一缕耀眼的明亮!她是乱世中一抹翩影惊鸿,无数生死都无法撼动心中梦想!将我手腕系上红绳,如你缚住我心魂,便让它融入这骨血,如你深藏我心间,一笔一划,一颦一笑,似你我初见!(这里有艰苦奋斗,这里有爱恨情仇,这里有一统天下的千古一帝——“始皇女帝”。这是一个王室公主一路杀成帝王的故事!)
  • 星际绯闻

    星际绯闻

    “电竞女神莫青莜—脑死亡去世!”报纸上特大加粗的标题醒目的告诉大家这个特大新闻。永恒纪605年的星际时代迎来了一个将要绯闻缠身的小姑娘,她要开始苦逼的被操练和被八卦的新人生了······
  • 暗战

    暗战

    新书《金牌销售是如何炼成的》已经成功发布!请大家支持!你的名字无人知晓,你的功绩永世留存!在国家和民族危难关头,有人挺身而出,找到了挽救危亡的道路。李毅鑫这个潜伏在中统的共产党员在抗战爆发后奉命潜伏到沦陷区为党工作,为了坚持信念,他宁愿隐姓埋名为自己信仰的事业奉献一切牺牲一切,周旋于侵略者和敌人中间。谨以此文纪念这些无名英雄!本文纯属虚构,如有雷同,纯属巧合。书友群:168570490
  • 蝙蝠山庄

    蝙蝠山庄

    世界上有些事真的很奇妙,要不是亲眼看见我很难相信仅仅凭几只彩色粉笔就能在大街上画出如此微妙逼真的图画来,就在我看得入谜的时候,电话响了,是短信,蓝色的屏幕上跳跃着一行荧光小字。三月三十日夜,欢迎光临蝙蝠山庄。蝙蝠山庄?我心里默念着,深遂的眸子里泅满疑惑,什么地方?
  • 带着狼儿去寻亲

    带着狼儿去寻亲

    本书已经加入五折书库,全文订阅也就一块多钱。感谢亲们这么长时间以来的支持,谢谢大家!我,温碧柔,关于什么和算了算了么关系地自传~~~~什么?老爸刚娶了后妈就要把偶赶出家门?算了算了么关系,偶走就走!什么?偶一出家门就被汽车给撞死了?算了算了么关系,偶还可以穿越!什么?偶头一次穿越老天爷就把偶扔在了一个大森林,更恐怖地还是偶娘居然是一头狼!算了算了么关系,偶忍!什么?偶居然还有一哥哥,而那哥哥是头大白狼?算了算了么关系,好歹不是白眼狼!什么?偶地哥哥不是普通地狼,还想嫁给偶?算了算了么关系,好歹它还能变成人!什么?你是说,眼前那一个一个地大美男都是偶地夫?算了算了么关系,反正偶亲人还么找到,就先让偶把他们都养起来就是了!什么?偶还要供他们吃穿住,偶哪有那么多钱啊?算了算了么关系……可是,偶真的是没有那么多钱啦!所以,亲们,收藏偶地文文,给偶票票啊~~~~偶地书友圈:http://m.wkkk.net/,欢迎大家光临新文家有“妖”妻:链接简介:某鸟在天上小心翼翼地飞啊飞,飞啊飞,“扑通”一声掉地上。晕晕糊糊爬起来,继续飞啊飞,飞啊飞。某孩:爹,你看,天上有只笨鸟在飞!某鸟:你才是笨鸟!话音刚落,一头磕在了屋梁上。摸摸脑袋,继续飞啊飞,飞啊飞。某孩翻翻白眼:好笨的麻雀哦!某鸟:我才不是麻雀,我可是南方神兽朱雀,是朱雀!太过激动,一个不稳,一头扎在了某男怀里。某孩:嘿嘿,笨鸟就是笨鸟,正好拿回去做汤!我本来是一只很可爱很可爱的朱雀啦,但是在偷练老妈的法术时却不小心将自己的法力封掉,更郁闷的是在把自己法力封掉之后,忘掉了解法,本想找玄武大叔帮忙,却因为一时大意,掉到了这片陌生的大陆!无法穿越时空,就无法找老妈,就无法恢复法力,也就无法回到我最喜欢的21世纪啦!不过,因为有他,即使永远都要留在这里,也不错啦!本来是养尊处优的少爷,一夕之间却惨招灭顶之灾,历经艰幸寻找到父亲的好友,求救未果,却差点儿被烧死在客房,逃脱生天,他到底应该何处何从?虽然日子难过,不过,总算有只笨鸟总是相陪左右…如无意外,每天晚上八点准时更新,亲们可以先点击“放入书架”,等到养肥了再看。呵呵~