WHO ARE THE RUSSIANS?

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 239, 7 October 1903, Page 3

WHO ARE THE RUSSIANS?

THE PROPHESIES OF THE BIBLE,

Mr F. G. Ewington gave a lecture at the Athenaeum last night on the subject of "Russia and Her Aims," and in the .course of his remarks referred, to the early origin of the Russian race. "Who," be asked, ''are. the Russians?'-' Some very eminent authorities identify the Russians with Cog, of the Land of Magog, alluded to by the Prophet E/.ekiel. I'ropbecying about (KM.) years 8.C., he heard aheavenly voice saying to hint: ••Sun of man. set thy face toward (log. of the Land of Magog, the Prince of Rush, Alesheck, and 'tubal, ami prophesy against him, and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold I am against thee, 0 Gog, Prince of Rosli, Mesheck, and Tubal." Win. Streator, author of a voluminous and fascinating book on "The AngloAmerican Alliance and Prophecy," quotes Biblical scholars in support of bis belief that Gog and the Czar of Russia are identical. He says that Lange, the great German expositor, in his Bible work, quotes Ivnoble as saying, "The chief people in the army of Gog is Bos, that is the Rossi, or Russians.',' Cesenius, the Hebrew linguist, says of Rush that ''it is a proper name, undoubtedly answering to Russia." Davidson says of it in his Hebrew Lexicon, "proper name of a Northern nation, supposed lo he Russians." Mr Streator says: '■.Here is an ancient oracle, forecasting our limes, clearly revealing the leadt r of the (Jentile coalition against Anglo-Israel,'' that is to say, against Great Britain. "Its commander is the Czar of all the Russians. Russia is the chief representative in the modern world of the ancient Asiatic absolute despotism." And ho asks: "Shall the world become Russian or Saxon? The issues of the times are lending in that direction. Shall Aye have absolute despotism over the earth, or Anglo-Saxon freedom, with constitutional law and order? Shall the dominion of the world be given into the hands of a despotic lord, ruling according to his own will, or shall il.be entrusted for the ages to come to the people who love personal freedom, and are I ho great champions of civil and religious liberty?" If the reader will turn to (he thirtyeighth and thirty-ninth chapters "f Ezekicl. he will find that il is no ordinary struggle I lutt is alluded lo there. Warnings art- given to be prepared. The enemy is verily coining. Sheba, and Dedau, and (be merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, will resist Cog. The God of Israel lifts up bis sword against the invaders. There is a terrible daughter. It takes seven years for Israel to burn the spear handles and wooden weapons of (Jog. and if takes Israel seven months lo bury the dead in Ihe Valley of Hanion-Gog. all hough all (he people of the land take pari in Ihe burying of them. Then the prophet summonses every feathered fowl and every boast of the held to the great sacrificial feast of Jehovah. As one reads on he si es thai the prophot's words are evidently not intended to be taken literally, because, as Biblical scholars point out, the Persians and. Libyans, so widely separated, are unlikely lo acl in eoncerl ; the wood of Ihe, weapons of, the defeated enemy could not serve Israel for fuel for seven years; and as all Israel was to be seven months • burying ihe dead, we are reminded thai "supposing a million of Israelii es to bury each two corpses a day, the aggregate buried in the ISO working (lays of the swen months would be .'hid millions of corpses!" It is thought 100 that the pestilential vapours from such masses of victims is another difficulty, for no Israelites could live in such an atmosphere. All these things, together with the summoning of the feathered fowls and beasts of the field, make eminent scholars think I hat the prophet's utterances are a prophetical parable, nol lo be taken literally. There are other diflicttlties against a literal interpretation of I hose writings. Other people than the Northern Asiatics were called "Lhos." and it is thought that '"the modern Russians may have assumed their name, as .Moscow and Tobolsk, from .Meshech and Tubal. - '

Air \V. It. Morlill. Ihe recognised best English authority on Russia and Russian literature, says thai Ihe earliest mention of Ihe Slavs, who spread over the basin of Ihe Duiper, was in (he 0!h century, lie adds that ''The old name of (he country is Pus, the form Russia no) having arisen earlier than the close of the sevenleeiilh century, when it was artificially formed, on the analogy of such classical names as Graeeia. The most probable derivation of I his word is from Ihe r'innish Rustsi. which is the name given by the l-'inns to the Swedes." II is elsewhere said thai the Romans of the empire knew nothing of Russia, and Mini the old classical writers never mention it. The region in Ihe north of Europe now occupied by Russia was scarcely, if at all, known to the ancients, and was vaguely called Scythia. The beginning of Russian history may safely he reckoned from the ninth eenturv. and Novgorod, about a hundred miles south-easl of the present capital, St. I'etorsburg, the cradle of the empire, though not of the race. Of course St. Petersburg bad no existence until hundreds of years aftei vartls. when that strange elm racier, one oT Ihe very strangest this world has ever seen— Peter the Great —laid the foundation of that new capital at <lhe head of the Gulf of Finland. Tradition says that a Slavonian Iribe had settled at Novgorod, and being sorely rent by infernal discussions, and pressed by enemies from the eastward, they invited Kussis, a fighting adventurer in Scandinavia, to come and help them. lie went with his two brothers and a strong band of hardy followers, beat off (heir enemies, and finally sell led down as their ruler, becoming ' the first Duke of Rus, long afterwards called Russia. That was in S(i'2. Up to then then- were only the very beginnings of a Russian Kingdom or Empire Russia, is the laiest born of the great, family of European nations. Russic and some of his successors were '■sirangers to the- historic and legendary glory of ancient Europe." In civilisation they. K. Walis/.ewski says, apologetic' a 11 v. ''bear a moral resemblance to the kings of Scripture." The Russians of the ninth century were a racially-mixed, fierce people, cruel in warfare, dirty in habits, ignorant, and so superstitious as "to expect a widow to die on her husband's grave, a mother to slay her superfluous daughters, and a child to similarly dispose of his aged parents." — "Chester's Russia," p. 2. At that time Ethelbert was King of England, and doing his best to resist the invasion of the Danes, who were ruthlessly destroying beautiful English churches, valuable treasures, and priceless books. Thanks to the monks, many of whom suffered much with the destruction of their

monasteries, .much valuable literature was saved from the despoiling. Constantine 11. was King of Scotland, Charles the Bald was King of France, and Louis 11. was Emperor of the West. The Irish, English, Scotch, and French had made a considerable advance in Christianity and civilisation, when Russie the Northman first tried to weld into political unity an uncouth people from whom sprang the now mighty Muscovite power.

Among Air Ewington's audience, were a Russian Count, (Count Lovenberg) and a Polish Prince (Air Lubeci), a descendant of Rurik, the founder of the Russian Empire. Both of these gentlemen spoke, and complimented Air E\vington on his treatment of the subject.