A GREAT INQUISITOR.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5802, 20 January 1906, Page 12

A GREAT INQUISITOR.

A Un-iinn corre.-puiident of tin "Daily .M. Puiiii'do.noLt.-j If. one of the ino-t Rifted mi'ii in Kn.-tir., lias ce.tsMl to l>c a power for evil in that unfortunate eountiy. fie was one of that remarkaid.' group of men, which, whiLt making tli" Czar apparently re-ipon;ih!>' for theii evil deeds, actually ruled the I’u-'lan ItnipitT'. The ex-I’rocurator of tiie Holy Synod was probably the moot feared and hated man in all Russia. .And no wonder. He was a persecutor who ri'Rardetl liberty as a deadly thing. He was hated by Old Relievers, Catholics, Lutherans, Dissenters, Donkhobors, Baptists, Stundists. Tolstoileo, i’a.shkovitrs, and other .sects. He wan hated, too. by the priests of the Orthodox Church, who wore compelled to ho his unwilling instruments on pain of losing their livings or hoinß incarcerated in far distant monasterie.s where life was an unceasing burden and misery. One of the most gifted jurists and scholars in ICuropo, ho was the most bigoted of ecclesiastics, another Land without tinn prelate's sincere piety, another Toripteniada. hut destitute of the latter’s nobler finalities. The unfortunate priests of tho State Church, who were made to carry out his uurighteoo' behests, are perhaps the best f.tted to speak of him. One of these, a prieots named Father Petroff. thus described in tho columns of the "Kuskoo Slovo/’ •*TTiis Groat Inquisitor, this Terrible Nihilist, whose blighting influence, like the .simoon of Sahara, has swept over Knosia, withering ami destroying everything in its path*’:—

Pohiedonostsoif is a wonderful man. a rare personage. Ovcry seventy years of age, wiry, thin and dried-up, like a piece of parchment, this man has never ceased to occupy himself with intellectual work. His study is lull of hook.-, magazine;;, and newspapers. Ho has. moreover, published a number of learned books on jurisprudence, theology, pedagogy, and the current questions of tho day. Everywhere throughout his works ono finds traces of a rich knowledge, a keen and deep analysis: but notwithstanding nil this, JiLs learning has a stifling effect on the reader, and lies liko a tombstone ou his soul.

His statesmanship also creates the same impression. Thanks, however, to his manifold gifts, his rare culture, and his continued attachment to the Church, ho has always enjoyed powerful support, and has, therefore, been a great power. Hut. this enormous power, by a strange fatality, has inflicted berth on ins country and the Church irreparable harm, for it has not permitted anyone or anything to Bo forward. It has also been tho means of keeping both tho clergy and the people in darkness, and it has aroused general bitterness. As for sincere believers, they hare lost heart and have fallen into despair, whilst weak, wavering natures have shrunk back in fear, having in view only ono idea, and that was to save thoir own skins. Tins writer goes on to say:—**l was once shown this parchment old man, and was told in detail all about his personality and work. I mot him, and looked straight into his eyes, which ho fixed on me. They wore terrible eyes! God grant that no one has such! They shone with an evil contempt for everything, and were full of deep anguish.’’ According to this authority, who has studied tho great inquisitor so closely, Pohiedonostscff is tho evil genius of tho Russian people. Those who aro not acquainted with tho career of Pohiedonostscff will he perhaps surprised at the vehement language used by Father Petroff. But those who have beheld tho results of his secret and open persecutions of tho Lutherans, Stundists, Baptists, Donkhobors, and other harmless sects, think no language too harsh to use in speaking of the misery caused by the mistaken steal of this man, who has troken up tho homes of thousands and caused tho death of hundreds through his persecutions. Tho comparison of Pohiedonostscff with Torquomada is to tho credit of tho latter. Torquomada lived fit an ago of darkness, and, as a zealous Catholic. burned and tortured heretics in the belief that by doing so ho was saving their souls from the wrath to come. Pohiedonostscff was under no such delusions, for his persecutions all originated from ono idea, viz., to cement tho union of Church and State, to bring the people more under the power of an ignorant and superstitious priesthood. He has but used the Orthodox Churoll, as a moans of increasing tho power of tho Czar over tho benightcd and ignorant peasantry. Liko Cardinal Wolsoy, he has sacrificed the host years of his IJfo for his Ozar and the Church, and'has lived to say, in the words of England’s greatest poet:— Had I but served my God with half tho zeal I served my king, He would not in mine ago Have loft mo naked to mine enemies. Ono thing may bo said to Pobicdonostscfi's credit: ho did not amass riches; notwithstanding that he was head of ono of the wealthiest Churches in tho world, ho retires from office a poor man.