RUSSIAN HOLY WELL. PROMISCUOUS BATHING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2651, 4 January 1905, Page 78

RUSSIAN HOLY WELL. PROMISCUOUS BATHING.

Mr David Bell Macgowan, in the Century Magazine for September, gives an account of 'the holy well which, works miracles , afe the shrine of. St. Seraphim of- Sarov; Eather Seraphim (born, at Kursk 1759, died m 18331 I was- solemnly canonised lasfc year. The> Czar, the- Empress, and tn© Dowager Em- , press took part in the canonisation oere- ' monies. Sarov is 300 mile 3 from Moscow. -The h shrine, -which is 'situated in a wood,, lias j 1 Become the^ Eourd&r of Russia. - Pilgrims , bathe in water which. overflows from a well, I and' is- conducted* into- baths for, men arid r [ women. At the- csnonisation the Empreea ' entered the women's bath, but" whether sho "bathed' or not Mr Macgowan cannot say. Great' crowds visited the w^H' during the ceremony, and ; many persons bathed in. thef open, where a-'foy stream ran. into a- broofc; ! "fA 'striking ;scene was. enacted 5 . .Men and women of HI ages and various conditions, including tlirivrng tradespeople, calmly stripped and stood together, a dozen at a time, under the end of the conduit. They undressed, and dressed on the bank only a few feet apart, though' there were thick bushes near by. Few made the slightest > concessions to modesty, disrobing and robing as leisurely as .if at home. One couTd' see some of them carefully wrapping up their feet or putting on their bark shoes^ without having on a- stifeh. of other clothes.' Occasionally a young woman would? hold op bind a towel in>f ront of herself, but seemed to do so almost shamefacedly, as if such, precautions imputed lack of pure-mindpd-j ness to the worshippers. One could not, in, | fact, discover a single interested eye among, j them. - The golden, age of human innocence ! had returned". i " The arrangements for selling bottles to j carry away the miraculous wateis, as well I as images, crosses, ' biographies, and tracts, ! could not have been, more perfect," adds ' :- Mr Macgowan. "It is said" *thatr the monastery's profits from these sources amounted to many millions" by the end of ' the year, Seraphim images and ' literature * ! having been spread broadcast throughout Russia. __ ' "]?fom a .distance of ,50ft, as "near as I could get, 'I-witnessed {he, cure of a^womaa .with "a paralysed and malformed hand^ How ' long- she had been, under treatment I did |" not learn, but her ease- was exerting- tremenj dous^ interest- The priest repeatedly bathed i the hand, and commanded the witnesses" to ■ cross themselves while "he assisted" the : woman to perform- the same feat. This was [ accomplished in a manner that would have I done credit to an adept in bloodless surgery. one of his strong, supple- fingers against each of hers, he slowly forced them, straight, and "carried the hand- through the proper motions. Tear 3of joy streamed from thd multitude. ' The- poor old woman is crossing herself,' was repeated by hundreds of wonder-stricken mouths. The glad news, was passed along the waiting line and ■ shouted to the crowds in the forest beyond. The exercise was continued some time^ ! when the woman, who was "feeble, was ,' allowed to sit down and rest. I could -nor, s and nobody else tried to, discover whether '■ the hand remained straight. That this woman, who had not beaa. able to cross self properly in many years, had done so before- their eyes was miracle enough for people, that had come from all the encts of Russia, some to experience, others to witness, wonders. I had poor success in my efforts to prove the claims that were made. The prepossessions of the priests and of the vseople made a critical attitude seem, sacrilegious. Questions excited suspicion I and aversion."

Mr Senry G. Davis, the man. who at 82 ■ is vigorous enough to be Democratic candidate for the "Vice-Presidency- of the United States, says his rules of good living and long life are as follow: — "I never allow anything to worry me. My conscience is always reasonably clear. sleep- eight hours every I night. X eat tliree square meals in 24 hours. | I drink a little wine at times, but that is aIL I do not use tobacco in any form. I take a good long walk every day." A stranger ashed one of his neighbours if he» did not think Mr Davis was getting too old to transact business. "Think so?" was the reply. " I guess you haven't swapped Horses with him lately, have you 2"