ON THE MARGIN

Southland Times, Issue 19900, 19 June 1926, Page 13 (Supplement)

ON THE MARGIN

THE DOUKHOBOBS

(Bj

Claribel.)

The other day reference was made in the Southland Times to the Doukhobors and their decision to abandon opposition to the Canadian Government’s efforts to provide this community with facilities for education on Western lines. Most people when confronted by the peculiar name of this Russian sect have to admit a complete ignorance of them and their ways; and yet they are an interesting people with a brief history of a rugged adherence to strict religious discipline. The Doukhobors, or ‘‘Warriors of the Spirit,” was the name given to a group of Non-Conformist peasants by the Russian Orthodox Clergy. The word which etymologically means “spirit fighters” was intended by them to signify fighting against the spirit of God. The Non-Conformists, however, in refusing to accept the term in that way, held that they fought not against, but for or with God. Recently they have decided to give up this name and call themselves Christians of the Universal Brotherhood. The religious beliefs of the Doukhobors are unusual and most interesting. They are based on their conception of the Deity as the Soul of the Universe, not as a Personal Being belonging to, and independent of, the world. While not accepting the Christian idea of immortality, they believe that God who dwells in the souls of men is immortal, therefore so are the souls. They do not believe in either hell or paradise, and the promise of future life signifies to them not a life beyond the grave, but the future destinies of mankind on earth. The coming of Christ, his work, teaching and suffering, is understood by them in a spiritual sense. The suffering of Christ was to give an example of suffering for truth, and in their view He still suffers when His people lead lives which are not in accordance with His teachings. Their attitude towards one another towards other people, and indeed towards all living creatures are founded alike on the spirit of Love, which is the keynote of their religion. They consider all men equal and extend this idea of equality even to the government authorities. So long as the behests of these authorities are in accordance with .their beliefs they comply, but they have prescribed limits, beyond which obedience to the State is sinful. They consider violence, killing and all relations to human beings not based on the spirit of Love in opposition to the dictates of their conscience and contrary to their religious beliefs. The Doukhobors are industrious, sober and self-sacrificing in their lives, and when they live up to the standard of their .faith, they represent one of the nearest \pproaches to the realisation of the Christian ideal. Thus, in many ways, they closely resemble the Quakers or Society of Friends. An almost religious respect for man is the basis of all mutual relations with the Dukhoborzy. The family with them are based on mutual affection, and they deny even paternal authority. The soul, the image of God, recognises no earthly father or mother. There is only one father, the totality of God, who dwells in each individual, and one mother, the universal mother, or Nature, the earth. The Doukho—bors, therefore, never call their parents “father” and “mother,” but “old man” and “old woman.” The father calls his sons not “mine,” but “ours.” The men call their wives “sisters.” Despite this, however, the natural affection between child and parent, which is a universal characteristic among the Russians, shows itself here likewise in nearly every relation of family life, the outward signs of relationship alone are avoided. This religious community was first heard of about the middle of the eighteenth century. By the 'beginning of the nineteenth, the doctrines had become so clearly defined, and their numbers had so greatly increased, that they succeeded in arousing the interest of the Russian Government and Church, who, considering them particularly undesirable, began a whole-hearted campaign against them. During the decade 1840-50, in the reign of Nicholas 1., these unfortunate people, because of a refusal to take part in military service, were banished from Tauris, whence they had formerly been sent from all parts of Russia, and forced to make their home in Trans-Caucasia. Through fearful hardships they remained undaunted. In 1887, in the reign of the Tsar Alexander 111., compulsory military service was introduced into Caucasia and the Doukhobors, taken completely by surprise, at first outwardly submitted. At the same time a member of their community, by the decision of certain Government officials, received the right to the possession of the public property, valued at £50,000. This Doukhobor had gathered together the more demoralised members of the community, and had formed, what was known as the Small Party. Shortly afterwards there followed the banishment of several of the most respected representatives to the Government of Archangel. Still undaunted, the other members accepted these calamities as a punishment from God. The result of this was a most energetic spiritual revival on the part of the majority, who, numbering about 12,000, now called themselves the Great Party in distinction from the Small Party. According to the traditions left them by their fathers, they again renounced meat, wine, tobacco and every kind of excess. They collected a new public fund, and many of them divided up their property in order to supply the needs of those in want. They also refused to participate in any acts of violence. As a proof of their sincerity they burnt all firearms, which they, like other inhabitants of the Caucasus, had kept for protection against wild animals. Those who were in the army refused to render service. This led in 1895, at the commencement of the reign of Nicholas IL, to a general and severe persecution of three years’ duration. In 1897, many of the Doukhobors were banished from their provinces and were dispersed through different districts under open police supervision. The unfortunate people had to encounter the greatest possible hardships, and in one district one thousand out of four thousand perished owing to exposure and anxiety. Many more would probably have shared the same fate had not Count Leo Tolstoy, and through him, the Society of Friends in England, exerted themselves on their behalf. Funds for alleviating the sufferings of the starving victims were akonce raised, and at the same time an appeal written by Tolstoy to some of his friends in Petrograd requested the help of public opinion in favour of the oppressed Doukhobors. In 1898, the Doukhobors, at their own request, were allowed to emigrate, with certain exceptions however, and only on certain rigorous conditions. After a party had landed in Cyprus, the emigrants moved to Canada. The Canadian Government, which had done its best to aid the immigration schemes, set aside land in the provinces of Assiniboia, near Yorktown, and of Saskatchewan, near Thunder Hill, and Prince Albert. In 1901, in the Canadian House of Commons, the Minister of Justice said that not a single offence had been committed by the Doukhobors, they were lawabiding, and if good conduct was a recommendation they were good immigrants.

At Yorktown, in 1907, they established one of the largest and best brick-making factories in Canada, a significant fact that the leaders of the community were working for the good of the whole country. Since then, in spite of occasional eccentricities, they have proved themselves industrious and successful colonists, and now that their objections towards education have been over-ruled, they will probably benefit more and more from the land in which they live, though the effect of Western education on their religious discipline will not be so free of doubt.