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- XIV. Older Russian Sects
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whose preachers proclaim that the world is hopelessly
corrupt and is on the point of perishing entirely; one must,
therefore, escape from this life of lies and sin; one must
die.
Their songs are characterised by a hopeless despair, a
burning hatred of life.
There’s no salvation in this world, nay, none at all!
Here flattery rules, false flattery, o’er all, alone.
Death, and death only, can to us salvation bring:
There is no God in this dark world, none can be found;
Folly and lies alone, whose tale no limit hath.
The Russian newspapers have, in late years, contained grim
descriptions of the manner in which the sectaries carry out the
dictates of their faith. Unreliable as these papers are in all
matters concerning these “heretics,” we know from other
sources that in this case they base their descriptions upon
facts. Here is an extract:—
“The proselyte signifies his wish to die. He is brought to
an empty izba, into which the leader accompanies him, and
reads prayers. After a time, the door opens, and “Symbol of
Bloody Death” enters; it is a tall, powerlully-built man,
clothed in a red robe. He places a cushion over the head of
the seeker after death, sits on it, and remains there until the
unhappy fanatic is smothered.”
The details in this account may not be altogether reliable,
but it is certain that ever since the beginning of this century
the preaching of these singular teachers has spread through
the region of the Upper Volga, urging the people to escape by
self-destruction the abominable rule of Antichrist. Among
these apostles a certain monk, named Falalei, had a great
reputation. In his forest home he devoted himself to prayer,
reading holy books and discussing religion with his visitors.
It was impossible, he said, to live a true and holy life in this
world of lies and sin; the only escape was suicide; one must
die for Christ.
Many followers adopted this teaching. One night eighty
persons gathered in an underground resort, specially prepared
for this purpose, by the river Perevosinka. Great quantities
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