Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XV. Later Sects
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Ivan himself broke into sobbing, and ran forward to
Paraska....
Soon after this Paraska began to lead a bad life, and drink
with drunkards in the saloon. But this moonlight night, this
pure and innocent Paraska, who prayed so intensely to the
Holy Virgin, could not be moved from Ivan’s memory. Many
a time afterwards he tried to pray in the same way, but
however he tormented himself it was all no use. “If I could
only pray as she did, if I could only feel as I did when I
heard her pray!” But his strongest endeavour was in
vain.
But the time was to come when Ivan would renew the
experience of that memorable evening, and increase it. A
well was opened to him, whence he could at all times draw the
fervour of prayer.
His sister had married a certain Ustim Dolgolenko, and
soon Ivan heard, to his unspeakable horror, that Ustim
and his wife Alona had burnt their holy pictures, and left off
going to the Orthodox Church. Tchaika, who was a staunch
adherent of this Orthodox Church, burning with deep
indignation at the conduct of his relatives, set out to bring them
back to the true fold. Alas! he himself was led astray and
became a Stundist.
This, however, cost him much inward struggle and pain.
Convinced of the truth of the Gospel, the power of which he
had experienced at a Stundist meeting, he threw away his holy
pictures. But night and day the thought that he had done
something terribly wrong tormented him. Several misfortunes
befell his family, which added to his torment. He went again
to Ustim, who read to him from the New Testament, explained
the Gospel to him, and sent him home comforted and victorious
out of his struggle. Ivan has now learnt to read himself, and
knows the New Testament almost by heart.
Once a gentleman who knew of his past trials said in jest to
him, “You were frightened at the first difficulties!” Ivan
replied in solemn tone, “Sir, why do you sneer at us ignorant
peasants? It was hard at first to leave the Church with all
its ceremonies in which I had sincerely believed—but I have
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