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RUSSIAN LIFE TO DAY[Illustration: His Imperial Majesty the Tsar. ]
RUSSIAN LIFE TO DAY
BY THE
RIGHT REV. HERBERT BURY, D.D.
Bishop for Northern and Central Europe Author of "A Bishop among Bananas"
A. R. MOWBRAY & CO. LTD.
LONDON: 28 Margaret Street, Oxford Circus, W. OXFORD: 9 High Street MILWAUKEE, U.S.A.: The Young Churchman Co.
TO MY FELLOW COUNTRYMEN AT WORK IN SIBERIA
First impression, March, 1915
New impressions, April, July, December, 1915
INTRODUCTION
My first inclination, when the entirely unexpected proposal of the Publishers came to me to write this book, was immediately to decline. There are so many well known writers on Russia, whose books are an unfailing pleasure and source of information, that it seemed to me to be nothing less than presumption to add to their number. But when I was assured that there seems to be a great desire just now for a book which, as the Publishers expressed it, "should not attempt an elaborate sketch of the country, nor any detailed description of its system of government and administration, or any exhaustive study of the Russian Church, and yet should give the impressions of a sympathetic observer of some of the chief aspects of Russian Life which are likely to appeal to an English Churchman," I felt that I might venture to attempt it.
It has been given to me to get to understand thoroughly from close and intimate knowledge the commercial development of Siberia by our countrymen; and yet everywhere, both there and in Russia proper, I have to go to every place specially and primarily to give the ministrations of religion. It can be permitted to few, if any, to see those two sides of the life of a great and growing Empire at the same time. This has been my reason, therefore, for undertaking this small effort, and my object is to give, as the Publishers expressed it, "personal impressions." I hope my readers will accept this book, therefore, as an impressionist description of Russian life of to day, of which it would have been quite impossible to keep personal experiences from forming an important part. And though I write as an English Churchman, yet I wish to speak, and I trust in no narrow spirit, to the whole religious public, that I may draw them more closely into intelligent sympathy with this great nation which has seemed to come so suddenly, unexpectedly, and intimately into our own national life and destiny and I believe as a friend.
HERBERT BURY, Bishop .
CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGE
I. RUSSIA'S GREAT SPACES 1
II. GENERAL SOCIAL LIFE 21
III. THE PEASANTRY 46
IV. THE CLERGY 71
V. RELIGIOUS LIFE AND WORSHIP 95
VI. HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE TSAR 118
VII. A PATERNAL GOVERNMENT 139
VIII. THE STEPPES 162
IX. RUSSIA'S PROBLEM 186
X. THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN RUSSIA 205
XI. THE JEWS 228
XII. OUR COUNTRYMEN IN THE EMPIRE 248
INDEX 268
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE TSAR Frontispiece
RUSSIA'S GREAT SPACES WINTER facing page 4
RUSSIA'S GREAT SPACES SUMMER " " 8
THE KREMLIN " " 21
THE GATE OF THE REDEEMER, MOSCOW " " 29
A WELL CLAD COACHMAN " " 33
A VILLAGE SCENE " " 46
THE METROPOLITAN OF MOSCOW " " 71
THE CONVENT AT EKATERINBURG, SIBERIA " " 78
THE ABBESS MAGDALENA " " 84
THE RUSSIAN PRIEST AT SPASSKY " " 90
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