IV

As I write these lines, I think: will they catch the eye of those to whom I am addressing? And if they do, will they read them to the end? Will not my voice be the voice of one crying in the wilderness? Will they not say: "We have heard all this, but in vain the author deceives himself and others with the thought that our people are some kind of chosen one of God among the peoples of the earth: they are the same people as all European peoples, only they have lagged behind others, and therefore they must follow the common path of civilization, science and culture. And it would not even be humble, from the Christian point of view, to consider oneself the chosen people: this would resemble the dreams of the same Jews, whom the author so cruelly condemns."

Only those who do not believe in the truth of our Orthodoxy and in God's Providence, which governs the destinies of the peoples of the earth, can say so.

We, Orthodox people, believe that all mankind is called by God to salvation, that an eternally blessed life awaits those who are saved not here on earth, but in the future kingdom of Christ's glory, when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, after the renewal of the world, after the second coming of our Lord to earth, we believe that salvation for people is possible only in the bosom of the Church of Christ, that the Church, as the bearer, guardian and herald of Christ's truth – one, just as the truth itself – one and this truth, we believe, precisely in our native Orthodox confession, in our Orthodox Mother Church. People live on earth not at all in order to smoke the sky with their sins, but in order to prepare for heaven themselves. And in order to go to heaven, you need to know the paths that lead there. And these paths are in the Church of God, in the Orthodox Church, in her teaching, in her sacraments, in her guiding instructions in the spiritual life. If people who believed in Christ had preserved the unity of faith, if they had not introduced their human wisdom into the pure truth of God, then there would have been no division among Christians into imaginary churches, sects, and heretical communities. Unfortunately, it happened. The robe of Christ is torn apart by heresies and schisms, stained with sectarian false wisdom. That is why the Lord chooses from among the earthly peoples faithful guardians and heralds of His Divine truth. Such was the Jewish people in the Old Testament. But he did not accept Christ, the incarnate truth, and therefore he was rejected by God, and instead of the chosen people he became an outcast, instead of the blessed he became cursed, for he invoked this oath against himself when he cried out to Pilate, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Instead of the Jews, the peoples of Europe, the Greeks and the Romans were chosen. A thousand years passed, Western Christians were carried away by the dreams of the Pope of Rome about universal domination, distorted the confession of faith, introduced innovations in the teaching of faith and fell away from the unity of the Church. Then God chose in their place, in the fullness of the Church of God, the Slavic peoples and especially our Russia, enlightening it with the Orthodox faith. And it became, together with the Greek people and the Orthodox Slavs, the bearer and guardian of Orthodoxy among the peoples of the earth. And she became the chosen people of God. It is not with vanity, not in a spirit of pride, that we confess this truth: with fear we confess God's election, and we fear lest we lose it, lest the threat of Christ the Saviour, once spoken to the Jewish people and so terribly carried out over them, be fulfilled upon us: Behold, your house is left desolate... (Matt. 23:38). I say unto you, For the kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to the tongue that produces its fruits. (Matt. 21:43). This is how we cherish our holy Orthodoxy, and do not boast of it, we do not boast of it, as God's chosen ones. We are afraid that we may turn out to be unworthy guardians of this treasure, that the Russian people may not be that useless slave who has not put into circulation the talent entrusted to them by his master and buried it in the ground, and the worse – he will not squander it on his egoistic, earthly needs... We believe in the calling of our people to preserve Holy Orthodoxy in all its purity and inviolable integrity, moreover, not only for ourselves, no, but for the whole world, for all the peoples of the earth, for every person who wants to find eternal life. We believe and confess that in the matter of faith one cannot limp on both knees: to serve God and mammon, to give one half of one's heart to Christ, and the other to His enemy, Belial... If the state authorities recognize the Orthodox faith as the only true faith, if they are aware of the great significance of this faith in the life of the state and the structure of the state, if they see in Orthodoxy the spiritual foundation of the Russian people, of the people's worldview, the support of all the foundations of the state – and all this the authorities must recognize, see and understand – then can they allow the undermining of the faith, the undermining of various heresies and false teachings under it? destruction of this faith by them in the mass of a people who are infant in mind, without at the same time shaking their own foundations? In the name of what should it allow all this? In the name of some abstract theories that do not recognize the difference between eternal good and eternal perdition in principle? But this is the nature of reasoning only for Freemasons, these eternal enemies of Christ's teaching. In the name of some invented freedom of conscience? But it cannot exist, if only because conscience is the hidden judge of human thoughts and actions, it is an inner law, which, like a law, binds itself, restricts itself, but cannot be limited by anyone or anything: for example, the holy martyrs... Then: what conscience? There is a scrupulous, scrupulous conscience, there is also a burned one... So what kind of freedom should be given? The conscience of a heretic, sectarian, schismatic allows everyone to be seduced into their sects, heresies, and schisms of the Orthodox; the conscience of a Jew allows him to poison, to kill a Christian as an animal, the conscience of a thief to steal, etc. They will say: it is only about faith. But to plunder the treasure of faith, to conceal the Russian soul, to distort this beautiful soul in the likeness of the German Stundist – how can all this be allowed by the State power, which itself recognizes the Orthodox faith as its foundation, the basis of the existence of the Russian state? After all, this would be a betrayal of one's purpose! In fact, by doing so, the state power would abolish itself.

What good is it if it protects only the property of the subjects of the Russian state from thieves and robbers, and gives the soul of the people to plunder and spiritual murder? We do not demand executions for heretical propagandists; We demand only a strict prohibition of propaganda for them, under the threat of sensible punishment for them, even by merciless fines and removal from those places where they are trying to build a nest for themselves. We beseech the government to protect our children and simpletons from the people from that spiritual depravity which is brought about by the Jewish unrestrained, unscrupulous press, corrupting spectacles, various cinemas, and so on. We beg you to take measures to reduce drunkenness... Have pity on the people, do not forcibly impose Western legal theories on them: they know one theory: the Tsar is the father of the people, all the people are the children of the Tsar, the Tsar loves children as his own father, the people selflessly love the Tsar as a Father, as God's Anointed. What could be better, higher, holier than this theory? Be ye also the eldest children of the Tsar, His faithful servants, His faithful and unfailing helpers in His holy work of royal service, in His paternal care for the people... Abandon the legal principles that are unsuitable for us, the Russian people, various theories about equality, about freedoms: love the people as younger brothers, understand their spiritual needs, and love will tell you that you must not give a child toys that he does not know how to handle, you cannot open the doors to the soul of the people to all crooks, all Jews, people of other faiths and foreigners, when the people themselves are not yet able to rebuff them. when he still needs to be taught to guard the treasure of the Orthodox faith entrusted to him by God and all that our fathers bequeathed, but which, alas, we value so little! Have mercy on the people, do not give up the treasures of their souls to be plundered!

This is our plea to those who have power, our most earnest request of the whole people to our government.

All this is required of him by the holy Orthodox faith confessed by him. There are enough deals with conscience in our laws. "If the Lord God is true God, then follow Him; but if Baal is a god, then follow him." (4 Kings 18:21) The faith of Christ does not tolerate double-mindedness: "Because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth." — says the Lord in Revelation to the angel of the Laodicean Church (3:16).

The thunders of heaven roar, the lightnings flash: wake up, all to whom native Russia, the Orthodox faith is dear: it is better to die for these shrines than to see them desecrated..

But why lose hope! God will help – and we will defend them for the joy of our native land!

ON APOCRYPHAL PRAYER AND EASY RESCUERS

Russian life has been stirred up, and from its very bottom such terrible phenomena as hooliganism, depravity in its most disgusting forms, unscrupulousness in everyday life, and not only in everyday life, but also in social and political relations, come to the surface. But next to these muddy sediments of the "bottom" of Russian life, phenomena of a different order are also noticeable: one feels the dreary echoes of a seemingly awakening conscience, as if the sigh of a repentant soul is heard... But here is the sorrow: and these echoes, these sighs of the people's soul, we must admit it, were overheard before us, pastors, by someone who needs to direct the people's most repentant feeling to the wrong path and thereby deceive the penitents... Recently I wrote in my "Diaries" how the enemies of the Church have noticed among our intelligentsia a certain inclination towards so-called mysticism and are trying to direct these glimpses of spiritual awakening in the direction of various mystical false teachings. Now the multitude of letters I receive prompt me to draw the attention of my readers, especially pastors, to another phenomenon noticed in the lower classes of the people. However, those who need it do not hesitate to turn to intelligent people with their unsolicited advice. I take one of the more characteristic letters on this occasion:

"I am overcome by doubt and anxiety... I received the enclosed letter, with an invitation to rewrite it nine times and send a prayer to nine people, which was immediately placed... This is not the first time. A few years ago, another prayer was sent out in the same way, but only with the demand for seven lists, in which blood was mentioned several times... true, with the addition of the words: the holy blood of Christ... For the sake of this blood, they asked for salvation and blessing. As far as I remember, at that time it was almost the Synod that declared the uselessness and even harm of such anonymous, secret postal propaganda of prayers, invented by who knows who. Today's prayer is much shorter. Apparently, there is nothing reprehensible in it, but for some reason it seems suspicious to me. First, the number nine is a Masonic number. Secondly, the mention of all mankind smells of internationalism, which does not fit in with simple piety. Thirdly, some inner feeling suggests that there is a secret meaning in the words, apparently pious... I am afraid that blasphemy is not hidden under the guise of prayer. Of course, the Lord will not condemn the sinner through ignorance. Nor am I afraid of the misfortunes promised for non-fulfillment of correspondence. The Lord is my refuge: whom shall I fear? But perhaps it would be necessary to warn these little ones, who do not know how to think with their own thoughts. Perhaps spiritual authority is needed in this case, as well as spiritual knowledge. That is why I dare to disturb you, Vladyka. I am sending you the original I received. Perhaps you will find it necessary to write a warning and advice not to succumb to such invitations, behind which for some reason I clearly feel the Masonic intrigue... Perhaps the desire to force Orthodox believers themselves to blaspheme. Evil Judaism is very capable of such a thought. Perhaps there is another goal: to find out who and how much is capable of being suggested... In a word, I ask for your advice and instructions and stay..."

Signature and address follow.

And here is the attached letter: