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German Intrigue, Ever Present Throughout the
Vorldj Has Linked Rasputin's Name Vith
the Fairest and Highest of Russia's Court
Circles But These Rumors Are False, the
Princess Radziwill Insists
h 2$e "Black Monk" Appeared on the Scene at a
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People Had Drifted Away From the Church
and Were Ready for Any Strong Appeal to
the Mystical Side of Their Character
KAft SUI.41UV
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1AY, OCTOBER 23, 1917
asputin is that he was not murdered sooner.
aivcrsally detested all over Russia, that it wai
ain alive so long a time after it had been found
scene by other than violent means."
S
S A rule the general public knows very little concerning these
A gects, but I shall quote here a passage out of a book on Russia by
Sir Donald Mnckenzio Wallace, which is considered to this day as a
itandard work in regard to its subject. "Among the 'Khlysty, " he
writes, "there are men and women who take upon themselves the
calling of teachers and prophets, and In this character they lead a
itrict, ascetic life, refrain from the most ordinary and innocent
pleasures, exhaust themselves by long fasting and wild ecstatic reli
ious exercises and abhor marriage. Under the excitement caused
If their supposed holiness and inspiration, they call themselves not
only teachers and prophets, but also Saviours, Redeemers, Christs,
Mothers ,of God. Generally speaking, they call themselves simply
I ods and pray to each other as to real gods and living Christs and
jjtdonnas. When several of these teachers come together at a
i meeting they dispute with each other in a vain, boasting way as to
which of them possesses most grace and power. In this rivalry they
lometimes give each other lusty blows on the car, and he who
bears the blows the most patiently, turning the other cheek to the
miter, acquires the reputation of having tho most holiness.
"Another sect belonging to the same category and which indeed
claims close kindred with it is the Jumpers, among whom the erotic
element is disagreeably prominent. Hero is a description of their
religious meetings, which are held during summer in a forest and
during winter in some outhouse or barn. After due preparation
prayers are read by the chief teacher, dressed in a white robe and
itanding in the midst of the congregation. At first he reads in an
ordinary tone of voice and then passes gradually into a merry chant.
When he remarks that the chanting has sufficiently acted on tho
(hearers he begins to jump. The hearers, singing likewise, follow
hi example. Their ever-increasing excitement finds expression in
the highest possible jumps. This they continue as long as they can
men and women aliko yelling like enraged savages. When all are
thoroughly exhausted the leader declares that he hears the angels
ringing, and then begins a scene which cannot be here described."
' I have quoted this passage in full because it may give to tho
reader who is not versed in the details of Russian existence and
Russian psychology tho key to the circumstances, that helped Ras
putin to absorb for such a considerable number of years the attention
of the public in Russia, and which, in fact, made him possible as a
great ruling, though not governing, force in the country. In some
ways he had appealed to the two great features of the human char
acter in general and of the Russian character in particular mys-
ticism and influence of the senses. It is not so surprising as it might
I leem at first sight that he contrived to ascend to a position which
! no one who knew him at first ever supposed he would or could attain.
' At the same time I must, in giving a brief sketch of the career
of this extraordinary individual, protest against the many calumnies
I .which have associated him with names which I will not mention here
i out of respect tnnd feelings of patriotism. It is sufficiently painful
to)we to say-so, but German calumny, which spares no one, has
' used its poisoned arrows also where Rasputin came to be discussed.
I It lias tried to' travesty maternal love and anxiety into something
quitdifferent, andft has attempted to sully what it could not touch.
, There have bce.fi many sad episodes in this whole story of Rasputin,
(but some of ttlcTeRple who have been mentioned in connection with
i .them were commeiely innocent of the things for which they have
"been reproaenecr. Finally, the indignation which these vile and
unfounded accusations roused in the hearts of the true friends and
J servants of t5o people led to the drama which removed forever from
t the surface of Russian society the sectarian who unfortunately had
Kmtrived to glide into its midst. " ,
, Rasputin a Master of Corruption
' The one extraordinary thing about Rasputin is that he was not
t iiurdered sooner. He was so entirely despised and so universally
' tyeated all over Russia that it was really a miracle that he could
remain alive so long a time after it had been found impossible to
remove him from the scene of the world by other than violent means.
, It;was a recognized fact that ho had had a hand in all kind of dirty
1 $ny matters and that no business of a financial character con-
oecfed with military expenditure could be brought to a close with
l out his being mixed In it. About this, however, I shall speak later
I fto fn trying to explain how the Rasputin legend spread and how it
k ya's exploited by all kind of individuals of a 'shady character, who
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with the shameless manner in which he became asspciated with
Innumerable transactions more or less disreputable was so enormous
that unfortunately it extended to people and to names that should
I .neyer, have been mentioned together with him.
It must never be forgotten, and I cannot repeat this suffi
ciently, that Rasputin was a common peasant of the worst class
of the Russian mougiks, devoid of every kind of education, with
out any manners and in his outward appearance more disgusting
jhan nn thing else. It would be impossible to explain the
influence which he undoubtedly contrived to acquire "upon some
persons belonging to the highest social circles if one did not take
into account this mysticism and superstition which lie at the
bottom of the Slav nature nnd the tendency which the Russian
character has to accept as a manifestation of the power of the
divinity all things that touch upon the marvelous or the uncx
plainablc. Rasputin in a certain sense appeared on the scene of
Russian social life at the very moment when his teachings could
become acceptable, at the time when Russian society had been
shaken to its deepest depths by the revolution which had fol
lowed upon the Japanese war and when It was looking every
where for a safe harbor in which to find a refuge.
At the beginning of his career and when he was introduced into
the most select circles of tho Russian capital, thanks to the caprices
and the fancies of two or three fanatic orthodox Indies who had
imagined that they had found in him a second Savonarola and that
his sermons nnd teachings could provoke a renewal of religious fer
vor, people laughed nt him and at his feminine disciples, and made
all kinds of jokes, good nnd bad, about him and them. But this sort
of thing did not last n long time and Rasputin, who, though devoid
of every kind of culture, had a good deal of the cunning, which is one
of the distinctive features of tho Russian peasant, was the first to
who made I nat nt last Rasputin himself
deemed it advisable i. native village of Pokrowskoie,
in "Siberia. A few days after his departure the little Grnnd Duke fell
soriously ill nnd his mother became persuaded that this was a pun
ishment for her having allowed tho vngrant prenchcr to bo sent
nwny. Rasputin was recalled, nnd after this no one ever spoke
again of his being removed anywhere. From that time all kind of
adventurers began to lay siege to him and to do their utmost to gain
an introduction.
Rasputin and the "Fair Ladies"
Russia was still the land where n court favorite was all-powerful,
and Rasputin was held ns such, especially by those who had some
personal interest in representing him ns the successor to Menschl
kolT under Peter the Great, Diren under the Empress Anne nnd
Orloff under Catherine II. He acquired a far greater influence out
side Tzarskoie Selo than he ccr enjoyed in the imperial residence
itself, and he made the best of it, boasting of a position which in
reality he did not possess. The innumerable state functionaries, who
in Russia unfortunately nlwnys have the last word to say every
where and in everything nnd whose rapacity is proverbial, hastened
to put themselves nt the service of Rnsputln and to grant him every
thing which he asked, in the hope that in return he would make him
self useful to them.
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Rasputin (in the center with his hnnd on his chest) surrounded by a group of admirers in a fashionable Pctrograd home.
guess all the possibilities which this sudden "engouement" of influ
ential people for his person opened out before him nnd to what use it
could bo put for both his ambition and his inordinate love of money.
He began by exacting a considerable salary for all the prayers which
he was supposed to say at the request of his worshipers, and of all
the ladles, fair or unfair, who had canonized him in their enthusiasm
fQr all the wonderful things which he was continually telling them.
He was eloquent in a way and at the beginning of his wonderful
thaumaturgic existence had not yet adopted the attitude which he
was to assume 'nter on of an idol, whom every one had to adore.
t IIe was preaching the necessity to repent of one's sins, to
make due penance for them after a particular manner, which
he described as being the most agreeable to God, and to pray
s constantly and with unusual fen or for the salvation of orthodox
Russia. He contrived most cleverly to play upon the chord of
patriotism which Is always so developed in Russians, and to
speak to them of the welfare of their beloved fatherland when
ever he thought it advantageous to his personal interests to do so.
He succeeded in inspiring in his adepts a faith in his own person
and in his power to save their souls akin to the one which is to
be met in England and in America among the sect that preach
mental heading. A few hysterical ladies- who were addicted to
neuralgia or headaches, suddenly found themselves better after
having conversed or prayed with him, and they spread his fame
outside the small circle which had adopted him at the beginning
of his career. One fine day a personal friend of the reigning
Empress, Madame W.r introduced him at Tzarskoie Selo, under
the pretext of praying for the health of the small heir to the
Russian throne, who was occasioning some anxiety to his par
ents. It was from that day that he became a personage.
His success at court was due to the superstitious dread with
which he contrived to inspire the Emprpss in regard to her son. She
was constantly trembling for him, and being very religiously inclined,
with strong leanings toward mysticism, she allowed herself to be
persuaded more by the people who surrounded her than by Rasputin
himself. She believed that the monk, of whose holiness she was
absolutely persuaded, could by his prayers alone obtain the protec
tion of the Almighty for her beloved child. An accidental occurrence
contributed to strengthen her in this conviction. There were per
sons who were of the opinion that the presence of Rasputin at
Tzarskoie Selo was not advantageous for many reasons. Among
them was Mr. Stolypine, then Minister of the Interior, and he it was
A kind of bargaining established itself between people desirous
of making a career nnd Rasputin, eager to enrich himself no matter
by what means. He began by playing the intermediary in different
financial transactions agninst n substantial consideration, and at
last he thought himself entitled to give his attention to matters
of state. This was the saddest side of his remarkable career
as a pscudo-Cagliostro. He had a good deal of natural intelligence,
and while being tho first to laugh at fair ladies who clustered
around him, he understood at once that he could make use of them.
This he did not fail to do. He adopted toward them the manners
of a stein master, and treated them like his humble slaves. At
last he ended by leading the existence of a man of pleasure, denying
himself nothing, especially his fondness for liquor of every kind.
At that time there was ,no prohibition in Russia and, like all
Russinn peasants, Rasputin was very fond of vodka, to which
he never missed adding a substantial quantity of champagne when
ever he found tho opportunity.
I shall abstain from touching upon the delicate point of the
orgies to which it is related that Rasputin was in the habit of
addicting himself, the more so because I do not really believe these
ever took place in those higher circles of society where it was
said they regularly occurred. That strange things may have
happened among the common people, who in far greater numbers
than it has ever been known used to attend the religious meetings
which he held, I shall not deny. It must nlways be remembered
that Rasputin belonged iO the religious sect of the Khlysty, of
whose assemblies we have read the description, and it is quite likely,
and even probable, that the assemblies of these sectarians nt which
he presided were not different from the others to which these
heretics crowded. But I feel absolutely convinced thnt as regards
the relations of the ndventurcr with the numerous Indies of society
silly enough to believe in him and in his gifts of prophecy, these
consisted only of superstitious reverence on one side and exploitation
of human stupidity on tho other.
I must once more insist on the point that the apparition of
Rasputin in Russian society had nothing wonderful about it, and
thnt the only strange thing is that such a fuss was made. Before
his time people belonging to the highest social circles had become
afflicted with religious mnnias of one kind or another out of that
natural longing for something to believe in and to vvoiship which
lies hidden at the bottom of the character of every Russian who
has the leisure, or the craving, to examine teriously tho difficult
RASPUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN, CHARACTER
TT WOULD be impossible to explain the influence which Rnsputln
undoubtedly contrived to acquire upon some persons belong
ing to the highest social circles if one did not take Into account
this lnvsticlsm nnd superstition which lie at the bottom of the
Slav nature and the tendency which the Russian character hM
to accept as a manifestation of the power of the divinity all
things that touch upon the marvelous or the uncxplainablc.
and complicated problems of n future life and of the faith one
ought to follow and to believe in.
In 1817 there was discovered in the very heart of St. Petersburg,
holding its meetings in an imperial residence (the Michael Palace),
n religious sect of most pronounced mystical tendencies, presided
over- by n lady belonging to the best circles of tho capital the
widow of u colonel, Mndamo Tntarinoff. In her apartments used
u gnther officers, State functionaries, women and girls of good
fnmily nnd excellent education who, with slight variations, practiced
all tho religious rites of the Khlystys. One of the Minister! of
Alexander I, Prince Galitzyne, was suspected of having honored
these assemblies with his presence. Thanks to a letter which
accidentally fell into the hands of the police, the Government became
iiware of what was going on, and Madame Tatarinoff, this Russian
Madame Guyon, expintcd in exile in a distant province of Siberia
the ecstasies which she had practiced nnd which she hnd allowed
others to practice under her roof. Some of her disciples were
prosecuted, but the greater number escaped scot free. The authorities
did not care to increase the scnndal which this affair hnd aroused
in the capitnl.
Uplifting the Cab Drivers
Much later, in 1878, after the Russo-Turkish war, which, like
the Japanese affair, had been followed by a strong revolutionary
movement in the country that culminated in the assassination of
the Czar, Alexander II, another prophet, this time of foreign origin,
nppenred on the social horizon of St. Petersburg society, where he
made a considerable number of converts. This was the famous
Lord Raditock, whose doctrines were taken up by a gentleman who
up to thnt time had been known as one of tho gayest among the
gny, a colonel in the Gunrds Mr. Bnsil Paschkoff. He was
enormously lich, and put all his vnst fortune nt the service of the
religious craze which had seized him. He used hls best efforts
to convert to tho doctrino of salvation through faith only not alone
hia friends and relatives, but also the poorer classes of the popu
lation of tho capital, devoting in particular his attention to the
cab drivers. All these people used to meet at his house, where
they mingled with persons of the highest rank and standing, such
ns Count Korff, nnd a former Minister, Count Alexis Bobrinsky.
Later on the whole Tchertkoff family, to which belonged the famous
friend, of Count Leo Tolstoy, associated itself with them, and,
indeed, displayed the greatest fanaticism in regard to its par
ticipntion in the doctrines of the new sect.
The Paschkowitcs, as they came to be called, had nothing at
all in common with tho Khlystys. Their morals were absolutely
unimpeachable, and what they preached wa3 simply the necessity
to conform one's existence to the teachings of the Gospel, which
they explained nnd commented upon, each person according to his
own light. They were Protestnnts in a certain sense, inasmuch
as their views were distinctly Protestant ones. But they had much
more in common with the nonconformists than the real followeis
of Luther or of Calvin. They were a kind of refined Salvation
Army, if this expression can be forgiven me; though they never
acquired the importance, nor did the good which the latter has done,
perhaps because they could never make any practical application
of the principles and of the idens which animated them. But at
one time the Paschkowist craze was just ns strong as the Rasputin
one became later on, and Lord Radstock and Mr. Paschkoff wero
considered just as much prophets among their own particular circle
as was Rasputin nmong the fanatical ladies who had-taken him up.
These crises of religious mania are regular occurrences in Rus
sian higher social circles when unusually grave circumstances arrive
to shake their equanimity. Seen from this particular point of view,
the apparition of Rasputin nnd the importance which his personality
acquired in the life of the Russinn upper classes present nothing
very wonderful. Before him other so-called prophets had kept tho
attention of the public riveted upon their doings and their actions.
What distinguished his short passage was the fact that it was
made the occasion by the natural enemies of the empire, consisting
of the discontented at home and of the Germans outside the frontier,
to discredit the dj nasty as well as those whose life was spent in its
immediate vicinity and to present this figure of the vagrant half
monk and half-layman. He preached a new revelation to those
foolish enough to listen to him, representing himself as of almost
gigantic importance, who could at his will and fancy direct the
course of public affairs and lead them wherever he wanted.
My object in this study will be to show Rasputin for what he
really was, and in retracing the different vicissitudes of his strange
career not to give way to the many exaggerations, which, in familiar
izing people abroad with his person and with his name, have made
out of him something quite wonderful, and almost equal In power
with the Czar himself. It is time to do away with such legends and
to bring Rasputin back to his proper level a very able and cunning,
half-cultured peasant, who owed his successes only to the fanaticism
of the few, and to the interest which many had in dissimulating
themselves behind him, in order to bring their personal wishes to a
successful end. It Is not Rasputin who performed most of the
actions put to his credit. It was those who influenced him, who
pushed him forward and who, thanks to him, became both rich and
powerful. He has disappeared. I wish wo could be as sure that
they have disappeared along with him.
(CONTINUED TOMOnilOW)
fiJEFFERSON HOSPITAL UNIT, No. 30, MOBILIZES FOR DUTY AT SECOND REGIMENT ARMORY
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