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miracles。 This priest has a very spiritual and kindly face； is
known to receive vast sums for the poor； which he distributes
among them while he himself remains in poverty； and is supposed
not merely by members of the Russo…Greek Church； but by those of
other religious bodies； to work frequent miracles of healing。 I
was assured by persons of the highest characterand those not
only Russo…Greek churchmen； but Roman Catholics and
Anglicansthat there could be no doubt as to the reality of
these miracles； and various examples were given me。 So great is
Father Ivan's reputation in this respect that he is in constant
demand in all parts of the empire； and was even summoned to
Livadia during the last illness of the late Emperor。 Whenever he
appears in public great crowds surround him； seeking to touch the
hem of his garment。 His picture is to be seen with the portraits
of the saints in vast numbers of Russian homes； from the palaces
of the highest nobles to the cottages of the humblest peasants。
It happened to me on one occasion to have an experience which I
have related elsewhere； but which is repeated here as throwing
light on the ideas of the Russian statesman。
On my arrival in St。 Petersburg my attention was at once aroused
by the portraits of Father Ivan。 They ranged from photographs
absolutely true to life； which revealed a plain； shrewd； kindly
face； to those which were idealized until they bore a near
resemblance to the conventional representations of Jesus of
Nazareth。
One day； in one of the most brilliant reception…rooms of the
Northern capital； the subject of Father Ivan's miracles having
been introduced； a gentleman in very high social position； and
entirely trustworthy； spoke as follows： 〃There is something very
surprising about these miracles。 I am slow to believe in them；
but there is one of them which is overwhelming and absolutely
true。 The late Metropolitan of St。 Petersburg； Archbishop
Isidore； loved quiet； and was very averse to anything which could
possibly cause scandal。 Hearing of the wonders wrought by Father
Ivan； he summoned him to his presence and sternly commanded him
to abstain from all the things which had given rise to these
reported miracles； as sure to create scandal； and with this
injunction dismissed him。 Hardly had the priest left the room
when the archbishop was struck with blindness； and he remained in
this condition until the priest returned and restored his sight
by intercessory prayer。〃 When I asked the gentleman giving this
account if he directly knew these facts； he replied that he was；
of course； not present when the miracle was wrought； but that he
had the facts immediately from persons who knew all the parties
concerned； as well as all the circumstances of the case； and；
indeed； that these circumstances were matter of general
knowledge。
Sometime afterward； being at an afternoon reception in one of the
greater embassies； I brought up the same subject； when an eminent
general spoke as follows： 〃I am not inclined to believe in
miracles；in fact； am rather skeptical； but the proofs of those
wrought by Father Ivan are overwhelming。〃 He then went on to say
that the late metropolitan archbishop was a man who loved quiet
and disliked scandal； that on this account he had summoned Father
Ivan to his palace； and ordered him to put an end to the conduct
which had caused the reports concerning his miraculous powers；
and then； with a wave of his arm； had dismissed him。 The priest
left the room； and from that moment the archbishop's arm was
paralyzed； and it remained so until the penitent prelate summoned
the priest again； by whose prayers the arm was restored to its
former usefulness。 There was present at the time another person
besides myself who had heard the previous statement as to the
blindness of the archbishop； and； on our both asking the general
if he was sure that the archbishop's arm was paralyzed as stated；
he declared that he could not doubt it； as he had the account
directly from persons entirely trustworthy who were cognizant of
all the facts。
Sometime later； meeting Pobedonostzeff； I asked him which of
these stories was correct。 He answered immediately； 〃Neither： in
the discharge of my duties I saw the Archbishop Isidore
constantly down to the last hours of his life； and no such event
ever occurred。 He was never paralyzed and never blind。〃 But the
great statesman and churchman then went on to say that； although
this story was untrue； there were a multitude of others quite as
remarkable in which he believed； and he gave me a number of
legends showing that Father Ivan possessed supernatural knowledge
and miraculous powers。 These he unfolded to me with much detail；
and with such an accent of conviction that we seemed surrounded
by a mediaeval atmosphere in which signs and wonders were the
most natural things in the world。
As to his action on politics since my leaving Russia； the power
which he exercised over Alexander III has evidently been
continued during the reign of the young Nicholas II。 In spite of
his eighty years； he seems to be； to…day； the leader of the
reactionary party。
During the early weeks of The Hague Conference； Count Munster； in
his frequent diatribes against its whole purpose； and especially
against arbitration； was wont to insist that the whole thing was
a scheme prepared by Pobedonostzeff to embarrass Germany； that；
as Russia was always wretchedly unready with her army； The Hague
Conference was simply a trick for gaining time against her rivals
who kept up better military preparations。 There may have been
truth in part of this assertion； but the motive of the great
Russian statesman in favoring the conference was probably not so
much to gain time for the army as to gain money for the church。
With his intense desire to increase the stipends of the Russian
orthodox clergy； and thus to raise them somewhat above their
present low condition； he must have groaned over the enormous
sums spent by his government in the frequent changes in almost
every item of expenditure for its vast armychanges made in
times of profound peace； simply to show that Russia was keeping
her army abreast of those of her sister nations。 Hence came the
expressed Russian desire to 〃keep people from inventing things。〃
It has always seemed to me that； while the idea underlying the
Peace Conference came originally from Jean de Bloch； there must
have been powerful aid from Pobedonostzeff。 So much of goodand；
indeed； of great