But God will save Russia, for though the peasants are corrupted and cannot renounce their filthy sin, yet they know it is cursed by God and that they do wrong in sinning.So that our people still believe in righteousness, have faith in God and weep tears of devotion.
It is different with the upper classes.They, following science, want to base justice on reason alone, but not with Christ, as before, and they have already proclaimed that there is no crime, that there is no sin.And that's consistent, for if you have no God what is the meaning of crime? In Europe the people are already rising up against the rich with violence, and the leaders of the people are everywhere leading them to bloodshed, and teaching them that their wrath is righteous.But their "wrath is accursed, for it is cruel." But God will save Russia as He has saved her many times.
Salvation will come from the people, from their faith and their meekness.
Fathers and teachers, watch over the people's faith and this will not be a dream.I've been struck all my life in our great people by their dignity, their true and seemly dignity.I've seen it myself, I can testify to it, I've seen it and marvelled at it, I've seen it in spite of the degraded sins and poverty-stricken appearance of our peasantry.They are not servile, and even after two centuries of serfdom they are free in manner and bearing, yet without insolence, and not revengeful and not envious."You are rich and noble, you are clever and talented, well, be so, God bless you.
I respect you, but I know that I too am a man.By the very fact that Irespect you without envy I prove my dignity as a man."In truth if they don't say this (for they don't know how to say this yet), that is how they act.I have seen it myself, I have known it myself, and, would you believe it, the poorer our Russian peasant is, the more noticeable is that serene goodness, for the rich among them are for the most part corrupted already, and much of that is due to our carelessness and indifference.But God will save His people, for Russia is great in her humility.I dream of seeing, and seem to see clearly already, our future.It will come to pass that even the most corrupt of our rich will end by being ashamed of his riches before the poor, and the poor, seeing his humility, will understand and give way before him, will respond joyfully and kindly to his honourable shame.Believe me that it will end in that; things are moving to that.Equality is to be found only in the spiritual dignity of man, and that will only be understood among us.If we were brothers, there would be fraternity, but before that they will never agree about the division of wealth.We preserve the image of Christ, and it will shine forth like a precious diamond to the whole world.So may it be, so may it be!
Fathers and teachers, a touching incident befell me once.In my wanderings I met in the town of K.my old orderly, Afanasy.It was eight years since I had parted from him.He chanced to see me in the market-place, recognised me, ran up to me, and how delighted he was!
He simply pounced on me: "Master dear, is it you? Is it really you Isee?" He took me home with him.
He was no longer in the army, he was married and already had two little children.He and his wife earned their living as costermongers in the market-place.His room was poor, but bright and clean.He made me sit down, set the samovar, sent for his wife, as though my appearance were a festival for them.He brought me his children: "Bless them, Father.""Is it for me to bless them? I am only a humble monk.I will pray for them.And for you, Afanasy Pavlovitch, I have prayed every day since that day, for it all came from you," said I.And I explained that to him as well as I could.And what do you think? The man kept gazing at me and could not believe that I, his former master, an officer, was now before him in such a guise and position; it made him shed tears.
"Why are you weeping?" said I, "better rejoice over me, dear friend, whom I can never forget, for my path is a glad and joyful one."He did not say much, but kept sighing and shaking his head over me tenderly.
"What has become of your fortune?" he asked.
"I gave it to the monastery," I answered; "we live in common."After tea I began saying good-bye, and suddenly he brought out half a rouble as an offering to the monastery, and another half-rouble I saw him thrusting hurriedly into my hand: "That's for you in your wanderings, it may be of use to you, Father."I took his half-rouble, bowed to him and his wife, and went out rejoicing.And on my way I thought: "Here we are both now, he at home and I on the road, sighing and shaking our heads, no doubt, and yet smiling joyfully in the gladness of our hearts, remembering how God brought about our meeting."I have never seen him again since then.I had been his master and he my servant, but now when we exchanged a loving kiss with softened hearts, there was a great human bond between us.I have thought a great deal about that, and now what I think is this: Is it so inconceivable that that grand and simple-hearted unity might in due time become universal among the Russian people? I believe that it will come to pass and that the time is at hand.
And of servants I will add this: In old days when I was young Iwas often angry with servants; "the cook had served something too hot, the orderly had not brushed my clothes." But what taught me better then was a thought of my dear brother's, which I had heard from him in childhood: "Am I worth it, that another should serve me and be ordered about by me in his poverty and ignorance?" And I wondered at the time that such simple and self-evident ideas should be so slow to occur to our minds.
