The emancipation of the Russian serfs in 1861, gave a further impetus to this movement, as it enabled the peasants to move from place to place with greater freedom. Those of them who were Stundists went forth, not only in search of work, but also carrying with them the New Testament, which was thus distributed all over the South of Russia.
It was about this time that Ivan Lisotski came to the front, and hundreds of families, chiefly through his instrumentality, embraced the true faith. Whether all of them were born again we cannot tell.
The gospel spread so rapidly, that the priests and the police were at a loss what to do, and in the year 1865, we find the priest of Osnova, asking for authority to deal with the “heretics,” who met in Ratushni’s house to read the gospels, and sing “extraordinary verses.” “But,” he adds later, “I can find no fault with their treatment of the icons, as each family has its icon in the proper place, and shows the proper reverence to it.”
From this we may infer that the Stundists did not at first break with the rites of the Greek Church; indeed, we know that hitherto they had always taken their children to the priests to be baptized, telling them that they only did it under protest.
It seems to have been the German baptists who set them an example in this respect; men such as Wieler, Pritzkav, Bekker, and Onken, who courageously stood out against any compromise with the corruptions and errors of the Greek Church. It was comparatively easy for them, because the Russians esteem it perfectly natural that a Tartar should be a Mohammedan, a Pole a Roman Catholic, and a German a Protestant. The fact of becoming a Russian subject does not necessitate a change of religion, but for this very reason it is obligatory that a Russian should for ever adhere to the Greek Church, and if he leaves it, he comes under the ban of heresy, and is treated as a traitor. So that while the German colonists were secure, and able to worship God as they saw fit, their poor Russian brethren, when once they had begun to break with what was considered the orthodox religion of their country, were exposed to danger on every side. It is to be lamented that when persecution began, the German baptists, instead of seeking to sympathize with their Russian brethren in their hour of sore distress, rather held aloof from them.
Perhaps at this point, it may be well to note some of the errors of the Greek Church, so that we may see clearly how necessary it was for a follower of Christ to come out from among them and be separate, despite the persecution which such a course entails.
The chief error we may mention is idolatry―gross, flagrant idolatry, which consists in icon worship. “Every peasant’s cottage ― the very poorest even ― has one or two of these painted representations of Divine beings, the Saviour, the Virgin, God the Father, or some of the principal saints. They are hung up in all public offices, from the ecclesiastical consistory to the bureau of the petty police official; they are before your eyes in banks, merchants’ offices, shops, railway stations, steamboats, drinking shops....
“To their icons peasant and noble do obedience; before them they prostrate themselves in prayer. The people call them `God,’ and burn holy oil before them. If happiness be a Russian’s lot in life, he ascribes it all to the icon; if misfortune follow him, it is because he has omitted some duty towards it―either
the oil has not been replenished, or the frame has not been kept bright, or he has sworn or got drunk in its presence. Favorite icons in churches receive the adoration of thousands, and are prayed to in every emergency of life. Icons follow the armies on their march, and victory is always sure when they are propitious.”
ILLUSTRATION
A peasant family in Russia worshipping their icons
One of their favorite icons represented the Virgin as a bride, seated between the Father and the Son, while the Holy Ghost, in the form of a dove, held the imperial crown over her head. The Virgin, whom they designated as the Mother of God, was not for them simply as intercessor, as she is to the Romanists, but their God, and they prayed to her. They prayed also to angels, especially the angel Gabriel. It is easy to see that if to them the Virgin was the Mother of God, Jesus Christ was lost sight of, and practically ignored. He was merged in the Godhead. And yet God had said in His word, “That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father” (John 5:2323That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. (John 5:23)). And when God sent His Son into this world to save poor, ruined man, who had hitherto rejected all His messengers, He said: “I will send My beloved Son; it may be they will reverence Him, when they see Him” (Luke 20:1313Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. (Luke 20:13)). These words are the most touching revelation of God’s heart towards His Son and towards the sinner― “It may be they will reverence My Son.” And what did man say? “This is the heir; come, let us kill Him!” He was lightly esteemed and set at nought; He was despised and crucified.
Is it any wonder, then, that when the Stundists read their Bibles for the first time, and learned how God has honored the Son and set Him at His own right hand, far above every name that is named not only in this world, but also in the world to come (Eph. 1:2121Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (Ephesians 1:21)),―is it any wonder that their hearts recoiled from a system which ignored Him, and that they were willing to endure anything rather than adhere to a creed which totally denied Him? And when they saw Him, with the eye of faith, bleeding on the accursed tree for them, we can well understand that they loved to sing ―
Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were an offering far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.”
I might mention many more errors of the Greek Church, with which no true Christian could be associated; but it is their hatred of icon worship, which has, more than anything else, brought persecution upon the Stundists. Peace at all costs is not a divine principle. Our Lord Himself said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:3434Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10:34)). And He said it in connection with denying Him before men. How thankful we may be that our Stundist brethren had grace to confess Him before their enemies!
“Thou life of my life, blessed Jesus,
Thou death of the death that was mine;
For me was Thy cross and Thine anguish,
Thy love and Thy sorrow divine.
Thou hast suffered the cross and the torment,
That I might for ever go free―
A thousand, a thousand thanksgivings
I bring, O my Saviour, to Thee!”
“For me hast Thou borne the reproaches,
The mockery, hate, and disdain,
The blows and the spitting of sinners,
The scourging, the shame, and the pain.
To save me from bondage and judgment,
Thou gladly hast suffered for me―
A thousand, a thousand thanksgivings
I bring, O my Saviour, to Thee!
“O Lord, from my heart do I thank Thee
For all Thou hast borne in my room;
Thine agony, dying unsolaced,
Alone in the darkness and gloom―
That I in the glory of heaven
Forever and ever might be―
A thousand, a thousand thanksgivings
I bring, O my Saviour, to Thee!”