Their homes are becoming more
comfortable and elegant according to modern ideas, refinement is
gradually permeating their daily life, and the sons of not a few of them
are being sent abroad to complete their education in universities or
technical colleges.
Compared with the peasantry and the mercantile community, the clergy as
a class do not show signs of great progress, but I must do them the
justice to say that they do not obstruct. Toward science and culture the
Russian Church has always maintained an attitude of neutrality, and it
has rarely troubled the adherents of other confessions by aggressive
missionary propaganda, while among its own flock it has systematically
fostered a spirit of humility and resignation to the Divine will. This
helps to explain the wonderful tolerance habitually shown by all classes
toward people of another faith. I remember once asking a common laborer
what he thought of the Mussulman Tartars among whom he happened to be
living, and his reply, given with evident sincerity, was: "Not a bad
sort of people." "And what about their religion?" I inquired. "Not at
all a bad sort of faith; you see, they received it, like the color of
their skins, from God." He assumed, of course, in his simple piety, that
whatever comes from God must be good.
Why, then, it may be asked, is this tolerance not extended to the Jews?
They complain, and apparently not without reason, that they are subject
to certain disabilities and exposed to persecution in Russia.
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