Russian Memories

Catholics—The Question of Immortality—Mr. Gladstone's Remarkable Letter—A Delightful Listener—His Power of Concentrat

ry to understand. Nevertheless, the very contact with certain characters, even if we cannot always fathom their depths, is ennobling and edifying, and however much time may have passed since they left us to go to a bet

ayer or confession of faith. All his existence was based upon his religious ideals and convictions, which he put into practice simply and naturally in every word and action of his everyday life. Christian love and charity permeated his activities in a way that is rare indeed among public m

is principles. He was entirely fearless in his opinions and convictions—he knew indeed only one fear: the fear of God. It seems to me that his courage could only be compared to his kindness, and I should like, in this connection, to mention an incident that comes to my mind, and that can surely be no secret now after so many years. It happened in the year 1884, during the great po

ne's surprise and almost indignation: "No, no!" I exclaimed. "On no account! Not at this critical moment. Such

e, "I will compel them to read it," he said in a determined

ew was published in The Nineteenth Century, and containe

der or show greater

ting days linger in one's memory! It is in

ple at that time, having the scantiest knowledge of things Russian, imagined that all Russian names ended in off!), and even insinuating that he was an agent in the Russian pay! But although one must a

atness, he was for the second time re-elec

den, Cromwell,

a man that hop

inchingly did he bear that

lay even beyond his genius, in his rare and irreproachable moral qualities. Cardinal Manning once remarked that Mr. Gladstone was a more fitting p

mpanions. Bishop Hamilton, famed for his many virtues, and treated by his contemporaries almos

s chief of the Ministry in order to remain true to his religious convictions, and still later, in 1857, he opposed, with all his

ral public, and not Mr. Gladstone's personal friends, who were so astonished at the views expounded in that pamphlet. In his own intimate circle, I constantly hear

very frequently, it was always to express himself about them in terms of deep sympathy and approval, as of true Christians who strive, with such inspired faith and steadfast purpose, to propagate the doctrines of the original Christian Church, robbed of all the human errors that have crept into it and are represented by the ambitious and tyrannical Papacy of the Vatican. Mr. Gladstone was one of the first subscribers to the Re

Gladstone will, I think, have

CASTLE,

ct. 6

MADAME N

t I have before me continuous operations, long ago planned, and must r

A sister of mine died in virtual union with t

s with the Eastern Church. And I earnestly hope this may go forward. Dr. D?llinger agreed in this opinion. They may do great good, and prevent the Latin Church

irculation in America, but will be confined to English-speakers. My Preface will have no reference to that Edition, but t

e, sincer

E. GL

Gladstone, and one which showed his extreme kindness to me

h me some years ago the weighty question of Immortal

inspired work—instead of as two volumes, based on opposite and irreconcilable principles. The doctrine of the first is principally materialistic. The doctrine of the second is purely idealistic. The Old Testament represents God as Jehovah, quite otherwise than He is pictured by Jesus Christ.

scuss that most important question from different points of view. I pressed my friend to sum up all his arguments and publish them to the world. After much hesitation he consented

f course, the easiest; but I carefully carried out all of them. But now that he is dead I am at liberty to disclose his name. It was Co

lle, Treitschke, Blunschli, Alo?s Riehl, etc., etc., asking their opinion. In the great majority of cases they returned answer that the facts set forth were already well

6

opíníons jaillit la vérité," and the more we study and

virtual assumption that the limits of human knowledge can extend no farther than those of the visible world, appears to me to be the central idea of Judaism." And he further asserts: "Judaism, the materialistic teaching, is then found to have resulted in Judaism the physi

r of the La Revue internationale de Théologie (Berne, Suisse) who wrote as follows: "From a habit of detesting the Jews, people are sometimes bro

se matters had for {62} years been unfailing to me. My letter appears to have given him the mistaken impression that I was venturi

blish so weighty a judgment on the most serious of all subje

P MARTIN

13th,

MADAME N

I will discharge as fairly and frankly as I

not only the subject matter is grave, but also the whole authority of the Church or Christian community has been brought to bear. I concei

ry interesting, but is also large and complex, and I would advise you as strongly as I may against publishing anything upon it without a previous examination proportioned in s

with which the Creeds treat the subject of the future state. After the period when they were framed, Christian opinion came gradually, I believe, to found itself upon an assumption due to the Greek philosophy, and especially to Plato,

ve attained regularly to immortality; but after his eating from the tree of knowledge he was prevented, as the text inform

veyed in the Book of Genesis. That outline, however, appears to show in the case of Enoch that one righteous man was specially saved from death; and the words of {64} our Saviour in the Gospe

he old patriarchal religion, being essentially national, was also predominantly temp

t either despairingly or doubtfully, in some Psalms the subject is approached with a vivid and glowing be

you are now drawn. But I do not think you have as yet quite reached the point at which publication would do honour to yourself or justice to your theme.

what you decide about writing—

GLAD

, dated 6th, rea

6

irst and most interesting of those authoritativ

tive; at other times, quite the contrary. One afternoon, for instance, he was in the midst of arguing an interesting point with me, when he suddenly perceived on my table a catalogue of recent works on Shakespeare. It happened that he had never seen this particular catalogue before, and being an

nised by Hayward, I often invited to my house people whose present was perhaps humble, {66} but whose future seemed to me promising. I have every sympathy and admiration for family traditions, and aristocratic manners and associations—but I have always felt that if one never comes in contact with self-made, energetic, persevering people with ideas and ideals, one is inclined to grow narrow and prejudiced. This has always particularly struck me durin

ion, and, being a new element in society, introduce new ideas to broaden our minds. This has always been my view, and I have followed it out, often

hared my peculiar tastes in this matter, and perhaps this was one of the rea

g digression, and mus

6

kespeare Catalogue). His answers to all Hayward's remarks were vague and monosyllabic, and only after some time did he look up and reply quite irrelevantly to some question on current events. "Strang

stically, "that is just the charm of it—t

ny things missing. I know all the Shakespearean li

me," exclaimed Gladst

almost in distress! The incident ended as unexpectedly as it began. After having almost quarrelled with Hayward about some published or unpublished works, Gladstone suddenly

6

ever find fault with my friends. Besides, is it not natural that an Englishman should be carried a

s a match for the great English Premier in this respect: this was the head of our Holy Synod, Pobyedonostzeff. I used to send new books tha

d on receiving a new book that interested him, take a train from Petrograd to Moscow, and back in order to en

ance, and whose name comes to my mind as I write, is Tyndall. How good and kind-h

h, we were discussing the Old Catholicism and Mr. Gladstone repeated how greatly interested he was in the movement. I remember the way in which he spoke to me afterwards of his sister in connection

already expected my visit, and had heard a great deal

was travelling abroad already in his capacity of Prime Minister, his wife desired him to take a drive and off they went.

dstones and myself met at Munich. We went to a Museum, the President of which was very anxious to make the 'honneurs' of some very rare specimens. He showed us a certain dish, and seemed particularly proud of it. Your brother took it in his han

h, how like him!" she exclaimed. "He knows everything. But y

I shall send you the list of all my guests, and hope you will try to ascertain whom they would like to meet, and whom to avoid.' This was an easy task, and I fulfilled it. Mr. Gladstone said: 'I would very much like to meet your brother, General Kiréeff (who had already been invited), and the Contributor of the Revue des Deux Mondes, Scherer'—(Scherer was a celebrated senator, politician and literary critic). It so happened that by chance I knew some of his work, and was delighted at the prospect of this meeting. But Mr. Gladstone frankly admitted

ils about her relations, and pressed me to prolong my visit,