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THE RUSSIAN RELIGION

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 5, 1901

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 10.

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THE RUSSIAN RELIGION

By Geo. B. Morrison

GEO. B. MORRISON
(Eagle Corners, Wis.)
Vladimir, third son of Svatoslaf, grand prince of Russia, received one third of the kingdom at his father’s death, his brothers having received the remainder. In their lust for power, the brothers soon made war upon one another, and the result was that Vladimir, by killing both brothers, became ruler of all the Russias. He then made war upon those around him, thereby greatly enlarging his dominions.
He, being a pagan, supposed, on account of his success, that the gods were on his side, and so he prepared to do them great honor. He ordered splendid memorials to various deities to be erected throughout the country, especially honoring Perune, the father of the gods, for whom he provided a pair of golden whiskers. In one instance he offered a human sacrifice, selecting a Christian youth of the capital, who, together with his father, was slain for that purpose. He also gave large sums of money and rich presents to religious establishments; and for this reason the Jews, Mohammedans, Catholics, and Greeks each sought to win him to their respective Church.
After appointing a commission to look into the merits of each of these religions, he finally decided to become a Greek “Christian.” He rejected the Jewish religion because it was a homeless religion; and the Mohammedan religion because it forbade the use of wine; and the Catholic because the pope would be his superior, and this he could not consent to. There was no change of heart in the matter at all; for he was just as thirsty for blood, and delighted in war just as before. This is not strange, however, for the desire of the churches for his conversion proceeded from motives purely selfish.
The first thing Vladimir did after he was baptized was to issue a decree that since he had changed his religion, all his people must do the same. This he compelled them to do.
He became Vladimir the Great, and after his death the Greek Church made him a saint. So it is with the “Christianity” of force to-day. Those who rule by force are great in the eyes of the world, and in the eyes of the world they may be saints; but those whom God calls His saints must be saints before death, and must be made so by the Lord, not by a deluded people. In the eyes of the world the true saints are despised and rejected; but the Lord calls them blessed. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”