58 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-XI 



to receive from the State Department instructions to con 

 sult with him regarding some rather delicate matters 

 needing adjustment between the Greek Church and our 

 authorities in Alaska, and also in relation to the repre 

 sentation of Russia at the Chicago Exposition. 



I found him, as one of the great ministers of the crown, 

 residing in a ministerial palace, but still retaining, in 

 large measure, his old quality of professor. About him 

 was a beautiful library, with every evidence of a love 

 for art and literature. I had gone into his presence 

 with many feelings of doubt. Against no one in Rus 

 sia had charges so bitter been made in my hearing: it 

 was universally insisted that he was responsible for the 

 persecution of the Roman Catholics in Poland, of the 

 Lutherans in the Baltic provinces and in Finland, of 

 the Stundists in Central Russia, and of the dissenting 

 sects everywhere. He had been spoken of in the English 

 reviews as the &quot;Torquemada of the nineteenth century,&quot; 

 and this epithet seemed to be generally accepted as fitting. 



I found him a scholarly, kindly man, ready to discuss 

 the business which I brought before him, and showing a 

 wide interest in public affairs. There were few, if any, 

 doctrines, either political or theological, which we held in 

 common, but he seemed inclined to meet the wishes of our 

 government as fully and fairly as he could ; and thus was 

 begun one of the most interesting acquaintances I have 

 ever made. 



His usual time of receiving his friends was on Sunday 

 evening between nine and twelve; and very many such 

 evenings I passed in his study, discussing with him, over 

 glasses of fragrant Russian tea, every sort of question 

 with the utmost freedom. 



I soon found that his reasons for that course of action 

 to which the world so generally objects are not so super 

 ficial as they are usually thought. The repressive policy 

 which he has so earnestly adopted is based not merely 

 upon his views as a theologian, but upon his convictions 

 as a statesman. While, as a Russo-Greek churchman, he 



