68 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE XI 



idealized until they bore a near resemblance to the con 

 ventional representations of Jesus of Nazareth. 



One day, in one of the most brilliant reception-rooms of 

 the Northern capital, the subject of Father Ivan s mira 

 cles having been introduced, a gentleman in very high 

 social position, and entirely trustworthy, spoke as fol 

 lows: &quot; There is something very surprising about these 

 miracles. I am slow to believe in them ; but there is one 

 of them which is overwhelming and absolutely true. The 

 late Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, Archbishop Isidore, 

 loved quiet, and was very averse to anything which could 

 possibly cause scandal. Hearing of the wonders wrought 

 by Father Ivan, he summoned him to his presence and 

 sternly commanded him to abstain from all the things 

 which had given rise to these reported miracles, as sure 

 to create scandal, and with this injunction dismissed him. 

 Hardly had the priest left the room when the archbishop 

 was struck with blindness, and he remained in this condi 

 tion until the priest returned and restored his sight by 

 intercessory prayer. &quot; When I asked the gentleman giv 

 ing this account if he directly knew these facts, he replied 

 that he was, of course, not present when the miracle was 

 wrought; but that he had the facts immediately from 

 persons who knew all the parties concerned, as well as all 

 the circumstances of the case ; and, indeed, that these cir 

 cumstances were matter of general knowledge. 



Sometime afterward, being at an afternoon reception 

 in one of the greater embassies, I brought up the same 

 subject, when an eminent general spoke as follows: &quot;I 

 am not inclined to believe in miracles, in fact, am rather 

 skeptical; but the proofs of those wrought by Father 

 Ivan are overwhelming. &quot; He then went on to say that 

 the late metropolitan archbishop was a man who loved 

 quiet and disliked scandal; that on this account he had 

 summoned Father Ivan to his palace, and ordered him to 

 put an end to the conduct which had caused the reports 

 concerning his miraculous powers ; and then, with a wave 

 of his arm, had dismissed him. The priest left the room, 



