confidence in their Emperor and created a fervid
inclination amounting to enthusiasm to accept even the most drastic
reforms he may make cheerfully, unquestionably, as for the good of the
fatherland.

On the matter of the calendar reform America has for many years past
been exerting a steadily increasing influence. During the past twenty
years the steady flow of immigrants from Russia and other countries
belonging to the Orthodox Catholic Church of the East, (Greco-Russian,)
has increased to a great volume, and it seems destined to attain still
greater proportions when the war is over. These people are obliged to
work and keep holiday by the Gregorian calendar and to worship by the
Julian. This entails hardships.

For example, a devout Russian who has been forced to remain idle on our
Christmas and New Year's Days must sacrifice his pay--sometimes risk or
lose his job--if he wishes to observe the feasts of his own church. A
reform of the calendar would be hailed with joy by innumerable such
immigrants, who have been over here long enough to consider calmly the
practical aspects of a temporary dislocation of saints' days. The
ecclesiastical authorities in this country have frequently protested,
in print, both here and in Russia, and I have been informed that the
Holy Synod has been appealed to, more than once, to induce it to cast
its influence into the balance with that of the scientists and the
governmental authorities, who have been discussing the matter for years
past, and hesitating over the probable consequences of action--a case of
peasant joining hands with the rulers of Russia, once more like Mr.
Tchelisheff and the Emperor Nicholas--or the people of the United States
and the President--to secure a needed reform!

And these same peasant-immigrants in America have, without the shadow of
a doubt, already written back to their relatives and friends in the old
country--and very frequently--about the difficulties of the antiquated
Julian calendar, and these, in turn, can disseminate common sense about
the change in a way which the Government, aided by the Holy Synod and
the explanations of home-staying parish priests, unaided, could never
effect. When the fitting time arrives, perhaps the Russian Government
will avail itself of just this argument, among others--the welfare of
friends in distant America. There has never been a propitious time in
Russia to make that calendar reform since the reign of Peter the Great