ries.

At one time in Bucharest and other towns certain carriages drawn by
superb horses attracted much admiration. These were some of the
strange presents--the price of a still stranger baptism--with which the
"Church of the Second Christ" rewarded its members!

[1] Valerius, passionate and devout at the same time, was the first to
sacrifice himself thus on the altar of purity, following the example of
Origen, who had used this heroic method to safeguard the virtue of the
women of his _entourage_. But while Origen was rewarded for his action
by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Valerius was expelled from the church,
and retired to Arabia, where his sect flourished in the third century
(A.D.).

B. THE NON-SECTARIAN VISIONARIES

In addition to the sects having their prophets and leaders and a
certain amount of organisation, almost every year in Russia saw--and
probably still sees--the birth of many separate heresies of short
duration. For instance, in one part a whole village would suddenly be
seized by religious ardour, its inhabitants deserting the fields and
passing their time in prayer, or in listening to the Gospel teachings
as expounded to them by some "inspired" peasant. Or elsewhere, the
women would all leave their husbands and depart into the forests, where
in the costume of Mother Eve they would give themselves up to
meditating upon the sins of humanity and the goodness of God.

On the outskirts of a village near Samara, in East Russia, a forester
was one day attracted to a cabin by the resounding cries and groans
that issued from it. On entering, a strange sight met his eyes--three
women, completely naked, praying and weeping. They were like
skeletons, and one of them died soon after being forcibly brought back
to the village. In spite of all entreaties she refused to let the
orthodox priest come near her, and begged that no cross should be
placed over her grave.

The police searched the forest, and found several other women in a
similar condition. Inquiry revealed that they had left their homes in
the neighbourhood of Viatka in order to expiate the sins of their
fellows. For nourishment they depended on herbs and strawberries, and
prayer was their sole occupation. Their unquenchable desire was to be
allowed to die "for the greater glory of Jesus Christ." They belonged
to no sect, and did not believe in sacred symbols or in priests. In
order to get into direct communication with God, th