APPENDIX III
From Vladimir Tchertkoff's Letter to the Commander of the Ekaterinograd Penal Battalion
. . . From the enclosed pamphlet,[1] if you will read it, you will learn the object of the present letter. Notwithstanding the complete dillerence of our relations to this question, I think you cannot but agree with the chief considerations contained in this paper.
At the present time there is, in the penal battalion under your command, a whole group of "Spirit-Wrestleis," who, on account of their religious convictions, are unable to take part in militiiry service, and therefore find themselves in this military place of confinement, in an exactly similar position to those individuals concerning whom I have given information in that paper. Even although one were to regard the convictions of these men as erroneous, as you naturally cannot fail to do, yet one cannot but admit that, in connection with their views, they manifest remarkable conscientiousness and true courage, in striving not to deviate from that which they for themselves regard as the will of God, notwithstanding the dreadful sufferings, and in some cases even death, to which they are subjected in consequence. Therefore no honest man, whatever his relation to the military service, can fail to
- ↑ A pamphlet entitled "Unnecessary Cruelty," by V. Tchertkoff, in which the author shows that, even from the point of view of the State, it is neither necessary nor advantageous to make martyrs of those who, owing to their religious convictions, cannot take part in the military service.—(Ed.)
