The absence of fanaticism and of that proselytising zeal which is one of the most prolific sources of religious hatred, is to be explained by the peculiar religious conceptions of these peasants.  In their minds religion and nationality are so closely allied as to be almost identical.  The Russian is, as it were, by nature a Christian, and the Tartar a Mahometan; and it never occurs to any one in these villages to disturb the appointed order of nature.  On this subject I had once an interesting conversation with a Russian peasant who had been for some time living among Tartars.  In reply to my question as to what kind of people the Tartars were, he replied laconically, “Nitchevo”—­that is to say, “nothing in particular”; and on being pressed for a more definite expression of opinion, he admitted that they were very good people indeed.

“And what kind of faith have they?” I continued.

“A good enough faith,” was the prompt reply.

“Is it better than the faith of the Molokanye?” The Molokanye are Russian sectarians—­closely resembling Scotch Presbyterians—­of whom I shall have more to say in the sequel.

“Of course it is better than the Molokan faith.”

“Indeed!” I exclaimed, endeavouring to conceal my astonishment at this strange judgment.  “Are the Molokanye, then, very bad people?”

“Not at all.  The Molokanye are good and honest.”

“Why, then, do you think their faith is so much worse than that of the Mahometans?”

“How shall I tell you?” The peasant here paused as if to collect his thoughts, and then proceeded slowly, “The Tartars, you see, received their faith from God as they received the colour of their skins, but the Molokanye are Russians who have invented a faith out of their own heads!”

This singular answer scarcely requires a commentary.  As it would be absurd to try to make Tartars change the colour of their skins, so it would be absurd to try to make them change their religion.  Besides this, such an attempt would be an unjustifiable interference with the designs of Providence, for, in the peasant’s opinion, God gave Mahometanism to the Tartars just as he gave the Orthodox faith to the Russians.

The ecclesiastical authorities do not formally adopt this strange theory, but they generally act in accordance with it.  There is little official propaganda among the Mahometan subjects of the Tsar, and it is well that it is so, for an energetic propaganda would lead merely to the stirring up of any latent hostility which may exist deep down in the nature of the two races, and it would not make any real converts.  The Tartars cannot unconsciously imbibe Christianity as the Finns have done.  Their religion is not a rude, simple paganism without theology in the scholastic sense of the term, but a monotheism as exclusive as Christianity itself.  Enter into conversation with an intelligent man who has no higher religious belief than a rude sort of paganism, and you may, if you know him well and make a judicious use of your knowledge, easily interest him in the touching story of Christ’s life and teaching.  And in these unsophisticated natures there is but one step from interest and sympathy to conversion.