Father Sergius lived as a recluse
for another seven years.
At first he accepted much of
what people brought him--tea,
sugar, white bread, milk, clothing,
and fire-wood. But as time went
on he led a more and more austere
life, refusing everything superfluous,
and finally he accepted nothing
but rye-bread once a week. Everything
else that was brought to him
he gave to the poor who came
to him. He spent his entire time
in his cell, in prayer or in
conversation with callers, who
became more and more numerous
as time went on. Only three times
a year did he go out to church,
and when necessary he went out
to fetch water and wood.
The episode with Makovkina
had occurred after five years
of his hermit life. That occurrence
soon became generally known--her
nocturnal visit, the change she
underwent, and her entry into
a convent. From that time Father
Sergius's fame increased. More
and more visitors came to see
him, other monks settled down
near his cell, and a church was
erected there and also a hostelry.
His fame, as usual exaggerating
his feats, spread ever more and
more widely. People began to
come to him from a distance,
and began bringing invalids to
him whom they declared he cured.
His first cure occurred in
the eighth year of his life as
a hermit. It was the healing
of a fourteen-year-old boy, whose
mother brought him to Father
Sergius insisting that he should
lay his hand on the child's head.
It had never occurred to Father
Sergius that he could cure the
sick. He would have regarded
such a thought as a great sin
of pride; but the mother who
brought the boy implored him
insistently, falling at his feet
and saying: 'Why do you, who
heal others, refuse to help my
son?' She besought him in Christ's
name. When Father Sergius assured
her that only God could heal
the sick, she replied that she
only wanted him to lay his hands
on the boy and pray for him.
Father Sergius refused and returned
to his cell. But next day (it
was in autumn and the nights
were already cold) on going out
for water he saw the same mother
with her son, a pale boy of fourteen,
and was met by the same petition.
He remembered the parable of
the unjust judge, and though
he had previously felt sure that
he ought to refuse, he now began
to hesitate and, having hesitated,
took to prayer and prayed until
a decision formed itself in his
soul. This decision was, that
he ought to accede to the woman's
request and that her faith might
save her son. As for himself,
he would in this case be but
an insignificant instrument chosen
by God.
And going out to the mother
he did what she asked--laid his
hand on the boy's head and prayed.
The mother left with her son,
and a month later the boy recovered,
and the fame of the holy healing
power of the starets Sergius
(as they now called him) spread
throughout the whole district.
After that, not a week passed
without sick people coming, riding
or on foot, to Father Sergius;
and having acceded to one petition
he could not refuse others, and
he laid his hands on many and
prayed. Many recovered, and his
fame spread more and more.
So seven years passed in the
Monastery and thirteen in his
hermit's cell. He now had the
appearance of an old man: his
beard was long and grey, but
his hair, though thin, was still
black and curly.
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