On May 11, 1924, I came to the Beijing Mission from Manzhouli. During the conversation with his Eminence concerning the affairs of the Mission, among other things, I became informed that the issue of Karamishev in relation to the property of Beidahe (Peitaho) Mission was presented before the Senate and the deadline for resolving the issue hasn’t been decided yet. On the matter of the brickyards, the court decision is expected on Saturday, May 17th. The issue of the judicial proceedings was presented in due course.
Returning from Hankou in a particularly joyful mood, since with God’s help it came to be that the normal canonical relations of the flock in Hankou with the ruling bishop were restored. During the night of May 23rd, traveling by train, I saw in a dream an old man, rather short and bended with a small beard and deep, deep eyes, thoroughly pensive. He, without a change in his look, addressed me and said: “Glory to God, the issue with Karamishev was settled well for the Mission; true, there are still some misunderstandings and there could be certain complications… but good, we should pray to God.” With these words I woke up, made the sign of the cross, swiftly recalled everything that was said to me, and then, remembering my previous conversation I had with the Archbishop, I started to wonder – maybe it was all about the brickyards… From that moment, I felt an urge to visit the Mission, and not go directly to Tianjin, as I originally planned. Immediately after my arrival, I went to the Archbishop, who was seated in the terrace, and almost simultaneously with my coming, they presented him an envelope written on in Chinese. To my question – what is that letter about, the Archbishop answered – a judicial matter… Then I, interrupting him, quickly said: “If it is about Karamishev affair, it has been completed with success”, and continued by recounting my dream. The Archbishop saw it was about the Karamishev affair, but excited as he was from the circumstances involved, he couldn’t read it and directed the letter to be translated. The two of us were left alone, impatiently waiting to hear as regards to the decision of the Senate and thinking about the dream.
It is hardly possible to describe the exhilaration and the joy which overwhelmed us after the news that the whole matter was concluded successfully for the Mission, though there were some arguments put forward by the Mission which were not accepted by the Senate. The joy for the retaining a valuable property for the Mission gave place to a profound gratitude to God, Who has shown me, a wretch, in a dream that the Orthodox Mission in China has its spiritual intercessors and guardians. As the old man who appeared to me held resemblance with the depiction of St Nicholas on the renewed old icon of Saint Nicholas in the Mission, the Archbishop together with his Eminence Simon served a Moleben of Thanksgiving to the Lord and to His Holy Servant St Nicholas, and I had to hurry to catch the train to be able to arrive for the Vigil Service in Tianjin. Glory to our God!
The original note was presented by Bishop Jonah. Bishop Simon.