E.N. With what especially is our time marked? When did it begin?

V.E. When the so called “manjashchie ogni” [culture] lost the magnetic strength. Where is the theater now? Who needs it? Who now writes novels besides graphomaniacs? And so on. How did these secondary values occupy their own secondary place? And concerning the Christian Church, which for at least three hundred years has decreased, when did people relate to her in the best sense, like icons in the corner? How much do we see a connection with the Slavophile theory and the outcome, that such a Church was in the State during the synodal period, that She occupied such a place in the State! Absolutely not! She should take up the position at the head of the corner of the whole life of the baptized people and then all the rest will come. We are clearly witnessing this disparagement of so called scientific works, the weakening of any kind of science schools, of immigration of agents of science and culture across the border, and so on. If this is translated into church language then the members of the church will realize for themselves that all that is already left is to lose this magnetic strength. This spirit of civilization will cease to poison them. The “manjashchie ogni” [culture] has died. People are already searching for a guiding star, namely those that are flaring, like a star for sorcerers.