Page:John Feoktist Dudikoff - Beasts in Cassocks (1924).djvu/23

 with him to 15 East 97th Street, where I again met Archbishop Platon. He gave me his blessings, invited me to his apartments and began to quiz me about Russia, about the health of the church dignitaries we knew in common, about myself, etc., etc. After that, having learned about me from my documents and letters of introduction (which among other things contained a request to find me some work in the Diocese), Archbishop Platon said to me: "Before I find a position for you, you will have to be put on probation. Besides," he added, "you must, without fail confess before Archpresbyter, Father Slunin."



On my leaving Platon's apartments, I was called into another room where Mr. Gorokhov gave me a test in academic subjects. After the test, Mr. Gorokhov went to the Archbishop's apartments, and on returning told me that I needed a few rehearsals in chanting and singing. This, despite the fact that my Seminary diploma indicated that I had the highest mark in those subjects, and that I did not make a single error in the test Mr. Gorokhov gave me. After this the "rehearsals" began and lasted almost until September. However, nothing was mentioned during these "rehearsals" about Church music or Church reguations. [sic]