Emphasis Preaching Journal

Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Russia's great nineteenth century novelist, as a young man was cast into prison by the czar for his revolutionary activities. Like other prisoners he became the target of a cruel hoax. Time after time he would be brought blindfolded before the firing squad. The command would be given for the soldiers to fire and then there would be a loud noise. They had blanks instead of bullets. We can imagine the fear and agony that the prisoners must have endured each time they appeared before the firing squad.