Поскольку в книгах, посвященных кантонистах, этот случай не упоминается, привожу этот документ целиком (увы, в английском переводе, оригиналы в сеть не выложены:
“Report of the Volhynia Consistory about the Retired Soldier Sergei Ivanov Kotliar to the Procurator of the Zhitomir District Court (27 January 1884)”
The Volhynia [Orthodox] Consistory receiveda petition on 16 February 1883 from the retired soldier Sergei Kotliar about converting from Russian Orthodoxy to Judaism. Kotliar reported that he was taken as a cantonist to serve in the army. In Kiev in 1854, by order of the authorities, he was baptized against his will. Kotliar explained that although he was registered as a Christian, he did not under stand anything about the religion and emphasized that he was baptized by force. He asked for permission to convert back to Judaism and
to marry according to the Jewish rite. The petition was rejected based on the 1876 statutes.
[. . .]
According to point 40 of that statute, as an apostate from Russian Orthodoxy, he is required to meet with a priest, who would strengthen and reconfirm his faith. [. . .] As the [local] priest reported, Kotliar declared that he adhered, adheres, and will adhere to the faith of his birth, no matter what kinds of reprimands, treatment, or punishment he would receive from the commanding officer.
Как вы думаете, каково было решение волынской консистории по этому делу, а главное, как оно было обосновано?
АХТУНГ: в комментах есть правильный ответ, поэтому кто хочет сам, в кибитку не ходи. :)