This District includes Edinburghshire, Haddingtonshire, Peebles-shire, SelkirkIn this Province there are eight Dio- shire, Berwickshire, Roxburghshire, Dumcesses; Cashel and Emly-the Archdio-fries-shire, the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, cess, Cork, Killaloe, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford and Lismore, Cloyne and Ross.

THE GREEK CHURCH.

THE Byzantine or orthodox Greek | of adoration. There are four fasts in Church, acknowledging the supremacy the year, which are observed with great of the patriarch of Constantinople, and austerity. The service is performed in the Russian Greek Church, governed by the ancient Greek, which is as much a a council at St. Petersburg, called the dead language in this church, as Latin Holy Legislative Synod, are essentially is in the Church of Rome. agreed in their doctrines. They differ The administration of baptism by the from the Church of Rome as to the Greek Church is truly curious and authority of the later general councils, worthy of particular attention. Accordthe number of the sacraments, the use ing to Dr. King, they baptize by imof both kinds by the laity in the eucha-mersion, and they use the true immerrist, the time of observing Easter, the sion, or form of dipping the child in doctrine of purgatory, the mode of water thrice, which is the most ancient making the sign of the cross, the celibacy manner; but, previous to baptism, the of the clergy, the use of the Scriptures child, though not two months old, must by the laity, and the infallibility and be solemnly initiated into the church, as supremacy of the Bishop of Rome. The a catechumen, through the medium of Latin and Greek churches substantially its sponsors, when exorcism is used on agree with each other, and differ with the occasion. When the child is bapall Protestant churches, in holding tized, the priest immediately proceeds to the doctrines of transubstantiation, anoint it with the holy chrism; for this, prayer to the virgin and saints, image though reckoned a distinct mystery, is worship, priestly absolution, and the inseparable from baptism. Previous to efficacy ex opere operato of the sacra- baptism, the child was anointed with oil, which was likewise used in the The Greek Church recognises tradi- consecration of the baptismal water; tion as a source of belief supplementary but this chrism is very different from it, to the Holy Scriptures, in this also and consists of various oils and other agreeing with the Church of Rome. precious ingredients, which, in different The former church considers the Septua-proportions are all boiled together, and gint as the authentic version of the Old Testament, yielding it the same reverence which the Romish Church pays to the Vulgate.

ments.

The rites and ceremonies of the Greek Church are numerous and diversified. The daily services are eight in number, but are practically reduced to three. The service-books occupy more than twenty folio volumes. Every day in the year is consecrated to a saint, and frequently to more than one. Every day of the week is appropriated in the church service, to some peculiar object

* The Greeks walle

their churches.

afterwards solemnly consecrated by a bishop. It can be prepared only by a bishop, and only on Maundy Thursday, i.e. Thursday in Passion week. This anointing the Greeks call "the seal of the gift of the Holy Ghost," which words the priest repeats while he applies the chrism or holy oil to the forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, breast, hands, and feet of the child.

In some respects (says Mr. Conder, in his View of all Religions,) the Greek Church presents a more hopeful state than that which bears the yoke of

37

Popery. It has never resisted the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, for which the highest veneration is entertained;

reverence for the Greek Scriptures,
leaves open the way for their return to
a more Scriptural faith. ?at for worth?
The Patriarch of Constantinople is
Protestant ?!!!
elected by the votes of the bishops and
optimates, subject to the sanction of
the Sultan, so that the appointment
virtually rests with the Mahommedan
government, to which a fee or tribute
of 20,000 or 30,000 dollars, is payable
as the price of institution. His influ-
ence with the government is very con-
siderable. His jurisdiction nominally
extends over Thrace and the other
countries now comprised in European
Turkey, including Wallachia and Mol-

and the recent introduction of the Bible
into Greek schools is a most important
step towards the diffusion of religious
knowledge in the east. The clergy and
members of the Greek Church exhibit
also, for the most part, a far more
tolerant spirit towards Protestants, are
more open to conviction upon points of
faith, and more willing to abide by an
appeal to the inspired records as the
rule of faith. In this respect, an im-
portant change is taking place in the
public mind. It is observable also,
that many of the errors and corruptions davia, as well as Greece, and the Greek
common to the Latin and Greek churches
are, in the latter, of comparatively recent
introduction, and may be traced to the
influence of Romish teachers. In dis-
owning the pretended supremacy and
infallibility of the Roman pontiff, the
easterns consider themselves as in some
measure making common cause with
the Protestants. But, what is more
important, the circumstance of their
acknowledging no living depository of
tradition, nor any binding authority in
matters of faith posterior to the first
seven councils, together with their

islands, and the greater part of Asia
Minor. The Patriarch of Constantinople
nominates to the three patriarchates of
Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem,
subject to the election of the clergy of
their respective districts, and the sanc-
tion of the Ottoman Porte. The ortho-
dox Greek Church comprehends within
its pale about 3,000,000 souls, and in-
cluding the Russian Church, which
numbers about 47,000,000 within its
pale, the entire Greek Church consists
of about 50,000,000.

THE RUSSIAN GREEK CHURCH.

toires, (IIgorosges,) or white clergy.
They were formerly called Protopopes.
They consist of priests and deacons, and
also readers and sacristans.

The Patriarch of Constantinople at allows them for their support 2,000,000 first extended his supremacy over the roubles, or £80,000, which is suppleRussians, and appointed the metropoli-mented by the free-will offerings of the tan, but this could be no longer tolerated people. The two sums united yield a after the patriarchate fell under the very inadequate support. Mussulmans. In 1589, the patriarch The secular clergy are called Proconsented to place an independent pontifical ruler at the head of the Russian Church; and from that time till the reign of Peter the Great, the patriarchate was occupied by a succession of rulers Dr. Pinkerton says, that "all the who commanded the homage even of Protoires, priests and deacons, must the Czar. Hadrian, the tenth and last have been educated in the spiritual of the number, died in 1700. A Synod schools, and must be married before of twelve ecclesiastical rulers was then they can be admitted to these offices; invested with the power formerly exer- but are restricted from marrying wicised by the patriarchs, and this form dows. The death of their wives, howof government continues at the present ever, does not now prevent them, as time. The number of the Russian formerly, from officiating as priests, clergy is about 215,000. Government though they are not allowed to marry a

second time. But they are at liberty to enter into the order of the black clergy, by becoming monks; and thus the way is open before them to the first dignities of the Russian church. Those, again, who desire to marry a second time, must first resign their office in the priesthood, and are for ever excluded from that order."

a treatise on the Old and New Man,' of which Dr. Pinkerton speaks in high terms.

Dr. Pinkerton describes the church service as follows:-"Let any one, on his first arrival in St. Petersburg, enter the church of St. Nicholas, for instance, on a holiday, in the time of service, and, placing himself in a corner, calmly The state of learning among the contemplate the scene before him: he clergy is much improved, through the might easily be led to the conclusion, judicious measures employed by Peter that the Russians are to be counted the Great and his successors, with re- among the most ignorant and superstispect to their education. Their 'spi- tious of nations. The splendour of the ritual schools' belong to the most ancient building with its gaudy decorations; the institutions for learning in Russia; many sumptuous dresses of the clergy, comof them were founded at the introduc-posed of bright-coloured brocades, cotion of Christianity. The number of vered with embroidery and bespangled these schools is fifty-eight; of which with gems; the vocal music; the odours four are termed academies, thirty-six of incense ascending before the sacred seminaries, and eighteen are inferior pictures, from the golden censer waving schools. There is one seminary for each diocese. The eighteen schools were erected in the year 1800. In the whole number of schools about 26,000 young men were, in 1814, educated principally at the expense of the government. In the four academies. the number of students was about 4000, with upwards of fifty preceptors; in the thirty-six seminaries there were above 20,000 students, and 297 teachers; and in the eighteen schools nearly 2000 scholars and thirty teachers. The sons of the clergy are generally sent to these institutions when about ten years of age. They begin with the Latin and Sclavonian languages, and are afterwards instructed in the ancient and modern languages, and the various branches of study that are necessary for a liberal and professional education. Their theological instructions are confined to the writings of the Greek Fathers, such as Chrysostom, Gregory Nazianzen, &c., and to the works of the Russian divines. Among the most distinguished of these are, the writings of Platon, the metropolitan of Moscow; of Demetrius, metropolitan of Rastoff; of Theophanes, archbishop of Pleskoff; and of Michael, archbishop of Tscherniga. Some of the works of the last-mentioned author are sermons, and

in the hand of the officiating priest; the
great number of pictures covering the
walls, overlaid with gold and silver
plates in the form of robes, studded with
pearls and precious stones, before which
some hundreds of wax-lights and lamps
of different sizes are burning; the people
of all classes standing and worshipping;
(for none sit there;) some turning to
their respective tutelary saints, and pro-
strating themselves before them in vari-
ous acts of humiliation, others bargain-
ing for tapers at the stalls where they
are sold in the church, then lighting
them, and, with many crossings and
ceremonies, placing them before their
favourite pictures, as an offering and a
symbol of the sincerity of their devo-
tion :-having beheld these, let him
turn his attention from the almost con-
founding splendour and stupifying effects
of this crowded scene, more minutely to
contemplate its parts, and mark the
peculiar dresses, and looks, and atti-
tudes of individuals; he will see much
to excite his feelings of compassion and
sympathy:-here, the aged sire of four-
score, devoutly crossing and slowly pro-
strating himself before the picture of his
tutelary saint, his legs and arms trem-
bling beneath him, ere his forehead and
hoary locks reach the pavement: (what

other parts of his life. There your attention is drawn to an enormous Holy Ghost, appearing to descend from heaven: a decoration common in the Greek Church, which introduces the Holy Ghost everywhere! In the middle of the sanctuary is a square place, where the broken ice leaves a communication with the waters running below, and the rest is ornamented with rich tapestry. Around this temple there is erected a kind of gallery which communicates with one of the windows of the imperial palace, at which the empress and her family come out to attend the ceremony, which begins as soon as the regiment of

must it cost such a feeble old man to perform this most fatiguing act of his devotion, perhaps forty or fifty times in a morning!) there, the devout mother with her babe in her arms, teaching its infant hand to make the figure of the cross, by touching, with the thumb, and first two fingers united, first its forehead, then its breast, next the right shoulder, and afterwards the left, and to lisp the Gospodi Pomilui; and when the priest brings out the crucifix at the end of the service to bestow the benediction, behold! she presses forward in the crowd, and devoutly embraces the feet of the image of the suffering Saviour, and the infant follows her exam-guards have taken post on the river. ple. On beholding this and Then the archbishop, at the sound of similar scenes, without any further the bells, and of the artillery of the forknowledge of the service, people, and tress, comes out of the palace, and walks principles of the Greek church, the tra- in procession, with all his clergy, to the veller must at once come to the conclu- little temple we have just mentioned. sion, that the Eastern church is, in all When arrived at the place where the respects, as corrupt in doctrine, and as ice is broken, he descends, by means of superstitious in practice, as the Church a ladder, to the side of the water. There of Rome. On obtaining better informa- he dips his cross three or four times, tion, however, he finds this a hasty con- afterwards says some prayers, an orison clusion, as it regards doctrine, and not to the great St. Nicholas, and the waborne out by facts; for the Church ters are then thought blessed. The prethat permits every one of its members late sprinkles the water on the company to read the Holy Scriptures in a lan- around him, and on the colours of evres & guage which he understands, and ac- all the regiments that happen to be at t knowledges this Word as the highest St. Petersburg. After this benediction tribunal in matters of faith on earth, is the archbishop retires. Then the people still possessed of the best reformer of crowd towards the hole by which this all superstition. A reformation will no prelate has blessed the waters. They doubt take place with the increase of drink of them with holy avidity. Notlearning and Scriptural knowledge, both withstanding the cold, the mothers in Russia and in Greece." plunge their infants, and the old men their heads, into them. Everybody makes it a duty to carry away some for the purification of their houses, and curing certain distempers, against which the good Russians pretend this holy water is a powerful specific. While every one proceeds to this useful provision, four popes, who are at the four corners of the sanctuary, sing a kind of litany, in which they rehearse all the titles of the empress, and to which the people answer by these words, PameloiBog!-May God take pity on her!" >

Some of the ceremonies and observances of the Greek Church are thus described in Chantreau's “Travels into Russia:""At the beginning of the year, the king's day is a singular festival, which the Russians call the Benediction of Waters. On the Neva, then frozen, there is raised for the ceremony, a kind of temple of an octagonal figure, on the top of which is a St. John the Baptist, and the inside is decorated with pictures, representing the baptism of Jesus, his transfiguration, and some