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prayers, with a twig, upon the end of which there is a little cotton, anoints the sick per son with oil on the chief parts of the hody. In doing this, they make use of seven sinal twigs, one for each priest. But this mystery is now administered by fewer priests, for in the country it is difficult to collect the num ber stated in the regulations." pp. 193, 194.

The 39th chapter relates to Traditions and Ceremonies, such as using candles as a mark of burning faith; crossing themselves; but in this and in other chapters, the good Metropolitan has evidently accommodated himself a little too much to the general taste.

The third part, "Of the Law of God," contains sixteen chapters, and may be generally described as an explanation of the Commandments, and an illustration of the Lord's Prayer. In this, as in the other parts of the work, there is much of excellent and valuable matter; his allusions to the practices and opinions of the Russians are frequent and pointed.

Our curiosity was a little excited to discover in what way the invocation of saints could be reconciled to the prohibition of the First Commandment, and the idolatrous veneration of pictures to the Second. For every traveller in Russia kuows that saints are invoked and pictures worshipped with as little reserve as in the most superstitious days of the Church of Rome.

A careful perusal of the fifth and sixth chapters will convince the reader, that Platon is anxious to do away the obvious mischiefs of these superstitious observances He affirms, that the invocation of saints is not contrary to the First Commandment, and adopts the usual defence that it means nothing more than that they should pray for us through the mediation of Jesus Christ; and he believes them to have a sincere desire whether on earth or in heaven for human happiness.

"However, we ought not foolishly to imagine that this respect given by us to the saints, will be of any advantage to us, if we live in sin and impenitence; for there

can be no honour shown to the saints

equal to that of imitating their lives, and trusting in God aloue according to their example.

"Those, therefore, are inexcusable, and grievously transgress against this commandnient, who render unto the favourites of God, divine, or nearly divine honours, and who trust in them almost as much as in God himself; who offer up prayers to them more frequently than to Him; who respect their memory, and keep their holidays with a greater degree of devotion than the holidays of the Lord, and reverence their pic. tures more than those of our Saviour himself. For the favourite saints of God are of themselves by no means so great; they are the servants of God, and the work of his hands; consequently, between them and God there is an infinite difference. It is

necessary, therefore, for every one to be very watchful, that he be not infected with such errors.” pp. 222, 223.

He asserts also, that "reverencing the pictures is not contrary to the Second Commandment:" and his arguments are, that they do not attempt to represent God under any form, but our Saviour only in fashion as a man or his chosen servants; and that the obeisance paid to the pictures of saints is a reverence rendered to them out of a loving heart, as his favourites, and as of the same nature and of the same church, and members of the same body with the Christian. After pointing out the abuses, however, to which this practice is liable, he reminds his readers,

"1st, That the worship of God can never be sincere, unless it proceed from a contrite and unfeigned spirit. For all external rites of worship are only marks testifying our internal piety and sincerity towards God, without which they signify nothing. And therefore the Gospel requires, that the worshippers of God should worship him in spirit (not externally alone), and in truth, or not in hypocrisy. 2d, We must hold to the Divine word alone, and rest assured, that it only contains the true rules by which we ought to please God. And there fore Christ said concerning the holy Scrip tures, that in them is contained eternal life." pp. 230, 231.

It is evident that the mind of

Fiaton was far more enlightened, than some parts of his work might lead us to imagine: and if our judgment of the Greek Church were to be formed from our opinion of this writer, we should be inclined to say little either of its idolatry or superstition. But what are we to think of the concurrent testimony of all travellers? It will prove, that whatever may be the views of learned and able men, the great body of the people are immersed in the grossest ignorance.

The idle legends of the Virgin of Vladimir, the Virgin with the bleeding cheek, the Virgin with three hands; the particular places consecrated to particular saints, as so many tutelary deities; bodies, miraculously preserved of saints, who have been dead for ages; pictures transferred from place to place by the ministry of angels, and supposed to be capable of healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and showering down favours of all sorts upon their worshippers; pilgrimages from every part of the empire to Kieff and Troitza, for the purpose of devotion to old pictures and withered and wonder-working remains; these and a thousand other things must tend to prove the general ignorance even of the priesthood, or at least their general neglect.

"The picture of a saint," says Dr. Clarke, "found accidentally in the street, human bones dug up in a forest, a dream, any casual and rude representation of a cross, in straws which have fallen together at the meeting of roads, or a lusus naturæ, the colours of a pied horse, veins in a piece of flat or marble; in short, whatever represents, or is supposed to represent, any object in their prodigious catalogue of supersution, might occasion a resort of devotees, give rise to a church, or market-place for wax-chandlers, painters, and silversmiths, as famous as the shrine of Diana of Ephesus," Then follow some very striking facts illustrative of the general pro

position. In a subsequent part of the volume, the same lively writer relates the following anecdote:

"One day, ascending by this staircase. we found all the churches in the Kremlin open, and a prodigious concourse of people assembled at the celebration of the great Festival of the Ascension. It is difficult to describe the scenes then exhibited within these buildings. I was carried in by the crowd, which rushed forward like a torrent; and, being lifted by it from the ground,, beheld, as I entered, a throng of devotees, in which there was danger of being pressed to death; all of whom were in motion, crossing themselves, bowing their heads, and struggling who should first kiss the consecrated pictures. The bodies of their saints were exposed: and we were shewn, by the attending priests, some of the wood of the true Cross.' Women, with tears streaming from their eyes, were seen lifting their infants, and teaching them to embrace the feet and hands of the images Observing a crowd particularly eager to kiss the skull of an incorruptible saint, I asked a priest, in Latin, whose body the sepulchre contained.

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Whence are you,' said he, that you know not the tomb of St. Demetrius?""

The volume concludes with an Appendix, containing an account of the different sects of Dissenters in Russia.

Schismatics seem first to have made their appearance in Russia about 450 years after the introduction of Christianity into that country. They were of the class of Judaizing Teachers. Persecution was occasionally the doom of these seceders; but the schism was never destroyed.

A more serious division took place in the sixteenth century, on account of an attempt to correct. the numerous errors which were acknowledged to have crept into the sacred books. Many were alarmed with the idea, that these writings'

would be corrupted under the pretence of correcting them; and when a similar attempt was made in the seventeenth century, the same apprehension was revived, and the schism continued to increase. These divisions appear to have been created partly by designing men, and partly through the ignorance of the people. The spirit of dissent, when once excited, indulged many fancies, and gave birth to different sects. The Raskolniks or schismatics may, however, be considered as composed of two grand divisions: viz. the Popoftschins or such as admit priests from the National Church; and Bezpopoftschins, or such as have no priests at all, or priests of their own ordination. These two designations must be understood to comprise many diffe

rent sects.

Raskolniks about the mystery of the Chris and the right form of the Cross.-3. The Peremazanoftschins or Reanointers. They sprung also from the people at Vetka, and they reanoint their proselytes by the Chrism. This sect is numerous in Moscow.-4. The Epefanoftschins, nearly the same with the old ceremonialists of Staradubofsk; only they pay some respect to the bones of an old monk.-5. The Tschernabottsi, a recent swarm from the old hive of Staradubofsk. They refuse civil oaths: will not be shaved, and therefore furnish no recruits to the army, and decline praying for the emperor according to the form prescribed by the holy synod.

The Bezpopoftschins include the following divisions:

1. The Duhobortsi, a race that say they are descended from Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego; but they sprang up in the middle of the last century. Mr. Pinkerton employs some pages in his account of them. They are peaceable, and of good morals: but never enter the national church, nor bow before the pictures, nor cross themselves, nor observe the appointed fasts. They are eminent for brotherly love, have all things in common, are hospitable to strangers, kind to the affiicted, and have no punishments among their members but expulsion from their society. The following account of them is extremely curious:

If we were ignorant of the history of dissent in our own country, we should be surprised, perhaps, at the reasons for it in Russia. It is not upon matters of faith, that the national church and the dissenting interest are in general opposed, but whether old or new pictures are to be used in Divine worship, and whether twenty volumes folio, containing the Church Service, ought to be received in their ancient or in their corrected state. It is remarkable, however, that the Raskolniks are distinguished for their morals and integrity, and are usually much better acquainted with the holy Scriptures than their neighbours. "The Duhobortsi affirm, that every ex It is difficult to ascertain their numternal rite, in regard to salvation, is of no bers: but most of the opulent Rus- avail whatever, and that the outward sian merchants of Petersburgh, Mos-church, in consequence of her corruption, cow, and the other great towns of is now become a den of thieves. On this the empire are Raskolniks.

The Popoltschios embrace the great majority of Russian Disseniers:-of these the principal sects are,-1. The churches at Vetka and Staradubofsk. They have been scattered by persecution even to Siberia, and with increasing numbers.-2. The Diaconoftschius, an excrescence of the church at Vetka: they quarrelled with the Vetka

account, they confess that alone to be the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, which the Lord gathered by his appearance, which he enlightens, and adorns, by the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and which on this account is the company of the faithful, or of true believers, in all ages.

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meetings among themselves, but have no In this persuasion they frequently have stated place appointed for this purpose, as they account every place alike holy: henge these meetings are held in the first conve

nient place they can find. Neither do they appoint any particular days for this purpose, accounting all days alike. They have, therefore, no holidays: but their meetings are frequently held on the holidays appointed by the church, when other people are not engaged in labour; for if they were to work on the holidays of their neighbours, they say, they should subject themselves to double persecutiou, and might be represented as disobedient to the laws of the empire.

"Each of them is at liberty to hold a meeting in his own house, and to invite such of his brethren as are near him to attend. In such meetings, they always sup together; and should the brother in whose house the meeting is held not be able to provide food sufficient to entertain his guests, in that case they either send themselves, before hand, provisions for this purpose, or bring them along with them.

Being assembled, they salute one another; the men salute the men, and the females the females, by taking each other by the right hand, and thrice bowing and kissing one another; at the same time every one pronounces a short prayer. These three bows and three embraces, they perform in the name of the three-one God, to the purifying of the flesh, and to the rooting out of pride. They take each other by the hand as a mark of their union in love, in calling, in knowledge of judgment, and of

the unseen God, who is within them.

"In the course of the meeting, they pray one after another, sing psalms, and explain the word of God; but as the greater part of them are unable to read, most of this is performed in their assemblies extemporaneously. They have no appointed priests, but confess Jesus Christ alone to be the only just, y, puno, 22defiled priest, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens; he also is their only Teacher. In their assemblies they instract each other from the Scriptures; every one speaks according to the grace given him, to the admonishing and comforting of his brethren. Even women are not excluded from this privilege; for they say, Have not women enlightened understandings as well as men? They pray standing or sitting, just as it happens. At the end of the meeting they again embrace each other thrice, as at the beginning, and then

separate." pp. 309-312.

The articles of their belief, and many of their peculiarities, are detailed in the several pages from p.

316 to p. 330. Whoever peruses this statement, will be inclined to pronounce the Duhobortsi to be the Quakers of Russia.

their converts to be re-baptized, 2. The Pomeryans. They require believe that antichrist is already come, and recommend a life of celibacy and solitude.

3. The Theodosians, a schism from the Pomoryans, whom they deserted, chiefly on account of their not purifying what they purchased in the market of unbelievers, and not writing the superscription upon the Cross! They are numerous, and have some good regulations.-And for discrepencies equally weighty and wise, about marriage, and the cross, and rebaptism, and particular pictures, and circumcision, we have still to enumerate several hard names of determined schismatics; such as, 4. The Philipoftschius; 5. The Netovtschins; 6. Pastushkoc Loglasia; 7. Novojentzi; 8. Samokrestschentsi, or self-baptizers! 9. Tschuvstviniks; 10. Molokans; 11. Ikonobortsi-these admit no pictures or images into their worship, and thus deserve to be ranked with more respectable associates; 12. Seleznevtschini. To these is to be added the sect of Martinists, followers of one Martin, a Frenchman. Their tenets are in the highest degree mystical: they pretend to visions and discoveries, and maintain that the word of God contains not only the way of deliverance to fallen men, but discovers also the secrets of nature they are of a class simiJar to the disciples of Behmen and Swedenborg, and, with loud pretensions to wisdom and learning, are as ignorant of Divine Truth as the poorest among their countrymen.

It were devoutly to be wished, that this work of Platon might be read with attention by all the Russians, who are capable of reasoning

and reflection. It is not without errors, and some of these errors are important; but it is the production of a, man, who rises infinitely above the highest flights of the rabble

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of pretenders to religion, whether staunch churchmen or inveterate sectarians. A great change is at this moment taking place throughout the Russian empire; and the measures recently adopted for the circulation of the Scriptures through all the provinces-measures as wise as they are benevolent-cannot fail to correct many delusions and to be productive of important benefits. The blessings of religion are not to be diffused in a day. We look not for miracles; but for the silent operation of sacred principles, for that gradual and almost imperceptible advance in civilization and knowledge, which in in the end changes the character of nations, and converts uncultivated man into an animal of a higher order. The public events, which we have recently witnessed, must tend to give a powerful impulse to the minds of the Russians; and the spirit of inquiry and improvement, which has now gone forth, will doubtless be assisted in its progress by the liberal and enlightened policy of the emperor. We consider it as an auspicious cir

cumstance, that at the very time when the convulsions of Europe have roused from their comparative slumber, so many provinces of that extensive empire. and have given the inhabitants of those distant lands an interest in the affairs of nations, which was never excited before, the Volume of Inspiration has been freely opened to their view. To expect any remarkable immediate effect from the dispersion of the Scriptures in a country, where civilization is still in its infancy, would imply little knowledge of the character of man: it is by slow progress that kingdoms advance to the maturity of their moral and religious state; but the experience of past ages must convince us, that the Word of God, however slow in its operation, is mighty in its influence; and we doubt whether any single plan could be proposed more likely to raise the human animal to his proper rank and condition, than the circulation of that book, which inculcates the best principles of action, points out his relation to the Deity, and unfolds the high destinies of a future world.

LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INTELLIGENCE,

&c. &c.

GREAT BRITAIN. PREPARING for publication:-The Campaign of Germany and France subsequent to the Expiration of the Armistice in 1813, by J. Philippart, Esq.;-the Life of Sir Benjamin West, comprising Anecdotes of the most celebrated Characters in Europe and America, during the last sixty years, by Mr. Galt ;-The Travels of Dr. Holland in the South of Turkey, in 1812 and 1813;-A pair of celebrated Hemispheres, projected by Mr. J. Heming, of Magdalen Hall, Oxford, engraved by Mr. Lowry, with an explanatory Treatise.

in the press:-The Origin of Pagan Idolatry, in three vols. 4to. by the Rev. G. S. Faber;-The Confessions of Sir Tho

mas Longueville, by R. P. Gillies, Esq.;-A Voyage to the Isle of Elba, from the French of M. Arsenna Thiebaut de Berneaud;-A Tour through the Island of Elba, by Sir R. C. Hoare, în imperial 4to., with engrav ings from drawings on the spot, by J. Smith's -A work on the Population and Resources of the British Empire, by Mr. Colquhoun; -Translations from the popular Poetry of the Hindoos, by Capt. Broughton;-The First Volume of Mr. J. Turner's History of England, extending from the Norman Conquest to the Reign of Edward the Third.

On the 19th of May, the Prize Composi tions at Oxford were adjudged to the following Gentlemen: Latin Essay-De Ephoro

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