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an interesting document. We shall endeavour to give the substance of it as briefly as possible.

About the year 955, the Grand Princess Olga, having visited Constanstinople, embraced the Christian religion, and was baptized by the name of Helena. Her grandson, Vladimir, brought over his subjects to the profession of Christianity; and, together with the faith of the Eastern Church, introduced its ceremonies. Knowledge and civilization continued to increase till the irrup. tion of the Tartars, in the thirteenth century in the sixteenth, the Tartar yoke was thrown off; and, from that time to the present, civilization has again been progressive.

The schools of the clergy, or spiritual schools, are intended chiefly to train up young men for the priestly office; and, from the time of Peter the Great, they have been confined to the sons of the clergy. The seminaries of Alexandroff, and Kazan, and Kieff, and Moscow, are called academies, and are the first spiritual schools of the empire. These academies are particularly appropriated to the purpose of training up the most promising young men to the office of teachers in the spiritual schools. By an imperial ukase in 1802, a medical class was instituted in all the academies and seminaries of the clergy.

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"The several branches of learning taught m these schools at present are, grammar, rhetoric, natural and moral philosophy, divinity, some parts of the mathematics, history, and geography, in the Latin and Russ languages. In the four academies, and in some of the seminaries, the Hebrew, Greek, German, and French languages, are also studied." p. 8.

The number of these schools in the whole empire is fifty-eight; of these, four are academies, thirty-six seminaries (one in each diocese under the controul of the bishop), and eighteen inferior schools. These last were erected in 1800, and are intended for the use of those scholars who are reckoned incapable of pursuing

the more-extended system of the academies and seminaries. The number of persons educated in the fifty-eight spiritual schools, and chiefly at the expense of Government, is upwards of 26,000. The works of the metropolitan Platon form a part of their theological studies. It should seem that all the persons educated in these institutions are sons of the clergy: but all are not necessarily required to adopt the clerical profession.

Annual examinations take place, under the direction of the bishop, in each of the clerical schools; when such of the pupils as have finished' their studies have the choice of taking immediate steps for ordination, as secular or parochial clergymen, or of entering into the monastic life. The sum of 362,555 rubles has been allowed by the Emperor Alexander, for the support of these institutions. The want of books appears to be severely felt; and from this, and other circumstances connected with his office, the priest has few opportunities of mingling on equal terms with the best society.

The clergy are divided into regular and secular, or monks and paros chial clergy. The superior clergy consist of metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops, who are indiscriminately styled Archires politan or bishop is merely personal, (Agapers); but the title of metro and not attached to the sees: one Archire is seldom subject to an other.

When a vacancy takes place in a diocese, the holy legislative synod presents to his imperial majesty from the chiefs of monasteries, two or three candidates; of these the Emperor generally appoints one, and orders him to be ordained an Archire: but he is not restricted in his choice to the persons thus recommended. Mr. Pinkerton asserts, in the language of Dr. King, that-

the superior clergy of Russia are men whose candour, modesty, and truly primitive

simplicity of manners, would have illustrated the first ages of Christianity." p. 16.

After the Archirès come the black clergy, or chiefs of monasteries. These compose the regular clergy: they lead recluse lives, are forbidden animal food, and are not permitted to marry. All the powers and dignities of the Russian Church are exclusively vested in them.

The secular priests, or white cler gy, consist of priests, deacons, readers, and sacristans. The priests and deacons must have been married be

fore they can be ordained to those offices. If their wives die, they are not allowed to marry a second time. They are, however, at liberty to be come monks, and thus to enter into the order of the black clergy. Those, who desire to marry a second time, must first resign their office in the priesthood, and are for ever excluded from that order.

The secular clergy are engaged in duties peculiarly laborious; the ceremonies, to which they must at tend are numerous and complicated; and the service of the church. which is of excessive length, must be performed three times a day. They have in general little leisure for study, and publish few works either of a moral or religious kind. Mr. Pinkerton, however, speaks of many with commendation. We extract with pleasure the following passage,

"In most of the churches now, both in towns and villages, a sermon is preached every Sunday, and on the chief holidays, Some of these discourses, which I have beard in different parts of the empire, for sound reasoning and clear views of the leading doctrines of the Gospel, might have done honour to a British clergyman. In some of the churches I have also heard the priest read a homily from a printed book, a practice which is not unfrequent in

the country, particularly in large congrega tions, where the duties of a priest leave him but little time for study." p. 20.

The clergy are exempted from all civil taxes and corporal punishments, even in the case of commit

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ting capital erimes, and are permit ted to hold lands: but their revenues are small, and arise chiefly from the free-will offerings of their parishioners.

The whole empire is divided into 36 dioceses or eparchies, which in extent are nearly the same with the provinces or governments. In these are 483 cathedrals, and 26,598 churches, which are often magnificent buildings. The church consists of three parts, first the Sanctum Sanctorum, or altar, into which no female is permitted to enter: ́secondly, the Nave, in which the congregation stand (for there are no seats in Russian churches) separated from the altar by a screen: thirdly, the Trapeza, or outer court, which is the west end of the church.

Pulpits are unknown, except in some of the new churches at Petersburgh and Moscow, and the people use no books. The preacher usually stands behind a moveable desk, with his manuscript before him.

The service of the church is contained in upwards of 20 volumes folio, all in Sclavonic, a language not well understood by the modern Russians. Twelve of these volumes, one for every month, comprise the services, and hymns for the festivals of the Saints. The Greek Kalendar has more Saints than there are days in the year.

The Russians make no use of complete copy of the Bible in their churches: they have only Extracts from the Old Testament and Epistles, interspersed through their folios. Many of the country clergy do not possess an entire copy of the Scriptures. The Gospel is always read slowly: the rest of the service, on account of its extraordinary length, is usually hurried over with a rapidity which renders it unintelligible.

The monasteries and nunneries are less peopled than formerly; but the monastic order cannot be abo lished, without an essential change in the constitution of the church:

for the higher ranks of the clergy must at present be chosen from the monks. The nunneries are represented as asylums for aged or unfortunate females, who there spend the remainder of their days in retirement.

We have mentioned the holy legislative synod; it was established in 1721, and furnished with instructions by Peter for the government of spiritual affairs. When Christianity was first introduced into Russia, the dignitaries of the church were the metropolitans, who were chosen by the grand princes and bishops, and ordained by the Patriarch of Constantinople. After the capture of that city by the Turks, the Tzar Theodore Joanovitch in 1588 appointed his own patriarch; and the four Patriarchs of the East, viz. of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria acquiescing in the appointment, Jeremias the Patriarch of Constantinople went into Russia, and ordained Job, the Metropolitan of Moscow, Patriarch of all Russia, conferring upon him equal authority with the Eastern Patriarchs. When Peter the Great ascended the throne, the power of the Patriarch was almost equal to that of the Tzar; and they were not unfrequently opposed to each other in points of great national importance. He therefore in 1700 abolished the office, and appointed an Exarch or Vice-gerent of the Holy See with limited powers. After the lapse of about 21 years the exarchy was abolished, and the holy legislative synod established in its place. The number of persons composing this council is indefinite, and they are nominated entirely at the will of the sovereign.

At the head of the synod there is always a layman, who is consider ed as the Emperor's representative. This most honourable post is filled at present by Prince Alexander Galitzin, who is also Minister for Foreign Confessions, and President of the St. Petersburg Bible Society.

The whole government and spiritual concerns of the church are vested in the holy synod.

Such is the substance of the preliminary Memoir. We shall now proceed to the body of the work, the Summary of Christian Divinity as published by the Metropolitan Platon. It has been remarked by Addison, "that a reader seldom peruses a book with pleasure, till he knows whether the writer of it be a black or a fair man, of a mild or choleric disposition, married or a bachelor, with other particulars of the like nature that conduce very much to the right understanding of an author." The name of Platon is well known in this country; but it inay conduce somewhat" to the right understanding" of him, if we select a short extract from the recent accounts of Dr. Clarke and Mr. Heber.

"A curious contrast to the splendoar in which we had hitherto beheld Plato, archbishop of Moscow, was offered, during a visit we made to him at the Convent of Nicoll na Perrera, a seminary for young priests near the city. I had long wished for an opportunity of con versing with this remarkable man. He was preceptor to the Emperor Paul; and is known to the world by his correspondence with Monsieur Dutens. Upon our arrival at the convent, we were told he was then walking in a small garden, the care of which constifuted his principal pleasure; and the employment characterized the simplicity and innocence of his life. As we entered the garden, we found him seated on a turf bank, beneath the windows of the refectory, attended by a bishop, an old man his vicar, the abbé of the monastery, and some others of the monks. could scarcely believe my eyes; when they told me it was Plato; for though I had often seen him in his archiepiscopal vestments, his rural dress had made such an alteration. that I did not know him. He was habited in a striped silk

simplicity of manners, would have illustrated the first ages of Christianity." p. 16.

After the Archirès come the black clergy, or chiefs of monasteries. These compose the regular clergy: they lead recluse lives, are forbidden animal food, and are not permitted to marry. All the powers and dignities of the Russian Church are exclusively vested in them.

The secular priests, or white cler gy, consist of priests, deacons, readers, and sacristans. The priests and deacons must have been married before they can be ordained to those offices. If their wives die, they are not allowed to marry a second time. They are, however, at liberty to be come monks, and thus to enter into the order of the black clergy. Those, who desire to marry a second time, must first resign their office in the priesthood, and are for ever exclud

ed from that order.

The secular clergy are engaged in duties peculiarly laborious; the ceremonies, to which they must at tend are numerous and complicated; and the service of the church. which is of excessive length, must be performed three times a day. They have in general little leisure for study, and publish few works either of a moral or religious kind. Mr. Pinkerton, however, speaks of many with commendation. We extract with pleasure the following passage,

"In most of the churches now, both in towns and villages, a sermon is preached every Sunday, and on the chief holidays. Some of these discourses, which I have beard in different parts of the empire, for sound reasoning and clear views of the leading doctrines of the Gospel, might have done honour to a British clergyman. In some of the churches I have also heard the priest read a homily from a printed book, a practice which is not unfrequent in the country, particularly in large congrega tions, where the duties of a priest leave him but little time for study." p. 20.

The clergy are exempted from all civil taxes and corporal puni ments, even in the case of com

ting capital crimes, and are permitted to hold lands: but their revenues are small, and arise chiefly from the free-will offerings of their parishioners.

The whole empire is divided into 36 dioceses or eparchies, which in extent are nearly the same with the provinces or governments. In these are 483 cathedrals, and 26,598 churches, which are often magnificent buildings. The church consists of three parts, first the Sanctum Sanctorum, or altar, into which no female is permitted to enter: secondly, the Nave, in which the congregation stand (for there are no seats in Russian churches) separated from the altar by a screen: thirdly, the Trapeza, or outer court, which is the west end of the church.

Pulpits are unknown, except in some of the new churches at Petersburgh and Moscow, and the people use no books. The preacher usually stands behind a moveable desk, with his manuscript before him.

The service of the church is contained in upwards of 20 volumes folio, all in Sclavonic, a language not well understood by the modern Russians. Twelve of these volumes, one for every month, comprise the, services, and hymns for the festivals of the Saints. The Greek Kalendar has more Saints than there are days in the year.

The Russians make no use of a complete copy of the Bible in their churches: they have only Extracts from the Old Testament and Epistles, interspersed through their folios. Many of the country clergy do not possess an entire copy of the Scriptures. The Gospel is always read slowly: the rest vice, on account of i length, is usuall... · a rapidity telligibl

for the higher ranks of the clergy must at present be chosen from the monks. The nunneries are represented as asylums for aged or unfortunate females, who there spend the remainder of their days in retirement.

We have mentioned the holy legislative synod; it was established in 1721, and furnished with instructions by Peter for the government of spiritual affairs. When Christianity was first introduced into Russia, the dignitaries of the church were the metropolitans, who were chosen by the grand princes and bishops, and ordained by the Patriarch of Constantinople. After the capture of that city by the Turks, the Tzar Theodore Joanovitch in 1588 appointed his own patriarch; and the four Patriarchs of the East, viz. of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria acquiescing in the appointment, Jeremias the Patriarch of Constantinople went into Russia, and ordaised Job, the Metropolitan of Mos cow, Patriarch of all Russia, conferring upon him equal authority with the Eastern Patriarchs. When Peter the Great ascended the throne, the power of the Patriarch was a most equal to that of the Tzar; and they were not unfrequently are posed to each other in points great national importance.

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