throughout all our empire, according to the forms. prescribed by the holy church, and by the holy fathers, &c. The 28th September, 1798."

Dr. King assures us, that the more learned of the Russian clergy, "would willingly allow no picture or representation of God the Father-for the figure of the Ancient of Days, from Daniel, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool, is by them interpreted to be the second person in the Trinity, who so appeared to the prophet; yet it must be confessed, that the common practice is so contrary to their opinions, that in a great number of churches, as well ancient as modern, this figure and Jesus and the Dove are painted together to signify the Trinity Nay, there is now in the church of St. Nicholas at Petersburg a picture of an old man holding a globe and surrounded with angels, on which God the Father is inscribed !" It is however added, that during the reign of Peter the Great, the holy synod censured the use of such pictures, and Peter would have had them taken down, but was fearful of an insurrection of the people.

In Russia, ALL nations have the free exercise of their religion; and it is worthy of remembrance, that Peter the Great did much for the ecclesiastical, as well as civil government of that partially civilized country. During the attack, and upon the repulse of the French Emperor, their strange and semibarbarous superstitions appeared; but their present

connection with Great Britain will, it is to be hoped, conduce to their essential improvement.

In addition to the books already mentioned, I shall close this article of the Greek Church, with recommending the REV. WILLIAM TOOKE's History of Russia, which may be satisfactorily consulted on this as well as on other subjects; it abounds with information.*

PROTESTANTS.

UNDER the appellation of Protestants, we include all who dissent from Popery, in whatever country they reside, or into whatever sects they have been since distributed. Abroad they are divided into two sortsthe Lutherans, who adhere to Luther's tenets; and the Reformed, who follow the discipline of Geneva. They were called Protestants, because, in 1592, they protested against a decree of the Emperor Charles the Fifth, and declared, that they appealed to a general council. At present this vast class comprehends those whom Papists used contemptuously to style Hugonots in France; the Refugees in Holland, who fled thither upon the revocation of the edict of Nantz, 1685; the Presbyterians in Scotland; the Episco

Mr. Tooke is well known as the able translator of Zolikeffer's Sermons.

palians and Nonconformists in England; together with a numerous body of Christians in America.

As the Protestunts originated at the REFORMATION, it will be proper to give a brief account of this illustrious period of Ecclesiastical History.

THE REFORMATION IN GERMANY.

FOR the three first centuries THE RELIGION OF JESUS CHRIST stood on its own basis, was rapidly propagated among Jews and Gentiles, and suffered severe persecutions from the Roman emperors. At the commencement of the fourth century, CONSTANTINE became a convert to Christianity, and incorporated it with the state. "It was not till the fifth, or near the sixth century, that the Bishop of Rome arrogantly assumed an illegal supremacy over his fellow pastors, and in process of time aimed at a secular government of princes as well as subjects. Though several emperors embraced and defended Christianity, yet the gradual decay of the Roman empire was a serious impediment to the rising preachers of the newly established religion. Those accomplishments which adorned the conquests of the Romans, and the perfection of science, which had dignified their state, to such an extent, were gradually swept away by the barbarous nations which defeated them, and the close of the sixth century

could not trace a vestige of that exalted nation's government, or its laws. Between four and five hundred years was the glorious luminary of the gospel eclipsed by the dismal return of ignorance and of superstition.*

* The Crusades, commonly called the Holy Wars, were expeditions undertaken by the Catholics to drive the Turks from Palestine, or the land of Judea, and thus to rescue the holy sepulchre out of the hands of infidels. There were eight of these crusades: the first in the year 1096, the last in 1270, assisted by Prince Edward, afterwards Edward I. King of England. The number of lives lost in these Quixotic expeditions is incredible. An account of the crusades is given in Robertson's Charles the Fifth, and in Hume's History of England. Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered, elegantly translated by Hoole, is founded on the crusades, and affords considerable amusement. The reader is referred to an elegant work entitled The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through Wales, 1188by Giraldus. The object the good Archbishop had in view when he traversed the Principality, was to enlist young persons for this undertaking. According to this account miracles were worked; particularly, when his Grace wanted a pulpit-the ground kindly rose underneath him—and gave him a commanding view of his audience— which he no doubt eloquently improved! The Work affords an interesting picture of our Catholic ancestors, and should excite in us, their Protestant descendants, gratitude that we are freed from the yoke of Antichristian tyranny.

The Inquisition was a tribunal erected by the popes for the examination and punishment of heretics. It was founded in the twelfth century, by Father Dominic and his followers, who were sent by Pope Innocent the Third to inquire into the number and quality of heretics, and then to send an account to Rome. Hence they were termed Inquisitors, and their court the Inquisi

To these dark ages (as they are by some justly termed, and by others, called the night of time) are to be attributed the doctrine of indulgences, partial absolution, transubstantiation, the creation and worship of saints, purgatory, monastic seclusion, &c. So swift was the extinction of knowledge, and its revival so impeded, that persons of the greatest eminence in point of station could scarcely read or write. The clergy themselves, who engrossed what little science was remaining, could scarcely translate the liturgy; and, when ordained, were expressly obliged to affirm, that they could read the Gospels and Epistles, and explain them.

"The REFORMATION was effected in the sixteenth century, by the pious labours and unwearied studies of those bright characters, Erasmus, Luther, Huss, Jerome of Prague, &c. and as it should seem the particular act of Providence to facilitate their labours, and extend their influence, we find but half a century before the days of LUTHER, the art of printing was discovered, and not long before, that of the making of paper.

tion. Its cruelties were indescribable. See Dr. Chandler's History of the Inquisition, which is full of information on the subject. Mr. Butler, the Catholic writer, announcing to his readers the recent abolition of the Inquisition in Spain, adds, in the true spirit of Christianity," So perish every mode of RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION by whom, or against whomsoever raised!"