Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1843-12-05
- a Year, in advance
From NE y. y. ETpress.
Flying visits Abroad.
THE KREuLIN-rHE GREEK CHURCH, &c.
Moscow. July. 1913.

Moscow. July. 1913.
The krcmin Is the great attraction Of
Moscow, Is well for the stranger a for the
Russians. but before | say aught of the
buildings in thi. sacred enclosure, a word or
two OF the prevailing religion of the country
may not BE- without interest. Little DO those
who have not seen dream OF the ccrcmonials
in the Greek Church. and must conlc-s my
utter ignorance of It, detail, until had visit
cd whole score of churches here and ut -.
Petersburg. The origin OF the Greek Church
in Russia Is one Of the greatest novelties up
on record. 4 valiant heather of great gen
ius and powcr-no less m1n than the En-
pcror Vladimir I.-allcd himself by mar
riape TO the widow OF hs murdered brother,
a Greek LADY, eminent for her beauty and he
roi,m. What effect this union had upon the
faith of Vladimir Is not known, but certain 1T
i that not long after. with all the zeal OF a
devout believer. he made preparations to re-
turn thanks TO the gods for his success III
arms. The temples Of the divnitlcs were
porgcou,ly enriched, and splendid memorials
of devotion everywhere exhibited. Inc
news of the magnihccncc OF the display
growing out of this new born enthusiasm, OK
tended far and wide into all lands. All crceds
seemed ambitious to have friend in 20 ex-
travagant a dcyotce, and ambassadors and
deputies, therefore, came from the East and
the West. each tcstiiying that that they came
from the one and only true Church. Bulga-
ria sent a disciple OF the Mahomctan faith,
but Mahomcdanism was pronounced too much
to subicct it votaries to self control, Particu-
larly i'm prohibiting the use Of wine. The
laws of Moses were promulgated by devout
Jews. but Julaism was rejected because the
q - Il
the Jews were wanderers upon the face OF
the earth. In Catholicism. VI: dimir found a
stumbling block iii the higher attributes OF
the Pop. Tac Latin churches were shun-
ned Tor the poverty of temples. and the Ma
nichean philosophy for Is cold distractions
The Greek Ritual, however, was represent
cd and read by a Greek philosopher. and the
philosopher alone of nil these religion, am
bassadorS found favor in the eyes of the En-
pcror The one impression OF moment has
given religious faith 10 an empire for cen
turtles The barbarian of to-day. surround
ed bv costly memorials and embellishments
for his heather dcitics, is changed to the head
of the Greek Church. To make strong the
good impression he had received or otherwise
abandon i. altogether, Vladimir institutes a
commission of ten learned men to go into
the world TO investigate the forms and tenet:
of all thoss embracing different crecds and,
like master, like man. the learned commits
sion decid. I'm favor of the Greek Church.
The mnarcts of st. Sophia in Constantine
plc eclipse all the glory OF those whose faith
was of the heart merely, or those who be-
Ecvcd in the rigid simplicity and purity o
the principles of the Church. The gold o
the temple was more potent than the temple
itself, and from the missiOr'to st. Sophia, the
commissioners returned TO impart new ant
enthusiastic faith to the first impressions o
the monarch. Vladimir was now douhly q
Greek in religion, but how to be baptI'cd
was Il puzzle to prou ciici who trusted
only in the ccrcmonial> OF religion. lher'
were none but poor priests IN ms commons
and baptism was nothing unless the hlghcsi
dignity of the church performed the Office
Basil and Constantine were the Greek cmpc
rors. but Vladimir was too proud To ask thu
archbishops of Greece to perform the office
of BAPTISM. and the better to effect his one
great purpose OF becoming Christian. hC
made war upon the empires containing the
chief bishops OF the Church whose faith hc
was so ambitious To embrace. The end sane
tilicd the means. and nothing dauntcd. the
enthusiast presented himself at the head of
powcrirl army under the walls of kal. ii
The Crimca. and there put up this PRAYER e
his new God III God. grant me thy help e
take this town. that | may carry from i
Christians and priest, To instruct me and m,
people and to convey the true religion int
INV dominions :" \ six months siege. ut Al
immense los, of life. found the prayer OF Via
dimir unanswered. but the trcachcry of ;
priest who shot a letter on the head of IN ar
row from the ramParts of tho town to the
Russian camp. betrayed way in which the
besicpcd must either surrender or die o
thirst Thus the door was opened to Cnmea
The longed-for but bloody baptism followed
and the union with the Church was mad
doubly strong by the union of Vladimir witt
n Princess who was sister to the Byzantin
cmperors. Marriage and baptism were tn
occurrences of one dav. and he who but yes
tcrdav was battcring down the gates of tn
Chcrsoncse had now surrendered the fruits O
his conqucsts and become. rs he thought.
good disciple. The faith OF the emperor wa
soon destined TO become the faith of his sub
iects. Idols were stripped of their splcndi
memorials and thrown iato tho dust. Som
of the images. ii is mentioned. when Stripe
were soundly cudgcllcd BY dozen stout so
diers-the wooden god was then tied to Tn
tail of horse. dragged up steep hill tina
overlooked the Dnicpcr. and then amid'
shouts and groans they were hurled into tn
river rs if they themselves had been guilt
of some diabolical heresy. All the woode
gods were treated in the same unccremon
Gus manner bv the mad-cap Emperor. an
not one idol was left. The inhabitants
Kicf, the then capital OF the empire. wer
commanded TO assemble themselves at one
Il