Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-01-11


late emperor, soon after coming to the
throne, issued a ukase suppressing all
Bible societies, and prohibiting the circu-
lation af the Scriptures in any part of his
kingdom.
Peter the Great was just on the point
of laying his ban upon all monasticism in
the Russo-Greek Church, but for some
cause, did not do this, though he guarded
it with some most wholesome restraints.
Thus, no man can enter monastery un-
til fifty years of age. A married man
cannot enter convent without his wife
agrees to enter with him, nor at all, if
there are any children under age. No
female can enter convert before she is
forty years of age.
The Empress Catherine U. confscated
all the landed property she Russo
: Greek Church, and assigned regular sal
aries to the ecclesiastics, and stipends to
: the monasteries and converts. The sum
: thus paid by the government is not large,
: but the deficiency is amply compensated
: by the influence of the clergy in extract
ing voluntary contributions. 1t is related
that, on one occasion, the Emperor Alex
: ander expressed his astonishment to one
r of the dignitaries of the Church at the
: immense suri1s Of money the clergy had
2 at their disposal. The prelate, without
i, making any other reply, led the emperor
to window, and pointed to the entrance
of much-frequented place of dev6tion
: near by, where each worshipper, as he
e entered, could be seen dropping into a
r box piece of money. Besides, the priests
are most wicked extortioners. ''No one,
d says Ricaut, ''can procure absolution, be
3 admitted to confession, have his children
4 baptized, be married or divorced, or OBJ
: tain an excommunication against his en-
! emy, without first paying to the priests a
i valuable consideration. They make for
f themselves the best market they can, and
> fix a price on their spiritual commodities
in proportion to the devotion and ability
q of their respective customers
= Afterwhat has been said with reference
s to the priesthood, if there is any force ii
/ the old proverb, "Like priest, like peo
h pIe," the condition of the laity of the
is Greek Church can easily be guessed at
' Having said thus much as to the pas
y and present of the Russo-Greek Church
Of and having no intention to speculate OF
IS its probable future, we can only express
P the belief (Which is probably the child o
u the wish) that it will gain the ascendency
over those now resisting its power, and
Ct having driven out from tie Leyant Ma
le hommedanism and Romanism, will itsel
r eventually be superseded by pure Prot
he estant Christianity.
5. A celebrated Englishman, writing re
e, Gently in one of the British Reviews, affe
e stating as the cause of the Crimean wa
ne the emperor's (of Russia) claim to pro
Is, tectorate over the twelve millions of Gree
Christians in the Turkish dominions, an
u declaring that France could not allow hi
al claim, because it might interfere with he
of protectorate over two millions of Roma
th Catholics who are Turkish subject
he writes as follcws-by way, we suppos'
is, of justifying the course of England in er
sir tering the (un) "Holy Alliance :'-'Th
ng dangers to which the liberties Of mankin
nd are exposed by the progress of the polit
la co-religious power of Russia are very 81
on rious indeed, and far greater than tho:
in with which civilization is threatened /
ed the politico-religious power of Rome" .
But this is the Inference of one ready
ith say harsh things about everything Ru
the sian, and it will be hard, we think, to co
Iod vince Americans that il is true. And
me will not be hard, we think, for them
decide which is likely to stand most
ces the way of universal civil and religio
ON liberty-the Russo Greek Church, wi
Ter all her present superstition and degrad
the ton, but a0itto,h a pretended infallit
1t head, Withom auricular confession, aoii
less out cursed and cursing system of m
ties nasticism, acithOut a claim to be the on
and true Church, and the right to punish he
ict- e.ics, or the Romish Church, soiM
the these, and aoih her Jesuital system, b
was immense revenues and church establis
un- ments, and all her abominable men
'ouI slavery.
ned
tion WOMEN SHOULD LEARN TO Swl
the -LIoyfs 70 thcoming "Steamboat
339, rectory" gives thrilling instance Of