The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-23

| Christianity In R.ssia-The state Church
und the Disscnsers.
The address which has within the last few
days been presented to the Gear of all the
Russas, signed by several distinguished
American gentlemen, members of the Evan
| gelical Alliance, has had the effect of calling
attention to subject which is but little under
stood out of Russia, and with which even the
Russians themselves are imperfectly &C.
quainted. Some twenty years ago the Ger
man Baron Hanthausen could say, writing of
the sects in the Russian Church :-"Even l
can in no way lay claim to being able to
afford anything like exhaustive information
on the subject, yet, after all, l know more
about it than other strangers, and more even
than the majority Of Russians, officials and
magistrates not excepted" Unless we greatly
mistake, the time has come when this eccle-
siastical terra i,scOgnitG shall be more tho
roughly explored One of the latest attempts
is that of Mr.. Hepworth Dixon but his "Free
| Russia, although q most readable and highly
interesting work, cannot be said to have
shed any very satisfactory light on the
many mysterious aspects Of Christianity
in the Russian empire. AS the subject
has been brought up through the action of the
Evangelical Alliance, and as it is likely at no
distant day to become of general public
interest, we propose to give our readers brief
sketch of the Church as it is In Russia, includ-
ing the Orthodox OF State Church and the
various sectarian bodies.
The conversion of the Russian tribes to
Christianity dates as far back as the year of
our Lord $780, According to the historian
Nestor there came about this time to Vladimir,
the then ruler, certain Bulgarian Mussulmans
from the Volga "Wise and prudent prince"
they said, ''thou knowest neither law nor
religion. Believe in ours, and honor Ma
homet" In what does your religion con-
sist ?" asked Vladimir. ''We believe in God,
they replied, Shut we believe also in what the
Prophet teaches. Be circumcised, abstain
from pork, drink no wine, and after death
choose out of seventy wives the most beauti-
full" Vladimir listened to them for the last
reason; but that which he did not like was
circumcision, abstinence, and, above all, the
prohibition of drinking drinking is the
great delight of the Russians" he said;
1--WE cannot do without it," Next came
the representatives of Western Christianity.
''The Pope" they said ''begs us to tell you
that your country is like ours, but not your
religion. Ours is the right We fear God,
who made the heaven and the earth, the stars
and the moon, and every living creature,
while thy gods are Of wood" ''What does
your law commando" asked Vladimir. ''We
fast" they said, ''to the best of our ability,
and when any one eats or drinks he does it to
the honor of God, as we have been told by our
master, st. Paul" ''Go home," said Vladi-
mir ''Our fathers did not believe in your
religion, nor receive it from the Pope" In
like manner came to him some Jews. But
them he summarily dismissed. ''What," said
said he, ''you wish to teach others; you,
whom God has rejected and dispersed. If
God had loved you He would not have scat
tered you abroad. Do you wish us to suffer
the same?" The next visitor was 'Greek
philosopher" Vladimir listened to him as he
poured contempt on the Jews, on the Moham-
medans, and on the emissaries from Rome,
and told the story of the Cross; and as the
philosopher held up to him tablet on which
was painted scene of the last judgment, ex-
hibiting the just entering paradise and the
wicked going into hell, Vladimir heaved
sigh and exclaimed, "Happy are those who
are on the right; woe to the sinners who are on
the left." eff you wish, said the philosopher,
ia ;,,c< ,vh 4 til
must consent to be baptized" Vladimir re-
flected and answered, 81 will wait yet lit
tie WHILE" Next year he sent number of
his wise men to Constantinople to see and
report All that could be done in the magni-
ficent temple of st. Sophia to fill the imagina-
ton of the Russian ENJOYS was done and not
without success. The report was satisfactory,
but Vladimir still delayed. Having laid
siege to the city Of Cherson, he vowed that If
he succeeded he would be baptized. Cherson
fell, and having obtained in marriage the
sister of the Emperor Basil, Vladimir fulfilled
his VOW. Shortly afterwards, at Kieff, he or
dered great baptism of all his people. The
whole people of Kief were immersed in the
same river, some sitting on the banks, some
plunging in, others swimming, while the
priests read the prayers cit was sight,"
says the historian, wonderfully curious and
beautiful to see." The spot was consecrated
by the first Christian church; and Kieff,
although it ultimately yielded in Importance
to Moscow, remains sacred city to this day
Such was the Introduction Of Christianity into
Russia.
It is not possible for US to dwell at any
length on the subsequent history and progress
of the Church in Russia. 1t would be inter-
esting to follow it from Kieff to the banks
of the Moskova, and there to lnger In the