The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-09-12
Relipion in Russia.

a People tnut Irnya
Day and night, from the cradle to
the grave the Russian lives, ns II were,
before the eyes of God. Even IN
his common affairs he shows before all
else the deep respect which lac has for
the divine law. One meat is permitted
him, the other forbidden. When he
rises from his bed prayer hovers on
his lips when he sits down 10 rest
blessing fills his heart. When he buys
or sells, eats or drinks, always he re-
M mbers that Holicr than himself is
present. One enters Russian cabin,
and one finds chapel. Every room IN
the dwelling is.hallowcd for in ench is
found sacred image, an altar, and
d" house-god." " The inmate always en-
ters with reverence on the Threshold
he pauses, uucoycrs his head, crosses
himself, and utters some holy sentence.
The SIaudbOgU" (worship OF Cod
continually trembles on his lips. Cen
orally ne has more respect than we for
things supposed sacred. Day and night
he thinks Of his guardian angel aud
paws much money to the church Tor IN
tercession which is 10 be sent up TO his
guardian angel in his name.
The birth Of a child is not looked ON
as correct until il is blessed by the
priest and made ga servant OF God
And as the child begins 80 IL continues
it's life The cross, which II receives NJ
baptism and wears from the cradle 10
the grave, is but a token. But the
"religion itself follows him TO the
playground, 60 the school, 10 the daily
employments each affair IN life must
begin with a prayer and end with
blessing. Every new house which
man enters, every shutter Of which he
opens, must first be blessed. He who
removes from one house TO another
must purify the latter by "A religious
festival. The priest accompanied by
his sexton visits every house I'm his
parish ten or twelve times in the year
he then sprinkles all the rooms with
holy water, purifics them with prayers,
and blesses them with the sign OF the
cross. Each child i'm baptism takes
the name of his guardian angel, and
can never change il. A wealthy peasant
was accused Of having fnlsihed his
name: he answered that such n pro-
ceeding would he for him impossible
for how could he change his name when
by so doing he would lose his guardian
angel No he had only changed the
name OF MS DlIlH- -Ilhtfs n ~ "'.'N
whether this earnest outward worship
going through the whole life, this con
tinual proximity 10 holy things and the
sight of holy images, this unbroken
murmur of prayers, promote among the
Greek Christians of this polar region
MANY so-called Christian virtues to-
wards their neighbors and towards other
nations? The answer is BY no means
The familiar relations with all these
sacred things instills into the orthodox
Greek the notion that forgiveness Of an
error is very easily obtained; he needs
only 10 go into the corner of the room,
and bow a few times before the holy
image hanging there and cross himself
and the thing is settled But If this
kind Of supposed religion endues the
people with no moral, noble strength,
vet IL gives the whole nation a mon
strous power in this respect, that every
offensive war against the holy Russia is
forthwith looked upon as a religious
war, and one and all will battle
with fanatic rage for church, emperor,
and fatherland. .-Hcdrth aud Home.