, 1874-12-06

tho condemnation Of the reform ho had intro
onceo. But tho very Council that had deposcd
the Patriarch excomnunicased tho opponents Of
his reform. The points that divided tho Ras1oi
fiom the Orthodox Church are all exceedingly
childish They aro the sign and form Of the
cross; the direction in which religious process
slons should move, to the east or to the west !;
the reading OF not reading Of one of the articles
OF the Greed; the way Of spelling the name Of
Jssus ; the inscription over the crucix whoth-
er the word aileluid should be repeated twice OF
thrice; and the number OF Eucharstic loaves
which should be consecrated at a time. Or
thodox Russians cross themselves with
three fingers. the Raskolnks mith only
two. The former allow only the croBa
with two beams the latter use ono with
four. there being cross-boam 1t the hoad aud
at the feet OF the figure. The reason assigned
BY the Raskolnik, Tor using only two fingers in
crossing themselves ls that. by so doiug. they
honor the two natures in Christ. The echisnat-
les call themselves Old-Belevers and Old Ritual
lists. They worship the letter. because they say
that the form and substance Of religion arc in
dissolubty connected. To surrender tina one ls
to surrender the other. In every word thoy ind
hidden meaning. Forms are not the mere drnp-
cry Of religion, but it's resy flesh and blood.
Ritual and dogma both come from the founder
OF Christianity Both ara unalterable+ 4 Rus
sian Judge not long since was counseliu8 certain
OF these sectar1es to give up their clandestins
religious ceremonies. They answered him that
they we're the rites Of their forefaihers. that the
Government might send them into exile, but that
they would never surrender the freedom to
worship God as their fathers had worshiced him
before them. At the end OF the seventeenth CEN
tuty Raskolnik writer objected to the Orthodox
priests that they studied 1T that th1ice-cursed
language, Latin" and wondered that they did not
deem it 4 sin deserving eternal damnation to call
God Deus, the Father Pater, or by any other
than the Slavic term Bog. The name of Jesus,
Hssous. derived directly from the Greek. they
rejected because of its ''diabolic form,'' aud
adhered to the popular corruption Lssous.
The origin OF the Ruskol aud the introduction
of foreign influence into Russia conten-
poraneous events; and the Raskolniks have con-
sistently opposed every reform which hns been
made since the time Of Peter tho Great in rle
constitution and manners Of the country, save
the emanc patton OF the serfs. Peter the Great
bowudered the Rdskol11ik. lie changed every
thing. He changed his Church. lis home. the
fashion Of his oresa, the names Of places aud
things, the alphabet, aud the calendar. He made
the year to begin with Jan. instead Of sept. l.
aud dates to be reckoned from tie birth OF
Christ instead Of from the beginning Of tue
world, as had been the custom previously.
BE made the mon shave their boards aud tie
women drop the use Of their wells. Nikoas the
Patriarch aud Pater tho Emperor wera
socsated together In the minds OF the Russians
rs the apostles Of change. Peter introduced the
custom Of registering births aud deaths into
Russia This the Rasko'"tks opposel- God
alone, they said, had the right to take the num-
bar Of his subjects, Is witness the chastlsemeut
inflicted on David. The reign OF tue Gear be-
came henceforth the reign of the Devil, or OF
Anti-Christ. The end Of the world was expect
ed. Peter himself was looked upon H the in
carnation Of the evil one. Tie Book Of Revela-
ton was being enacted in Russia. The name Of
the Beast WAS found in Poter's name.
The RasioL,i1 opposed the Introduction Of
tobacco. tea. aad coffee and sugar. for reAsoua
analogous to those for which he opposed al
other novelties. There we're those who would not
walk over paved streets, because they were an
innovation and an invention Of the Devil. When .
the potato made its appearance il Russia.
Raskolnn counseled that it should not be used,
because it was the frui; by meana OF which Satan
had seduced the woman in Eden In view OF
the changes nt1oducel by Peter the droat
new decaloeue became necessary, and the Raskot
published It Thou shalt not shave thy face;
thou shalt smoke no tobacco nor any
other woed: thou shalt put no sugar
in .uy OF thy food, etc. Such were
tho new commandments. Raskolnik
and member OF tho Orthodox Church were
drinking together. TIE latter lighted cigar,
40 the hellish poison !" exclaimed, the Raskol
nix land what about brandy 2"' asked the
true believer. FiAo, for 10 brandy is called
in Rusoiau,-aus rered the hereto, " was appre-
cia:ed or our grandfather NOAH" AL tho Greek
could do WAS to assure tho Rdskoln1k that there
WAS no evidence that Noah did not smoke. An
appeal to antiquity vas the highest that either
knew OF. The Raskotn,k cher1shcs bis beard
The beardless face hns been called the lbortine
face ITO shave the beard is to disdg-
ure Gods image, in which man waa
made" Man ras created with = beard,
says the Rasholnik. No, answers lis orthodox
opponent, the beard grew after the FALL and hence
in the years Of innocence-that is, in youth
man has no beard. 4 beard and the trans
gression of the law came to him at the same
time. The Raskolniks do not recognize the
Emperor as sovereign since he changed the
title OF his dignity from Car to Inperator,
wears mustache, and carries ! sword like =
common General.
The Raskols have no clergy. They would &C.
cept no priest ordained in Church which they
condemned, and conld devise no means to inau-
gurate new priesthood. Hence they have no
sacraments. not even marriage. Hence
immortality Of the most degraded kind.
And they are satisfied to remain in this condition.
for the reason that they expect the end OF tbs
world at an early day, and do not think 1t worth
while to increase and multiply when it ia SO near.
The earth they look upon handed over to the
Prince Of Perdition, and they not unfrequently |
end their existence here By murder or suicide to
escape from it. Fire alone, they claim, can puri
fy this polluted world; and hundreds Of these
sectaries have been known to cast themselves !
at once into the flames, and expire in |
he Get Of offering up prayers and sing |
ng hymns. Some OF them believe that |
Christ has already reappea1ed in the world.
Other adore NAPOLEON the Crest rs their re- |