Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-05-12

kneel, others throw themselves proStru'e
upon the pavement and kiss the stones
others, again, bend themselves almost
double, till their foreheads touch the
ground near their feet. But the obeisance,
however low II may be, lasts only for few
seconds, and, seen from little distance,
the crowd looks like field of heavy corn
under strong wind, in which, though ev-
cry stalk is bowed from time to time be-
meath the breeze, the mass Of stalks still
stands upright. The men are as decent 10
outward semblauce as The women, and in
all the churches entered the men, contra
ry to our Western practice, were largely in
the majority.
And now, bearing in mind always the
constant genuflexlons and crossings, the
never-ending chanting, the SAVIOUR OF in-
cense waited throughout the church, let
me try aud tell, as best could follow it
how the service was performed on this
Sunday morning. First Of all, then, the
priest, attired in robes OF stiff gilt brocade,
with the long hair hanging about his shoul-
defs, advanced 10 the altar, placed over his
shoulders the Epitrachelior, supposed TO
symbolic the grace Of the Holy Ghost, and
filled the incense vessel with the sacred
herbs, and uttered the following prayer;
TO Thee, o Christ, our Lord, we offer up
incense as spiritual SAVIOUR; raise it 10
thy altar in heaven, and send down upon
us the grace of thy Holy Spirit Then
taking his place before the altar the priest
made the sign and sung forth, GLORY be to
God now and foreI er, from everlasting TO
everlasting
At this stage the curtains which shroud-
ed the gates leading TO the high altar were
thrown back, the priest walked round the
shrine, swinging the incense as he walked,
and the acolyte chanled forth, Come and
kneel before God our Lord, come and
kneel and fall down before Christ our God
and King, come aud PROSTATE yourselves
before Christ Himself, our Sovereign
Lord Throughout the church there was
a rustic as man, voman, and child bowed
themselves 10 the ground, and then the
choir burst forth with the Nineteenth
Psalm, ending with the Doxology. There
was moments pause, aud then the priest
intoned the Trisagion, chant having this
name from its being repeated thrice in the
same words. II runs thus: % Holy Lord,
Holy Saviour, Holy Everlasting, have
mercy upon us! Glory 10 the Father, The
Son, and the Holy Ghost, now and forever,
from everlasting TO everlasting. Amen!
All Holy Trinity, have mercy upon us /;
purify us o Lord, from our sins; forgive
us, Lord, cur transgressions seek out our
shortcomings, Holy God, and heal them,
for thy mercy's sake, Lord have mercy !
Then agaia came the DOxolOgy and the
Lords Prayer, and when the priest had
pronounced the blessing the deacon reader
sang forth the lesson. Again there were
crossings and kncelings amid the crowd,
and once more the priest lifted up his voice
in the following prayer: Lord, save thy
people and bless thine inheritance. Grant
victory to our pious rulers over their op-
pononts, and protect Thy chosen people
with Thy cross. Glory TO the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost. o Christ, Thou
who placed Thyself upon the cross of Thy
own will. our Lord and God, send down
Thy mercy upon this flock OF Thine, called
after Thee; rejoice our pious rulers with
| Thy might; grant them victory over their
enemies, so that they may have Thy aid,
the weapons Of peace and unassalable glo-
ry in battle. Now and forever, from ever
lasting 10 everlasting. Amen. o Thou,
the Mother of God, only to he addressed
with awe and with guleless approach, do
not despise our prayer. Strengthen the
communion of the faithful, uphold the
pious rulers whom Thou hast called 10
rule. Grant Thou victory from Heaven,
Thou blessed among women, inasmuch as
Thou hast begotten God
These prayers viii probably suffice tC
show the general character of the service
To repeat them all would require more
space than l could ask, and the repetitlons
in the ritual are almost endless. The eli
max in the service, if may use the word
consists in the throwing open of the gates
leading to the Holy of HOLES, when thC
Holy Scriptures are carried down from the
high altar, and the sacred chalice is hand
ed to the priest. But as an ecclesiastical
spectacle, the service is wanting in any
eliminating point. The congregation take'
as little part therein as in Catholic church
and yet the priests have IL OF that air of com
mand which in the churches of the LatiI
faith appears TO absorb the attention of thu
worshippers. Sermon there is none, ant
the whole service reminds you OF the pray
ers in a Mahommedan mosque without tht
appearance of rapt devotion on the part o
the worshippers which, 10 my mind, ren
ders the service of the Moslem the grand
est in outward semblance of all the iorm
in which men meet TO worship God."-
Russian Cor London Telegraph.