Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-08-11
GlImpses OF the Orient-..No. O.

president from her own citizens. But there was
much OF dssensiop. and in few wears this presi-
dent, Count Capodistria. was assassinated by his
opponents They iustified tbemselves on the
ground that he arroeated TO himself too much
power and that he was betrayinR his country In
himself and his advisers to be largely
under Russian influence. Then the three powers,
England. France and Russia. which achieved and
guaranteed the Independence of Greece. placed
Ohio, Bavariao prince. on the throne. He ruled
till 1862 when his people forced him to abdIcate
and drove him from the kingdom. Bis fondness
for Bayarian servants and counselors divorced
their affections. and bis own unwisdom united
the Greeks against him In tho fo,,owing year
the mowers protectora,e selected another sover-
eisn in the person of Prince George second son
of King Christian Of Denmark and n brother Of
the princess NJ WaIas ue ,a,,,ed n niece NJ
the Fmperor of Russia and bv bis conci,,a,orv
dspositiou. his frankness and good aepse has suc.
ceeded in MANAGING tho Greeks ma voil M anv.
body could Bnt on his accession n UNA stinula-
ted that his Children sbouId be educa,ed in the
Greek church. and this gives Tn the neo,Ie n dis
tant hone of rulers that will share in fulI their
strong bonds of race and religion In reality. the
government Ia an ollparcbv and an excent for the
checks of the king veto and the peopes votes not
unlike that OF ancient Athens. For while the king
can, In some respects exercise more mower than a
republican president OF our own country. he dares
not assume 30 much He chooses his ministers.
but as In England they must be of the dominant
party In the state. II not supported by the votes
OF the Assembly, they resign, giving place to men
who can command such support. The ministry
interpret and, with the aid OF the soldiery, the
only police course of the kingdom, execute the
laws Hence they, now Of one party and now of
another, really govern Greece. What gives the
ministry more unlimited and permanent authority
is the fact that the Parliament of the State COM
prises only one house This consists Of one hun
dred and fifty delegates elected by the people
These elections are to larger extent than in most
countries influenced by the ministry Moreover
the members OF the cabinet have seats in the As
sembly and participate in the debates.
The government is supported by tax Of one
eighth OF all the produce OF the SOIL and also by
special taxes on mines, minerals, exports and i'm
ports. Yet the revenues are not sufficient to meet
the expenses and the interest on the public debt
The army OF twelve thousand men is a heavy
burden for 80 small a state. 1t is needlessy nu-
merous for police service, and yet not large
enough-as no army raised in Greece could be-to
repel invasion Of a considerable foreign force But
within few days the Assembly has passed a bill
for the reduction Of the army and, II the expenses
Of the court, which amount to five times the SAL
airy Of the American President, could be CORE
spondingly reduced, and the foolish ambition OF
the Greeks to possess many ships of war be
dampened, the state might meet It's obligations
and afford something for the much needed public
improvements. Five miles of railway, connect
ing Athens with the Piraus, and two hundred
miles OF carriage road are all the ways of loco
motion in the kingdom superior 10 bride path
In former letter referred briefly to the at
tachment of the Greeks to their own national
church. Their pride + race and blood is their ma
tonal treasure, and the national church IL the
safe in which they endeavor TO preserve this
treasure. A Greek becomes a traitor TO his coun-
try, forsooth, II he deserts the religion Of his an
cestors. Il is sometimes said that there is entire
religious liberty in Greece. But the constitution
contains the following peculiar article: 1.-THE
dominant religion in Greece is that OF the Ortho-
dox Oriental Church All other recognized re-
ligions are tolerated, and the free exercise of
worship Is protected by law. Proselytism and
all other interferences prejudcial to the domin-
ant religion are forbidden" The Interpretation
OF this section has been various under different
ministries. But practically 1t is intended to
be this: people may worship a. they please, but
no Greek can lawfully change his faith, and no.
body should draw him away from his state church.
All education Ia under the supervision of the
state, and schools conducted by missionary organ
izatons and other foreigners are allowed to exist
and receive Greek pupils only on condition that
religious instruction in such schools may be given
by priest or other official or member of the ma
tional church A single exception is made in the
case OF Protestant school for children who all
under the age at which it is prescribed by law
that religious instruction shall be given Under
such restriction missionary work in Greece has
not prospered. Two societies which formerly
had stations in the country have abandoned the
field. Two others still occupy the ground, but
the missionaries hold worship in their own houses,
or in chapels built under the same roof Greeks
are not hindered from attending these services
and one OF these missionaries, the Rev. Mr.. Kali
opothakes- himself a Greek educated in America
has good congregation and an interesting
Bible class, mostly OF Greek young men. II there
were only single Protestant organization doing
Christian work in Greece, it would be still better
| For there is growing interest In Greece in the
study Of the Bible and WEAKNESS Of the formal
ism Of the service OF the Greek church. The spirit
Of the age favors the largest real freedom of con.
science, and the Greeks cannot resist the influence
Of silent public opinion. Moreover most OF the
| Greek priests are quite iterate. Few of them
attempt much preaching. Lawyers and physi-
clans must pass through the gymnasia and uni.
versity, while the priests may have slight train
| ing in the schools Under such circumstances
the priests cannot retain the great influence over
the people which they have had, and the latter
will In time avail themselves Of better opportun.
tiles for religious instruction Yet with the strong
race prejudces, all changes OF this sort are very
slow, and, 80 long as the government keeps all
the schools under its control, missionary labor In
| Greece must be at great disadvantage
The Greek Is unreliable-not always faithful to
his word-artly, because of his natural impul
siveness and hckleness, and partly from his love
OF money. But the Greeks are not an immoral
people. Family ties are as strong as the bonds OF
the race Parents and children are much to
gether. One often sees whole families in clusters
here and there under the shade OF the trees in
Constitution Square in Athens, or meets them ~
he strolls along the streets In the early evening