The Penn's Grove record., 1884-11-01

eHRn a. Is hae been called ever s1nCa
cur occupation, 10 an Inter .sting town,
aud the principal OBJECT OF sttraction is
the 1-d Greek church, which stands 10 =
hale square about forty rods up the
mann street from the wharf. Built Of
wood In the form Of a Greek cross, with
bvz4nrlue dome rising o the centre
er4 a srtrc from the foot Of the cross,
the building bears the appearance Of
having been imported direct from some
cid Russian town. On h large panel on
Ire on. side, corresponding TO the mead ct
iha cross. Is a painting which might
hsve represented either the Angei Ga
briel or David killing Goliath, for the
only figure now discernlble Is that Of a
Young man, and whether It Is a sling or
q trumpet in his hand is a question
which more can answer
But the ~moss-covered exterior eDciOses
q gorgeous interior, for the participants in
the Greek communion believe IN costly
fittings even more than the followers Of
the church Of Rome. The Sunday OF tho
Greek church commences o N Saturday
night. and at 8 O'Clock FIR. Peter Metrop-
olsky, the spiritual ADVISER Of the four re-
naming blue-bloodcd Russians, approaches
the edidce, and, taking from his pocket an
enormous ring OF keys, unlocks the pom
derous paddock, swings bach the old door,
which looks as il il had seen many A battle,
and nngs what bells Of the chime are still
left to summon the faithful 10 prayers.
He then retircs behind the chancel to put
on the holy vestments, while the four real
RussIans two OF ~hnm are descons, and
some thirty Indians, converted TO the
faith, enter the building and kneel down
IN the resr Of the church. The w
descons take their place at the right OF the
cbsncel, and from a large parchment book,
which lies on g beautifully carved %lecturu,
commence to chant the service. The mte-
rior of the church l. very beautiful, all but
the floor, which is Of hard wood, and
PAINTED a violent chrome yellow color.
The walls are 3 dazzling white, relieved
only bv the numerous small paintings ot
scripture scenes, before which hang large
SILVER Caudlest1Cks on each side small
ohapels are partltioned of from the main
room by glass doors. The front of the
room is most g~orgeously decOrated-in the
centre, two heavy doors Of old-fashloDed
gilt, perforated by numerous holes 10 the
form OF stars, enclose the chsncel and
altar, on either side is 8 large ranei hold
ing a painting of some testament scene,
and still farther to the side is a door, on
the orc side opening into the holy Of
holes, on the other into the fathers
private chapel. Over the chsncel hangs a
large painting Of the Last Supper, - par
italy covered, as are all the pictures, by a
silver screen. These silver screens are a
1tr-F-g9fr. u-hafhpr fhau mt On az an
ornament or a protection. even FIR. Me-
~trOpolsky is unable to tell All of the PIC
tura, e1Cep. the faces of the figures, is
covered by a thin sheet OF pure silver,
which stands out from the surface of the
painting about half an inch and represents
the other features Of the picture IN relief.
They ctr.aiuly do not add to the beauty
of the picture, aud one longs to snatch
them of aud see what is underneath, for
not ore of the pictures In the building Is
anything but a masterpiece, most Of them
helng originals In one of the chapels, in
she panel Of a door, IS a Madonna, which
for fine execution and conception has been
]prououncef by competent critics to equal
any Madonna of the old masters. 1t is
destined for the cathedral at Moscow,
when, at no distant day, the Greek church
at Sitks shall be abandoned.
Soon the service is commenced by the
deacons, who chant Almost contlnu )usly
for an hour, broken only by short res
p5uses from the priest, who walks back
ward and forward from the altar 10 the
chancel steps, swinging his censor, and
looking for all the world like a Cossack,
with his keen black eyes, peaked cap, and
long black beard. The menotcnous chant,
sung ia a wsiling tone, keeps on. one OF
the deRcOns occasionally varying the tone
by q sneeze or a cough, and then In 3 MN
ute or two, this other one takes respite
enough 10 fill his nostrlls with snuff, spro-
ceeding which Is often repeated, probably
rendered necessary by the pronounced
nasal tone of th3 chant. At last, when
the listener begins to wonder whether this
anvt Of thing ID lone against time, the
father retlres hehind the chancel doors,
shuts them, draws a heavy purple curtain,
which seems only the signal for half an
hour or 30 more OF religious exercise in the
shape of responsive reading. 1t fairly
makes one tired TO think of the squaws
kueeling on the floor all this time, but
finally his reverence Metropolsky throws
wide open the doors and steps forward
holding alOft an enormous bible, most eie-
gantly bound IN gilt, with medallion port
rats of the saints on the covers. All press
forward to kiss the book, the priest retires
TO the chsncel, only to bring forth IN a
minute the communion cup, which the
faithful are not permitted to touch. The
service Is then over, a service which con-
tslDs no preaching, no exhortation to the
people, and seems to consist solely IN
working the religious feelings of the
people to the point of kissing the holy
book and viewing the cup.