The new North-west., 1888-04-06

THE GREEK CHURCH.
RUSSIA WILL SOON CELEBRATE
AN IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY.
This Year Is the 000th Of Rassia's Chris
tinnity-History and Significance OF the
Difference Between the Roman and
the Greek Churches.
G~ USSIA is making
: {; : ! !; ! ! !
W great preparations
III to celebrate the
INK 9O0th anniversary
II N of the national
RAll "a adoption Of Chris
E3M}t Y tianity, that is, the
] ! | | ! | J
hI baptism of King
vladimir and most
of his court in 988.
The ceremonies
NJ will DO strangely
VII |1A IN mi xe d-commer-
t43 IN cial, political, SO
II5E IN cial and religious.
vtfl ~ The occasion will
M"w.." ~ be sort of exposi-
a Wkl q ton Of the nations
2MyMlxII growth, q celebra-
ton Of its political
progress and fes-
tiyal Of the churches. In short, it is about
what combination Of st. Patrick's day and
the Fourth of July, Christmas, Feb. % and
the anniversary Of the Pilgrim FATHERS
would be in America
OF course the Greek Catholic church is
that established by law in Russia, but there
has been such rapid growth in liberalism
since 1900 that all sects enjoy equal tolera-
ton, and an official finds his religion or non
religion no bar to his advancement. Only
little more than half the people of the en-
pire are Greek Christians 81, GOO ,OOO-
and all other forms Of Christianity and
many of heathenism have their organiza-
tions In traversing the country one may
see the affairs of Shamanism, the temples of
Buddha, the mosques of Mohammedanism and
the synagogues Of Israel; and in the cities
one will pass on a single avenue the Greek,
Armenian, Catholic and Episcopal churches.
But all these are but few of the sects. There
are the Starioversty c'Old Believers); the
Puritans, who refuse all ceremonies not
found in the early church, and do not use to-
bacco or whisky; the United Greeks, who
want their church to join with the Episcopal
church of England, and others; one sect sac
riices child occasionally; another makes a
burned Offering Of devotees, and in still an
other the men emasculate themselves to in
sure purity. The government of course en-
deavors to suppress these last, but that only
increases their fanaticism. A few years ago
there were 10000 Mennonites in the southern
provinces, but they have chiefly emigrated
to the United States and Canada. The ma
- - aud
bration Of this year may best be understood
by a brief review Of the history Of Russia
and the Greek Catholic church.
In early Greek history all the region north
of the Danube was Scythia; later, the Ro-
mans called it Sarmatia, and the people on
the Don were called the Roxolani In the
Fifth century all the barbarians of the north,
from China to the Baltic, were in movement;
Asia precipitated itself on Europe, and tho
Huns, Avars and Bulgarians drove other
races before them upon the Roman empire.
After these came the Slavs and Tartars,
driving the Teutonic and Finnish races be-
fore them; and, after two cenuries of war
and commotion, the Varangians got the up
per hand, and in 1862 their king, Rurik, set
up his government at Novgorod, which is
considered the beginning of Russia In 945-
N2 the: regent, Olga, ruled the Varangians
during the minority Of her son, and allowed
the Greeks to preach Christianity in her do
minions. She became Christian, but her
son remained Pagan; his three sons set up
frightful civil war, and in $50 Vladimir,
after conquering and killing his brother, be-
came lord Of the Varangians, He conquered
Lthuania and Livonia, Red Russia and the
little Finnish and Tchudic bands, and became
"Wladimir the Great" While Pagan he
desired to marry the sister of the Greek en-
peror at Constantinople; SO he was baptized
a Christian Oh his wedding day, and nearly
all the mobiles followed his example. How
ever, if the reader sees in this any likeness to
the way England became Protestant under
Henry VIII, or Rome Christian under Con-
stantine, he must do it at bis own risk