Morning journal and courier., 1893-05-12
RUssIA,S STATE CHURCH.
The Greek Denomination Of the Chris
 tan Church-IJs DogMas and Ordi-

tian Church-IJs DogMas and Ordi- nances.
 IFrom the Philadelphia Press-l The Honorable Charles Emory Smith, e1-minister to Russia, delivered an address yesterday afternoon at the Grace Baptist temple, Broad and Berks streets, on the State church of Russis" MT. Smith first gave brief sketch of the history of the Greek church and Its separation from the Roman Catholic church.
 'I come not to discuss or anslyze the Russian Greek church," said he, "but to say something about the results of my per sopal observation of some features. The Greek church is that part of the great Christian body which recognizes only the authority to tho first seven Ecumenical councils. Originally 1t was united with the Roman church. Differences began to spring up ss early ss the fifth century, but the schisms was not fully completed till the eleventh century. The Greek church is practically federation of churches with out any centre of authority. There is no pope in the Greek church, but there are Patriarch's of Constsntinople, Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, the chief pre- late being known as the Metropolitan. .'The Russian Greek church embraces nearly 75, ,000, ,000 sdherents, more than the entire population of the United States. | The Emperor of Russia Is the head of the | church, but he has no more to do with its doctrines than the king of Italy or the em- peror of Austria has with the doctrines of the Roman church. The emperor is des- cribed as the defender of the faith. As far | as the appointive power goes, he Is the complete head of the hierarchy, and the
 Holy Synod is made up of his sppointees "The Greek church agrees with the Ro- man church in various dogmss They have | the game vererstion for the Virgin and | mass. They recognize the sacrsments and pay attention to fasting. But there are marked distinctions The Greek church | denies the primscy and spiritual supremacy | of the popes. It recognizes no human in | fallibility except on the part of the Ecum- enical council It maintains that the Holy | Spirit proceeds from the Father, not from the Son; rejects the doctrine of purgatory, | though it recognizes the intercession of the | saints,
 "The church has what Is termed a white clergy and black clergy. The latter are
 monks. They are celibates. But the white clergy are required to marry The white | clergy preponderate. It Is from the black clergy that all the high prelates are chosen. | The white clergy are not allowed to exer-
 else any choics as to their wives. The se-
 lection is made by Bishop, who chooses
 the widow or daughter of another priest. All the priests sops must become priests,
 and the only possible method of escape is
 by entering the army.
 "The Greek church does not have i'm ages, but rather the representation of the
 Saviour, the Madonna, and the saints up-
 on surfaces. These representation are called
 ikons, and those in the ediioes are besuti-
 ful and very valuable, being studded often
 with precious stones. In every house and
 in every shop is as ikon, and when one en.
 ters the door he must take of his hat in
 respect for the ikon.
 GAS to the character of the worship; one
 never hears @ sermon. I never heard but
 one hierarch deliver a discourse, and that
 was on an anniversary. The services con
 sist of mass and music. Sometimes the
 music is very mcnotonous. but then it will
 become most entertaining and ravishfng,
 the grandest melodies and the sweetest
 voices that ever heard. Women do not
 take part All the singing Is by men and
 toys. The boys who have the sweetest
 voices are selected for the priesthood sud
 their voices are trained during their whole
 life. There Is no instrumental music"