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dignities of the Russian church are exclusively vested in them.

The secular priests are called Beloe Duhovenstvo, or the White Clergy, and consist of Protoirès, or, as they were formerly called, Protopopes, Priests, and Deacons, together with the Readers and Sacristans. According to the statement published by the Holy Synod in 1805, the number of Protoirès, Priests, and Deacons, in actual employ, was 44,487; and of Readers and Sacristans, 54,239; in all, 98,726.

The Protoires, Priests, and Deacons, must all have been educated in the spiritual schools, and must be married before they can be ordained to these offices; but are restricted from marrying widows. The death of their wives, however, does not now prevent them, as formerly, from officiating as priests, though they are not allowed to marry a second time. But they are at liberty to enter into the order of the Black Clergy, by becoming monks; and thus the way is open before them to the first dignities of the Russian church. Those, again, who desire to marry a second time, must first resign their office in the priesthood, and are for ever excluded from that order.

From what has already been mentioned, re

* Προτοιερείς,

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specting the education of the clergy, it naturally follows, that the state of learning amongst the secular priests must have undergone a great change for the better since the beginning of the last century. The judicious measures employed by Peter the Great and his illustrious successors, to procure to the clergy a regular education, and to dispel the ignorance and superstition in which every class of their subjects was involved, together with the vigilant and strenuous exertions of the present government in promoting civilization and the interests of religion, have already greatly ameliorated the general state of knowledge and manners among. the higher ranks of society, and likewise a mong the clergy, and must ultimately be productive of the most salutary consequences to the lower orders of the people.

The duties of a secular priest in Russia are peculiarly laborious. The service of the church, which must regularly be performed three times a-day, and which, from its excessive length, is evidently of monastic origin, and only adapted for such as are entirely withdrawn from the world, together with the numerous and complicated ceremonies attending the administration of baptism, marriage, burial of the dead, visiting of the sick, &c. occupy the greater part of his

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time, and leave him but little leisure for study. To this cause, in part, I am disposed to attribute that want of zeal and activity in advancing the true interests of religion and morality, which, in general, forms such a conspicuous feature in the character of the Russian clergy. Perhaps their being, as it were, a distinct tribe, tends also greatly to produce this general characteristic; for, since the time of Peter the Great, who, in order to reform the irregularities which then existed among the clergy, ordered them all to be registered, and obliged them to send their sons to the spiritual schools, to receive a suitable education for the ministry, none have been admitted to the offices of secular priests, but the sons of the clergy. Hence, many thousands of these men have entered into the priestly order, not from choice, but from necessity. It is but justice, however, to add, that many of the secular priests are learned and worthy characters,

* Comparatively few publications, either of a moral or religious kind, come from the pens of the clergy; and, as for religious magazines or journals, those invaluable channels of general instruction, which have tended more, perhaps, of late years, to promote the interests of religion and morality in Great Britain, than any other kind of publications, they are as yet but little known in Russia. A Religious Magazine was some years ago published in St Petersburg, but was suppressed, in consequence of being injudiciously conducted.

who diligently perform the duties of their office, and spend their days in promoting the spiritual interests of the flocks committed to their charge. Nor is it unworthy of remark, that the Russians of all ranks are in general void of that persecuting rancour against other religious persuasions, which is so characteristic of Roman Catholics; and, though they adhere strictly to the doctrines and ceremonies of their own church, yet not only the laity, but even the clergy, are far from thinking that there is no salvation without her pale.

In most of the churches now, both in towns and villages, a sermon is preached every Sunday, and on the chief holidays. Some of these discourses, which I have heard in different parts of the empire, for sound reasoning and clear views of the leading doctrines of the Gospel, might have done honour to a British clergyman. In some of the churches, I have also heard the priest read a homily from a printed book, a practice which is not unfrequent in the country, particularly in large congregations, where the duties of a priest leave him but little time for study.

Among the peculiar privileges of the clergy, may be mentioned their complete exemption from all civil taxes. They are also exempted from corporal punishment, even in the case of committing capital crimes: and, according to an

Ukaz of 1801, they are permitted to hold lands. The greater part of their support is derived from the free-will offerings of their parishioners, and their revenues are comparatively small. With the view of adding to their respectability, and exciting them to diligence in their sacred calling, the Emperor Paul began to bestow upon the superior clergy the orders of knighthood; and, in 1797, he appointed golden crosses to be made for the secular priests, to be worn suspended from their necks, together with mitres like those of the Archimandrites, and other marks of distinction in dress. These he bestowed on such of them as distinguished themselves in their holy calling.

This Emperor, also, in order that the country clergy might have more time to attend to their spiritual duties, commanded that their fields should be cultivated by the peasants belonging to their respective parishes; a regulation, however, which has since been laid aside.

3. The whole Russian empire is divided into thirty-six dioceses or eparchies, which, in extent, are nearly the same with the divisions of the empire into provinces or governments. In these, there are 483 cathedrals, and 26,598 churches,

* In Russia, the rage for building churches and monaste

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