Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

favour ? This is the problem. Is it the property of the Greek religion to remain thus stationary, contenting itself with external marks of respect ? Is such a result inevitable whenever the spiritual power falls into absolute dependence upon the temporal? I believe so: but this is what I could have wished to be able to prove by means of facts and documents. However I will, in a few words, give the resiút of my observations on the relations between the Russian clergy and people.

I have seen in Russia a Christian church, which no one attacks, which every one, in appearance at least, respects — a church which every thing favours in the exercise of its moral authority; and yet this church has no influence over the heart; it makes no other than hypocritical or superstitious votaries.

In a land where religion is not respected, it is not responsible: but here, where all the influence of absolute power aids the priest in the accomplishment of 'his work, where doctrine is not attacked either in print or in discourse, where religious practices have, so to speak, become a law of the state, where the customs of the people, which among us oppose faith, serve its cause, the church may be reasonably reproached for its sterility. That church is lifeless; and yet, to judge by what passes in Poland, it can persecute, though it has not the high virtues and talents that might enable it to proselyte : in short, the Russian church, like every thing else in the country, wants that spirit of liberty without which the light of life goes out.

Occidental Europe is not aware of the degree of religious intolerance that enters into Russian policy.