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

XAUTHOR'S PREFACE,

Suppose — for is not every thing possible to God? — suppose that the human race shall wish to become sincerely Christian, will they in that case seek for Christianity in a book ? Xo, they will apply to men who can explain that book. There must, then, always be an authority, even among the preachers of independence; and the authority which is chosen arbitrarily is not likely to equal that established for eighteen hundred centuries.

Will any believe that the Emperor of Russia is a better visible head of the church than the Bishop of Rome ? The Russians have to believe so: but can they ? Such is, however, the religious truth which they now preach to the Poles !

Would you, piquing yourself on consistency, obstinately reject all other authority but that of individual reason ? This would be to perpetuate the war; because the government of reason nourishes pride, and pride engenders division, Alas I Christians little know the Treasure they voluntarily deprived themselves of when they took it into their heads, that people might have national churches I If all the churches in the world had become national, that is-Protcstant or schismatic, there woukl not now be any Christianity; there would be nothing but systems of theology subjected to human policy, which would modify them at its will, according to circumstances and localities.

To sum up : I am a Christian, because the destinies of man are not accomplished upon earth : I am a Catholic, because out of the Catholic churchy Christianity becomes diluted and perishes.

After having surveyed the greater part of the