Russian Worship And Churches

The following fací f, whicfe we extract froiü the foieig-n correspondence of the N. Y. Oserver, are very iateresting, and the more eo becatise to most persons we presume they have not been familiar. The Russian Empire is very gieat, and is beGoining very powerfu], but the American press his ptiblished very ]'it ile concernirig Russinn character and cu&tomsy and less slilL the religión of the country; - Chris. Reflecto?. The Rus-sian worship resembles in several respecte that ofpopnry; for it is íilled with a muhUude of superstitious praclicea. The attendunts make,during ihe performance ofinass, mnnberless genuflcxiuns and signs of the cjoss. No people seek more the blessiiKr of the priests than the Russians. Thoy cali upon the priests to bless the liousè they build, the grotmd they til), their harvests, all fhey do, al] they attempt. ün the Gth of August, of every year, the Churches are filled wiih appies and pcors which the priests bless. Till then no true believer would dare to eat these fruits. But as 50on a3 the cercrnonv is ended, all pounce tipon the baskels consecrated by ihe pr;ests. On tho 6th of January, tlje rivers and streams are biessed. Tl, e priest ap-. proaches wttli rnucli pomp to the ban!.', cuta out a hole in the ice, and plunges the crosa three times into it, reciting some praycrs. - Immediately tho women r;) w'itíi tcir pitchers to draw this consecrated water; the merr drink large draughls. The strug-glo for tumblers, boules, Sec. lasts for séveial hours.-- A fountain of wine fiouing in one of onr public squares, on a naiíorial festival, would not excite more eagerness. Poor people hov mnch they need to haie the Biblè m their hands, to be frêed from such gross süperstitionsi The Churches are very richly ornamented in those of ihe chief cities, especiallyre found the accutnuJated treasurès" of raany genera- tions. They contain - not sculptures, for thé Greek Ciiurch forbiOs them- but nn-imerable : paimiogs. The large Chürchese filleiS fwith old dingy pictures, where onJy the hands and face are visible; all the rest is coverod with silver, gold, sapphíres, rubíes, emeralds. Before each of these pictures are bung silver Iamp3 which are lighted on feast daye. The people ofier candles to be bürnèd in honor of tho saints; there are candles of a!l prices and for every rank of life; tliè chufch sells them at u large prefit. The most splendid part of theChurch is called the inconosiace. Il is a gnüery of paintingf?, at the bottom of the nave in áhenclosuro wilh three doors .- TJ)e priesl alone is aïlowed to enter through the middle door. There ia collected all that is most dazzling. On high days, the treasures of the Church are opened, and exjposed to the eager eyes of the Rüseions, who epect from thern great ulessings. I wouid not forget to say thafthè Muscovite Ohurch recognizes no othèr saints than those which #ere canonized before théEastern schisna „-íew sainís cannot be ereáted; but the emperor may himself, by a decree, create what are called the Blessod; a sort of intermediate class between the ancient sairita and ordinary men. Ah! how is the heart of the Christian snddened and rent, whon be seea such deirra-Jatiort in beings who Êtill invoke the narae of Christ!