I BELIEVE in the doctrine of Jesus, and this is my religion:--
I believe that nothing but the fulfilment of the doctrine of Jesus can
give true happiness to men. I believe that the fulfilment of this
doctrine is possible, easy, and pleasant. I believe that although none
other follows this doctrine, and I alone am left to practise it, I
cannot refuse to obey it, if I would save my life from the certainty of
eternal loss; just as a man in a burning house if he find a door of
safety, must go out, so I must avail myself of the way to salvation. I
believe that my life according to the doctrine of the world has been a
torment, and that a life according to the doctrine of Jesus can alone
give me in this world the happiness for which I was destined by the
Father of Life. I believe that this doctrine is essential to the welfare
of humanity, will save me from the certainty of eternal loss, and will
give me in this world the greatest possible sum of happiness. Believing
thus, I am obliged to practise its commandments.
"_The law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ._"
(John i. 17.)
The doctrine of Jesus is a doctrine of grace and truth. Once I knew not
grace and knew not truth. Mistaking evil for good, I fell into evil, and
I doubted the righteousness of my tendency toward good. I understand and
believe now that the good toward which I was attracted is the will of
the Father, the essence of life.
Jesus has told us to live in pursuit of the good, and to beware of
snares and temptations ([Greek: skandalon]) which, by enticing us with
the semblance of good, draw us away from true goodness, and lead us into
evil. He has taught us that our welfare is to be sought in fellowship
with all men; that evil is a violation of fellowship with the son of
man, and that we must not deprive ourselves of the welfare to be had by
obedience to his doctrine.
Jesus has demonstrated that fellowship with the son of man, the love of
men for one another, is not merely an ideal after which men are to
strive; he has shown us that this love and this fellowship are natural
attributes of men in their normal condition, the condition into which
children are born, the condition in which all men would live if they
were not drawn aside by error, illusions, and temptations.
In his commandments, Jesus has enumerated clearly and unmistakably the
temptations that interfere with this natural condition of love and
fellowship and render it a prey to evil. The commandments of Jesus offer
the remedies by which I must save myself from the temptations that have
deprived me of happiness; and so I am forced to believe that these
commandments are true. Happiness was within my grasp and I destroyed
it. In his commandments Jesus has shown me the temptations that lead to
the destruction of happiness. I can no longer work for the destruction
of my happiness, and in this determination, and in this alone, is the
substance of my religion.
Jesus has shown me that the first temptation destructive of happiness is
enmity toward men, anger against them. I cannot refuse to believe this,
and so I cannot willingly remain at enmity with others. I cannot, as I
could once, foster anger, be proud of it, fan into a flame, justify it,
regarding myself as an intelligent and superior man and others as
useless and foolish people. Now, when I give up to anger, I can only
realize that I alone am guilty, and seek to make peace with those who
have aught against me.
But this is not all. While I now see that anger is an abnormal,
pernicious, and morbid state, I also perceive the temptation that led me
into it. The temptation was in separating myself from my fellows,
recognizing only a few of them as my equals, and regarding all the
others as persons of no account (_rekim_) or as uncultivated animals
(_fools_). I see now that this wilful separation from other men, this
judgment of _raca_ or _fool_ passed upon others, was the principal
source of my disagreements. In looking over my past life I saw that I
had rarely permitted my anger to rise against those whom I considered as
my equals, whom I seldom abused. But the least disagreeable action on
the part of one whom I considered an inferior inflamed my anger and led
me to abusive words or actions, and the more superior I felt myself to
be, the less careful I was of my temper; sometimes the mere supposition
that a man was of a lower social position than myself was enough to
provoke me to an outrageous manner.
I understand now that he alone is above others who is humble with others
and makes himself the servant of all. I understand now why those that
are great in the sight of men are an abomination to God, who has
declared woe upon the rich and mighty and invoked blessedness upon the
poor and humble. Now I understand this truth, I have faith in it, and
this faith has transformed my perception of what is right and important,
and what is wrong and despicable. Everything that once seemed to me
right and important, such as honors, glory, civilization, wealth, the
complications and refinements of existence, luxury, rich food, fine
clothing, etiquette, have become for me wrong and despicable. Everything
that formerly seemed to me wrong and despicable, such as rusticity,
obscurity, poverty, austerity, simplicity of surroundings, of food, of
clothing, of manners, all have now become right and important to me. And
so although I may at times give myself up to anger and abuse another, I
cannot deliberately yield to wrath and so deprive myself of the true
source of happiness,--fellowship and love; for it is possible that a man
should lay a snare for his own feet and so be lost. Now, I can no
longer give my support to anything that lifts me above or separates me
from others. I cannot, as I once did, recognize in myself or others
titles or ranks or qualities aside from the title and quality of
manhood. I can no longer seek for fame and glory; I can no longer
cultivate a system of instruction which separates me from men. I cannot
in my surroundings, my food, my clothing, my manners, strive for what
not only separates me from others but renders me a reproach to the
majority of mankind.
Jesus showed me another temptation destructive of happiness, that is,
debauchery, the desire to possess another woman than her to whom I am
united. I can no longer, as I did once, consider my sensuality as a
sublime trait of human nature. I can no longer justify it by my love for
the beautiful, or my amorousness, or the faults of my companion. At the
first inclination toward debauchery I cannot fail to recognize that I am
in a morbid and abnormal state, and to seek to rid myself of the
besetting sin.
Knowing that debauchery is an evil, I also know its cause, and can thus
evade it. I know now that the principal cause of this temptation is not
the necessity for the sexual relation, but the abandonment of wives by
their husbands, and of husbands by their wives. I know now that a man
who forsakes a woman, or a woman who forsakes a man, when the two have
once been united, is guilty of the divorce which Jesus forbade, because
men and women abandoned by their first companions are the original cause
of all the debauchery in the world.
In seeking to discover the influences that led to debauchery, I found
one to be a barbarous physical and intellectual education that developed
the erotic passion which the world endeavors to justify by the most
subtile arguments. But the principal influence I found to be the
abandonment of the woman to whom I had first been united, and the
situation of the abandoned women around me. The principal source of
temptation was not in carnal desires, but in the fact that those desires
were not satisfied in the men and women by whom I was surrounded. I now
understand the words of Jesus when he says:--
"_He which made them from the beginning, made them male and female....
So that they are no more twain, but one flesh. What, therefore, God hath
joined together, let not man put asunder._" (Matt. xix. 4-6.)
I understand now that monogamy is the natural law of humanity, which
cannot with impunity be violated. I now understand perfectly the words
declaring that the man or woman who separates from a companion to seek
another, forces the forsaken one to resort to debauchery, and thus
introduces into the world an evil that returns upon those who cause it.
This I believe; and the faith I now have has transformed my opinions
with regard to the right and important, and the wrong and despicable,
things of life. What once seemed to me the most delightful existence in
the world, an existence made up of dainty, æsthetic pleasures and
passions, is now revolting to me. And a life of simplicity and
indigence, which moderates the sexual desires, now seems to me good. The
human institution of marriage, which gives a nominal sanction to the
union of man and woman, I regard as of less grave importance than that
the union, when accomplished, should be regarded as the will of God, and
never be broken.
Now, when in moments of weakness I yield to the promptings of desire, I
know the snare that would deliver me into evil, and so I cannot
deliberately plan my method of existence as formerly I was accustomed to
do. I no longer habitually cherish physical sloth and luxury, which
excite to excessive sensuality. I can no longer pursue amusements which
are oil to the fire of amorous sensuality,--the reading of romances and
the most of poetry, listening to music, attendance at theatres and
balls,--amusements that once seemed to me elevated and refining, but
which I now see to be injurious. I can no longer abandon the woman with
whom I have been united, for I know that by forsaking her, I set a snare
for myself, for her, and for others. I can no longer encourage the gross
and idle existence of others. I can no longer encourage or take part in
licentious pastimes, romantic literature, plays, operas, balls, which
are so many snares for myself and for others. I cannot favor the
celibacy of persons fitted for the marriage relation. I cannot encourage
the separation of wives from their husbands. I cannot make any
distinction between unions that are called by the name of marriage, and
those that are denied this name. I am obliged to consider as sacred and
absolute the sole and unique union by which man is once for all
indissolubly bound to the first woman with whom he has been united.
Jesus has shown me that the third temptation destructive to true
happiness is the oath. I am obliged to believe his words; consequently,
I cannot, as I once did, bind myself by oath to serve any one for any
purpose, and I can no longer, as I did formerly, justify myself for
having taken an oath because "it would harm no one," because everybody
did the same, because it is necessary for the State, because the
consequences might be bad for me or for some one else if I refuse to
submit to this exaction. I know now that it is an evil for myself and
for others, and I cannot conform to it.
Nor is this all. I now know the snare that led me into evil, and I can
no longer act as an accomplice. I know that the snare is in the use of
God's name to sanction an imposture, and that the imposture consists in
promising in advance to obey the commands of one man, or of many men,
while I ought to obey the commands of God alone. I know now that evils
the most terrible of all in their result--war, imprisonments, capital
punishment--exist only because of the oath, in virtue of which men make
themselves instruments of evil, and believe that they free themselves
from all responsibility. As I think now of the many evils that have
impelled me to hostility and hatred, I see that they all originated with
the the oath, the engagement to submit to the will of others. I
understand now the meaning of the words:--
"_But let your speech be, Yea, yea; nay, nay; and whatsoever is more
than these is of evil._" (Matt. v. 37.)
Understanding this, I am convinced that the oath is destructive of my
true welfare and of that of others, and this belief changes my estimate
of right and wrong, of the important and despicable. What once seemed to
me right and important,--the promise of fidelity to the government
supported by the oath, the exacting of oaths from others, and all acts
contrary to conscience, done because of the oath, now seem to me wrong
and despicable. Therefore I can no longer evade the commandment of Jesus
forbidding the oath, I can no longer bind myself by oath to any one, I
cannot exact an oath from another, I cannot encourage men to take an
oath, or to cause others to take an oath; nor can I regard the oath as
necessary, important, or even inoffensive.
Jesus has shown me that the fourth temptation destructive to my
happiness is the resort to violence for the resistance of evil. I am
obliged to believe that this is an evil for myself and for others;
consequently, I cannot, as I did once, deliberately resort to violence,
and seek to justify my action with the pretext that it is indispensable
for the defence of my person and property, or of the persons and
property of others. I can no longer yield to the first impulse to resort
to violence; I am obliged to renounce it, and to abstain from it
altogether.
But this is not all. I understand now the snare that caused me to fall
into this evil. I know now that the snare consisted in the erroneous
belief that my life could be made secure by violence, by the defence of
my person and property against the encroachments of others. I know now
that a great portion of the evils that afflict mankind are due to
this,--that men, instead of giving their work for others, deprive
themselves completely of the privilege of work, and forcibly appropriate
the labor of their fellows. Every one regards a resort to violence as
the best possible security for life and for property, and I now see that
a great portion of the evil that I did myself, and saw others do,
resulted from this practice. I understood now the meaning of the
words:--
"_Not to be ministered unto, but to minister._" "_The laborer is worthy
of his food._"
I believe now that my true welfare, and that of others, is possible only
when I labor not for myself, but for another, and that I must not refuse
to labor for another, but to give with joy that of which he has need.
This faith has changed my estimate of what is right and important, and
wrong and despicable. What once seemed to me right and important
--riches, proprietary rights, the point of honor, the maintenance
of personal dignity and personal privileges--have now become to me wrong
and despicable. Labor for others, poverty, humility, the renunciation of
property and of personal privileges, have become in my eyes right and
important.
When, now, in a moment of forgetfulness, I yield to the impulse to
resort to violence, for the defence of my person or property, or of the
persons or property of others, I can no longer deliberately make use of
this snare for my own destruction and the destruction of others. I can
no longer acquire property. I can no longer resort to force in any form
for my own defence or the defence of another. I can no longer co-operate
with any power whose object is the defence of men and their property by
violence. I can no longer act in a judicial capacity, or clothe myself
with any authority, or take part in the exercise of any jurisdiction
whatever. I can no longer encourage others in the support of tribunals,
or in the exercise of authoritative administration.
Jesus has shown me that the fifth temptation that deprives me of
well-being, is the distinction that we make between compatriots and
foreigners. I must believe this; consequently, if, in a moment of
forgetfulness, I have a feeling of hostility toward a man of another
nationality, I am obliged, in moments of reflection, to regard this
feeling as wrong. I can no longer, as I did formerly, justify my
hostility by the superiority of my own people over others, or by the
ignorance, the cruelty, or the barbarism of another race. I can no
longer refrain from striving to be even more friendly with a foreigner
than with one of my own countrymen.
I know now that the distinction I once made between my own people and
those of other countries is destructive of my welfare; but, more than
this, I now know the snare that led me into this evil, and I can no
longer, as I did once, walk deliberately and calmly into this snare. I
know now that this snare consists in the erroneous belief that my
welfare is dependent only upon the welfare of my countrymen, and not
upon the welfare of all mankind. I know now that my fellowship with
others cannot be shut off by a frontier, or by a government decree which
decides that I belong to some particular political organization. I know
now that all men are everywhere brothers and equals. When I think now of
all the evil that I have done, that I have endured, and that I have seen
about me, arising from national enmities, I see clearly that it is all
due to that gross imposture called patriotism,--love for one's native
land. When I think now of my education, I see how these hateful feelings
were grafted into my mind. I understand now the meaning of the words:--
"_Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may
be sons of your Father that is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise
on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust._"
I understand now that true welfare is possible for me only on condition
that I recognize my fellowship with the whole world. I believe this, and
the belief has changed my estimate of what is right and wrong, important
and despicable. What once seemed to me right and important--love of
country, love for those of my own race, for the organization called the
State, services rendered at the expense of the welfare of other men,
military exploits--now seem to me detestable and pitiable. What once
seemed to me shameful and wrong--renunciation of nationality, and the
cultivation of cosmopolitanism--now seem to me right and important.
When, now, in a moment of forgetfulness, I sustain a Russian in
preference to a foreigner, and desire the success of Russia or of the
Russian people, I can no longer in lucid moments allow myself to be
controlled by illusions so destructive to my welfare and the welfare of
others. I can no longer recognize states or peoples; I can no longer
take part in any difference between peoples or states, or any discussion
between them either verbal or written, much less in any service in
behalf of any particular state. I can no longer co-operate with measures
maintained by divisions between states,--the collection of custom
duties, taxes, the manufacture of arms and projectiles, or any act
favoring armaments, military service, and, for a stronger reason,
wars,--neither can I encourage others to take any part in them.
I understand in what my true welfare consists, I have faith in that, and
consequently I cannot do what would inevitably be destructive of that
welfare. I not only have faith that I ought to live thus, but I have
faith that if I live thus, and only thus, my life will attain its only
possible meaning, and be reasonable, pleasant, and indestructible by
death. I believe that my reasonable life, the light I bear with me, was
given to me only that it might shine before men, not in words only, but
in good deeds, that men may thereby glorify the Father. I believe that
my life and my consciousness of truth is the talent confided to me for a
good purpose, and that this talent fulfils its mission only when it is
of use to others. I believe that I am a Ninevite with regard to other
Jonahs from whom I have learned and shall learn of the truth; but that I
am a Jonah in regard to other Ninevites to whom I am bound to transmit
the truth. I believe that the only meaning of my life is to be attained
by living in accordance with the light that is within me, and that I
must allow this light to shine forth to be seen of all men. This faith
gives me renewed strength to fulfil the doctrine of Jesus, and to
overcome the obstacles which still arise in my pathway. All that once
caused me to doubt the possibility of practising the doctrine of Jesus,
everything that once turned me aside, the possibility of privations, and
of suffering, and death, inflicted by those who know not the doctrine of
Jesus, now confirm its truth and draw me into its service. Jesus said,
"_When you have lifted up the son of man, then shall you know that I am
he_,"--then shall you be drawn into my service,--and I feel that I am
irresistibly drawn to him by the influence of his doctrine. "_The
truth_," he says again, "_The truth shall make you free_," and I know
that I am in perfect liberty.
I once thought that if a foreign invasion occurred, or even if
evil-minded persons attacked me, and I did not defend myself, I should
be robbed and beaten and tortured and killed with those whom I felt
bound to protect, and this possibility troubled me. But this that once
troubled me now seems desirable and in conformity with the truth. I know
now that the foreign enemy and the malefactors or brigands are all men
like myself; that, like myself, they love good and hate evil; that they
live as I live, on the borders of death; and that, with me, they seek
for salvation, and will find it in the doctrine of Jesus. The evil that
they do to me will be evil to them, and so can be nothing but good for
me. But if truth is unknown to them, and they do evil thinking that they
do good, I, who know the truth, am bound to reveal it to them, and this
I can do only by refusing to participate in evil, and thereby confessing
the truth by my example.
"But hither come the enemy,--Germans, Turks, savages; if you do not make
war on them, they will exterminate you!" They will do nothing of the
sort. If there were a society of Christian men that did evil to none and
gave of their labor for the good of others, such a society would have no
enemies to kill or to torture them. The foreigners would take only what
the members of this society voluntarily gave, making no distinction
between Russians, or Turks, or Germans. But when Christians live in the
midst of a non-Christian society which defends itself by force of arm,
and calls upon the Christians to join in waging war, then the Christians
have an opportunity for revealing the truth to them who know it not. A
Christian knowing the truth bears witness of the truth before others,
and this testimony can be made manifest only by example. He must
renounce war and do good to all men, whether they are foreigners or
compatriots.
"But there are wicked men among compatriots; they will attack a
Christian, and if the latter do not defend himself, will pillage and
massacre him and his family." No; they will not do so. If all the
members of this family are Christians, and consequently hold their lives
only for the service of others, no man will be found insane enough to
deprive such people of the necessaries of life or to kill them. The
famous Maclay lived among the most bloodthirsty of savages; they did not
kill him, they reverenced him and followed his teachings, simply because
he did not fear them, exacted nothing from them, and treated them always
with kindness.
"But what if a Christian lives in a non-Christian family, accustomed to
defend itself and its property by a resort to violence, and is called
upon to take part in measures of defence?" This solicitation is simply
an appeal to the Christian to fulfil the decrees of truth. A Christian
knows the truth only that he may show it to others, more especially to
his neighbors and to those who are bound to him by ties of blood and
friendship, and a Christian can show the truth only by refusing to join
in the errors of others, by taking part neither with aggressors or
defenders, but by abandoning all that he has to those who will take it
from him, thus showing by his acts that he has need of nothing save the
fulfilment of the will of God, and that he fears nothing except
disobedience to that will.
"But how, if the government will not permit a member of the society over
which it has sway, to refuse to recognize the fundamental principles of
governmental order or to decline to fulfil the duties of a citizen? The
government exacts from a Christian the oath, jury service, military
service, and his refusal to conform to these demands may be punished by
exile, imprisonment, and even by death." Then, once more, the exactions
of those in authority are only an appeal to the Christian to manifest
the truth that is in him. The exactions of those in authority are to a
Christian the exactions of those who do not know the truth.
Consequently, a Christian who knows the truth must bear witness of the
truth to those who know it not. Exile and imprisonment and death afford
to the Christian the possibility of bearing witness of the truth, not in
words, but in acts. Violence, war, brigandage, executions, are not
accomplished through the forces of unconscious nature; they are
accomplished by men who are blinded, and do not know the truth.
Consequently, the more evil these men do to Christians, the further they
are from the truth, the more unhappy they are, and the more necessary it
is that they should have knowledge of the truth. Now a Christian cannot
make known his knowledge of truth except by abstaining from the errors
that lead men into evil; he must render good for evil. This is the
life-work of a Christian, and if it is accomplished, death cannot harm
him, for the meaning of his life can never be destroyed.
Men are united by error into a compact mass. The prevailing power of
evil is the cohesive force that binds them together. The reasonable
activity of humanity is to destroy the cohesive power of evil.
Revolutions are attempts to shatter the power of evil by violence. Men
think that by hammering upon the mass they will be able to break it in
fragments, but they only make it more dense and impermeable than it was
before. External violence is of no avail. The disruptive movement must
come from within when molecule releases its hold upon molecule and the
whole mass falls into disintegration. Error is the force that binds men
together; truth alone can set them free. Now truth is truth only when it
is in action, and then only can it be transmitted from man to man. Only
truth in action, by introducing light into the conscience of each
individual, can dissolve the homogeneity of error, and detach men one by
one from its bonds.
This work has been going on for eighteen hundred years. It began when
the commandments of Jesus were first given to humanity, and it will not
cease till, as Jesus said, "_all things be accomplished_" (Matt. v. 18).
The Church that sought to detach men from error and to weld them
together again by the solemn affirmation that it alone was the truth,
has long since fallen to decay. But the Church composed of men united,
not by promises or sacraments, but by deeds of truth and love, has
always lived and will live forever. Now, as eighteen hundred years ago,
this Church is made up not of those who say "_Lord, Lord_," and bring
forth iniquity, but of those who hear the words of truth and reveal them
in their lives. The members of this Church know that life is to them a
blessing as long as they maintain fraternity with others and dwell in
the fellowship of the son of man; and that the blessing will be lost
only to those who do not obey the commandments of Jesus. And so the
members of this Church practise the commandments of Jesus and thereby
teach them to others. Whether this Church be in numbers little or great,
it is, nevertheless, the Church that shall never perish, the Church that
shall finally unite within its bonds the hearts of all mankind.
"_Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good purpose to give
you the kingdom._"
APPENDIX.
WHEN Count Tolstoi speaks of the Church and its dogmas, he refers
especially, of course, to the Orthodox Greek Church, the national church
of Russia. The following summary of the teachings of the Orthodox Greek
Church is taken from Prof. T. M. Lindsay's article in the _Encyclopædia
Brittanica_, ninth edition, volume xi. p. 158. Variations from the Roman
Catholic doctrine are indicated by small capitals, and variations from
Protestant doctrine by italics. [Tr.]
"Christianity is a divine revelation, communicated to mankind through
Christ; its saving truths are to be learned from the Bible _and
tradition_, the former having been written, _and the latter maintained
uncorrupted_ through the influence of the Holy Spirit; _the
interpretation of the Bible belongs to the Church, which is taught by
the Holy Spirit_, but every believer may read the Scriptures.
"According to the Christian revelation, God is a trinity, that is, the
divine essence exists in three persons, perfectly equal in nature and
dignity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; THE HOLY GHOST
PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER ONLY. Besides the triune God, there is no
other object of divine worship, _but homage_ ([Greek: hyperdoulia]) _may
be paid to the Virgin Mary, and reverence_ ([Greek: doulia]) _to the
saints and to their pictures and relics_.
"Man is born with a corrupt bias, which was not his at creation; the
first man, when created, possessed IMMORTALITY, PERFECT WISDOM, AND A
WILL REGULATED BY REASON. Through the first sin, Adam and his posterity
lost IMMORTALITY, AND HIS WILL RECEIVED A BIAS TOWARDS EVIL. In this
natural state, man, who, even before he actually sins, is a sinner
before God by original or inherited sin, commits manifold actual
transgressions; _but he is not absolutely without power of will towards
good, and is not always doing evil_.
"Christ, the Son of God, became man in two natures, which internally and
inseparably united make One Person, and, according to the eternal
purpose of God, has obtained for man reconciliation with God and eternal
life, inasmuch as he, by his vicarious death has made satisfaction to
God for the world's sins; and this satisfaction was PERFECTLY
COMMENSURATE WITH THE SINS OF THE WORLD. Man is made partaker of
reconciliation in spiritual regeneration, which he attains to, being led
and kept by the Holy Ghost. This divine help is offered _to all men
without distinction, and may be rejected_. In order to attain to
salvation, man is justified, and, when so justified, CAN DO NO MORE THAN
THE COMMANDS OF GOD. He may fall from this state of grace through mortal
sin.
"Regeneration is offered by the word of God and in the sacraments,
_which, under visible signs, communicate God's invisible grace to
Christians when administered cum intentione_. There are _seven_
mysteries or sacraments. Baptism _entirely destroys_ original sin. In
the Eucharist, the true body and blood of Christ are _substantially
present, and the elements are changed into the substance of Christ,
whose body and blood are corporeally partaken of by communicants_. ALL
Christians should receive the bread and the WINE. _The Eucharist is also
an expiatory sacrifice._ The new birth when lost may be restored through
repentance, which is not merely (1) sincere sorrow, but also (2)
_confession of each individual sin to the priest, and_ (3) _the
discharge of penances imposed by the priest for the removal of the
temporal punishment, which may have been imposed by God and the Church.
Penance, accompanied by the judicial absolution of the priest, makes a
true sacrament_.
"The Church of Christ is the fellowship of ALL THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND
PROFESS ALL THE ARTICLES OF FAITH TRANSMITTED BY THE APOSTLES, AND
APPROVED BY GENERAL SYNODS. _Without this visible Church there is no
salvation._ It is under the abiding influence of the Holy Ghost, and
_therefore cannot err in matters of faith_. Specially appointed persons
are necessary in the service of the Church, _and they form a threefold
order, distinct jure divino from other Christians, of Bishops, Priests,
and Deacons_. THE FOUR PATRIARCHS OF EQUAL DIGNITY HAVE THE HIGHEST
RANK AMONG THE BISHOPS, AND THE BISHOPS _united in a General Council
represent the Church and infallibly decide_, under the guidance of the
Holy Ghost, all matters of faith and ecclesiastical life. All ministers
of Christ must be regularly called and appointed to their office, and
are consecrated _by the sacrament of orders_. _Bishops must be
unmarried_, and PRIESTS AND DEACONS MUST NOT CONTRACT A SECOND MARRIAGE.
To all priests in common belongs, besides the preaching of the word, the
administration of the SIX SACRAMENTS,--BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION, PENANCE,
EUCHARIST, MATRIMONY, UNCTION OF THE SICK. The _bishops_ alone can
administer the _sacrament_ of orders.
"_Ecclesiastical ceremonies are part of the divine service; most of them
have apostolic origin; and those connected with the sacrament must not
be omitted by priests under pain of mortal sin._"
INDEX.
Abraham, 165.
Adam, fall of, 118, 122.
Age, consummation of, 139, 152.
Amusements, harmful, 105;
maintained by coercion, 106.
Anger, the commandment against, 70
_et seq._; destructive of happiness,
247; temptations to, 247.
[Greek: anistêmi], meaning of, 146.
Army, the Christophile, 15.
Art has forsaken the Church, 224.
_auferstehn_, meaning of, 146.
Aurelius, Marcus, 126.
Average man, the, and the
problem of existence, 229.
Belief, if true, always brings
forth works, 160 _et seq._
Believers, and the problem of
existence, 228.
Berditchef, circus at, 135, 157.
Bible, 17.
Biblical references.--O. T.:
Gen. (iii. 22) 149;
Exod. (iii. 6) 144;
Levit. (xix. 12) 86, (xix. 17, 18) 94;
Deut. (xiii. 21, 34) 86, (xxiv. 1) 77,
(xxx. 15-19) 150, (xxxii. 39, 40) 149;
Judges (ix. 4) 76; Sam. (I. viii.-xii.)
18; Isaiah (lxi. 1, 2) 110. N. T.:
Matt. (iv. 1-11) 178, (iv. 37) 253,
(v.) 17, (v., vi., vii.) 5, (v. 17-20)
51, 52, 53, (v. 18) 262, (v. 19) 70,
(v. 21-26) 70, 76, (v. 21-48) 69,
(v. 22-44) 109, (v. 27-32) 77,
(v. 28-32) 109, (v. 32) 79, 81,
(v. 33-37) 86, 91, (v. 34-37) 109,
(v. 36) 89, (v. 38, 39) 7, 8, (v. 38-42)
92, 93, 110, (v. 40) 26, (v. 43-48) 95,
110, (v. 44) 256, (vii. 1) 23, (vii. 12)
57, (x. 10) 200, 254, (xi. 30) 14,
(xii. 16-21) 138, (xii. 31) 217,
(xii. 35-40) 139, (xii. 40) 145,
(xiii. 52) 62, (xiv. 2) 146,
(xvi. 13-21) 145, (xvi. 21) 145,
(xvii. 23) 145, (xix.) 79, (xix. 4-6)
250, (xix. 4-9) 80, (xix. 9) 81, 84,
(xix. 17) 151, (xx. 1-16) 167, 168,
(xx. 19) 145, (xx. 20-28) 166,
(xxi. 33-42) 139, (xxii. 44) 98,
(xxiii. 13-35) 217, (xxv. 14-46) 142,
(xxvi. 32) 145, (xxvii. 42) 163;
Mark (viii. 31) 145, (ix. 31) 145,
(x. 5-12) 79, (x. 28-30) 180,
(x. 34) 145, (x. 35-48) 166, (x. 45)
202, 254, (xii. 21-24) 144,
(xii. 26, 27) 144, (xii. 36) 98,
(xiv. 25) 145, (xv. 32) 163; Luke
(i. 71, 74) 98, (iv. 1-13) 178,
(iv. 18, 19, 21) 111, (vi. 37) 23,
(vi. 37-49) 24, (ix. 22) 145, (x. 5, 7)
200, (x. 26) 61, (x. 28) 151, (x. 29)
98, (xi. 30) 145, (xi. 35) 125, 216,
(xii. 22-27) 137, (xii. 32) 263,
(xii. 54-57) 136, (xiii. 1-5) 135,
(xiv. 28-31) 136, (xvi. 15-18) 54,
(xvi. 16) 57, (xvi. 18) 79, (xvi. 31)
147, (xviii. 33) 145, (xx. 43) 98,
(xxii. 67) 163; John (i. 9-12) 171,
(i. 17) 245, (iii. 5, 6, 7) 125,
(iii. 19-21) 171, (iii. 14-17) 125,
(v. 39) 150, (v. 44) 164, (vi. 30) 163,
(vii. 18) 164, (vii. 19) 57, (viii. 17)
57, (viii. 28) 125, 258, (viii. 32) 258,
(viii. 35) 141, (viii. 40) 171,
(viii. 46) 171, (x. 25, 26) 163,
(xi. 19-22) 145, (xii. 31) 244,
(xii. 35) 125, (xiv. 6) 172,
(xiv. 16, 17) 172, (xiv. 27) 109,
(xv. 25) 57, (xvi. 33) 244, (xviii. 37)
172, (xix. 7) 57; Acts (vii. 27) 98,
(xxiii. 8) 143; Rom.
(i. 32, ii. 1, ii. 4) 31; Cor.
(I. vii. 1-11) 80, (I. xv. 2) 75; Heb.
(ii. 2) 115; Jas. (ii. 12, 13) 30,
(ii. 13) 29, (ii. 14-26) 163,
(iv. 11, 12) 28, (v. 6) 35, (v. 12) 89;
John (I. v. 3) 14, (I. v. 4) 244.
Borovitzky Gate, 19.
Brahmins, 173, 218.
Buddha, 134, 218.
Buddhism, 124.
Catechism analyzed, 213.
Children, education of, 105.
Christian rationalists in Russia, 223.
Christianity, substance of, 2, 13;
a spiritual tendency, 4;
lack of ethical and moral instruction
in, 123.
Christians may believe in Jesus, 241;
duties of, 258 _et seq._
Chrysostom, xi., 33, 63 _et seq._;
79, 92.
Church, the fathers of, 31, 81, 93;
the Orthodox, 2; creed of, 265;
inadequacy of 3, 4, 175, 209-244;
teachings of, 4, 40, 47, 58, 62, 107,
115, 127, 154, 178, 213-217, 227;
compulsory in Russia, 216; the true,
262.
Churches, as useless sentinels, 224.
Civilization, characteristics of, 42, 233.
Clement, x.
Commandments, abrogated by the Church,
214.
Commentators, pseudo-Christian, 91;
liberal, 93.
_condemnare_, 34.
Confucius, 124, 126, 127, 218.
Constantine, 31, 219.
Cosmopolitanism, importance of, 257.
Daniel, apocryphal book of, 149.
Death, inevitable, 137, 138, 139.
Death penalty, sanctioned by the Church,
221.
Debauchery, 77 _et seq._; Paul's idea
of, 80; destructive of happiness, 249;
temptations to, 251.
Devotion, a pagan book of, 212.
Divorce, denounced by Jesus, 78
_et seq._; sanctioned by the
Church, 221.
[Greek: doxa], meaning of, 164.
[Greek: egeirô], meaning of, 146.
_ehebruch_, meaning of, 84.
[Greek: eikê], meaning and textual
authenticity of, 75.
Elijah, 48, 145.
[Greek: hêlikian], meaning of, 137.
Enemy, love for, 95 _et seq._;
meaning of, 98.
Epictetus, 89, 126, 127.
Error, temptation of Jesus by, 178; the
cohesive power of, 262.
Esdras, 56.
Evil, submission to, 8 _et seq._, 13,
92-94; resistance to, 15; destructive of
happiness, 253; to speak, 28, 32.
Existence, its futilities, 226.
Faith, defined, 115, 162, 166, 244; and
works, 160, 169; based on the dictates
of reason, 170; source of, 171; the
false, 173.
Fall, dogma of the, 120, 153.
Family, the, a condition of happiness, 187.
Foreigners, hostility toward, 100;
destructive of happiness, 255.
Formalism, evils of, 68.
_fornicatio_, meaning of, 83.
Free-will, an illusion, 124.
French war of 1870, 198.
Galilee, 41, 44, 48, 49, 178.
Galileans, massacre of, 135.
Germans, 45, 259.
Ghengis Khan, 36.
God, service of, 21; appears to Elijah,
48; commandments of, 51; kingdom of,
108, 111, 160; how brought, 209.
Gospels, exegesis, 1, 55, 75.
Griesbach, 175.
Happiness, conditions of, 185-189.
_hayai leolam_, meaning of, 148.
Health, a condition of happiness, 189.
Hebrews, 176.
Hegelianism, 122.
Herod, 25, 146.
High Priests, 25, 59.
Householder, parable of, 168.
_hurerei_, meaning of, 83.
Husbandmen, parable of, 139.
Immortality, belief in, 147, 150, 153, 155.
Irenæus, 62.
Isaiah, 56, 61.
James, 167.
Jesus, as the "charmant docteur," 41;
divinity of, 15; the enemies of, 60; his
use of the Mosaic law, 67; commandments
of, 69, 76, 86, 194, 242, 246 _et seq._;
mission of, 108; the Messiah, 111, 145,
158; his revelation of the true life,
139; his doctrine of eternal life, 153;
as a Saviour, 158; his definition of
belief, 164; of true life, 167; his
temptation in the wilderness, 177;
offers the water of truth, 196.
Jesus, doctrine of, its simplicity, vi.,
6, 7, 11, 12, 69, 194; as a metaphysical
theory and an ethical system, 218, 231;
a doctrine of grace and truth, 246;
practical results of, 107; key to, 2,
16, 17; requirements of, 248; its
meaning, 7, 43, 50, 58, 108, 172, 193,
199, 240; its rewards, 179, 202; to
bring the kingdom of God, 209; its
relation to the Church, 209-244; its
adaptability to Christians, 241; to the
philosopher, 242; to the "average" man,
243; difficulty in obeying, 14, 16, 112,
132, 160, 173, 194, 259; belief in, 160
_et seq._; requirements of, 245
_et seq._; a protest against
ceremonial, 219; its concealment, 49,
68, 90, 173, 174; and military
regulations, 19, 22, 104, 223; its
universality, 241; delusions with regard
to, 23, 101, 114, 191 _et seq._,
204; will overcome the world, 244;
substance of, 124; and social customs,
58, 90, 93, 133, 194; where are its
martyrs? 195.
Jews, criminal law of, 27.
John, 167.
John the Baptist, 43, 54, 108, 135, 145,
146.
Jonah, 146; story of, 176.
Judaism, 124, 220.
Judgment, parable of the last, 139, 152.
Laborer, worthy of his sustenance, 200,
205; rewards of, 201, 203.
Law, the eternal, 53, 55.
Law of struggle, 47, 181, 197.
Lazarus, 147.
_libertinage_, meaning of, 83.
Libertinism, 83, 85.
Liberty, law of, 29.
Life, essence of, 118, 138, 165; the
personal, 134, 139, 174; salvation of,
152, 165; renunciation of, 141, 142;
the eternal, 143; how perpetuated, 150;
rewards of, 167; doctrine of, enforced
by the police, 232.
Loaves and fishes, lesson of the, 206.
Luke, 34, 54, 55, 80.
Luther, 34, 84.
Manu, laws of, 89.
Mark, 80.
Martyrs, Christian, number of, 192.
Martyrs to the world, 183, 193.
Materialism, 122.
Men, brotherhood of, 110, 246, 256;
intercourse with, essential to
happiness, 188; nature of, 112; debt to
the past, 141; mutual dependence, 207;
temptations against, 246.
[Greek: metanoia], meaning of, 135, 141.
Michael, Archbishop, 93.
Military regulations, 19.
[Greek: moichasthai], meaning of, 83.
Monasticism, contrary to the doctrine of
Jesus, 176.
Monogamy the natural law of humanity, 250.
Moscow, 183.
Mount, the Sermon on the, 5, 6, 10, 11,
17, 26, 78, 79, 108.
Müller, Max, 148.
Nationality, renunciation of, 257.
Nature, the law of, 46; communion with,
essential to happiness, 185.
Neighbor, meaning of, 97 _et seq._
Nicodemus, 60, 108, 125.
[Greek: nomos], meaning of, 56.
Oaths, the commandment against, 87
_et seq._; destruction of happiness,
252; evils of, 252.
Origen, 102.
Pascal, 134.
Paul, x., 30, 56, 80, 88, 115; his
metaphysico-cabalistic doctrine, 219.
Peace, the reign of, 108; how violated,
109.
Penalty, the death, 36.
Pentateuch, 57, 148.
Persons, respect of, 29.
Pessimism, 122.
Peter, 11, 145, 167, 168, 180.
Pharisees, 54, 59, 60, 85, 88, 143, 178.
Philosophers, and the problem of
existence, 229.
Pilate, 135, 175.
[Greek: porneia], meaning of, 83 _et seq._
Poverty, the blessings of, 199;
indispensable to the follower of Jesus,
200.
_prissaiaga_, meaning of, 85.
Prophets, the Hebrew, 43, 57, 143.
_qum_, meaning of, 146.
_raca_, meaning of, 73, 76.
Reason, authority of, 124.
Redemption, dogma of, 120, 122, 153.
Religions, requirements of, 220.
Renan, 31, 93.
Repentance, 60; necessity of, 135.
Resurrection, not taught by Jesus, 143.
_resusciter_, meaning of, 146.
Reuss, 79.
Revolution, the French, 36.
Revolutionists, atheistic, 39; Christian,
39.
Riches, the struggle for, 184.
Righteousness, progress toward, 48.
Sadducees, 60, 143.
Samaritan, 98.
Sanhedrim, 25.
Schopenhauer, 148.
Science, hostile to the Church, 223.
Security, struggle for, its futility, 198.
Seneca, 89.
Sisyphus, labor of, 184.
Slave, 39.
Slavery, sanctioned by the Church, 221.
Slavophile, 39.
Socrates, 124, 126.
Soldier, at Borovitzky Gate, 19, 88;
Russian nickname for, 88.
Solomon, 134.
Son of man, doctrine regarding, 125
_et seq._; 142, 150, 152, 156, 263.
Spirit, the Holy, 68.
Spiritism, 123.
State, service of, 21, 22, 257;
independent of the Church, 223.
States, divisions into, a barbarism, 107.
Stoics, 124, 173.
Strauss, 41, 93.
Suffering, useless, 183.
Sukhareff Tower, 183.
Talents, parable of the, 142.
Talmud, 17, 56, 143, 173.
Theologians, declarations of, 6.
Theophylact, 33.
Thief, on the cross, vii.
Tiele, 148.
Tischendorf, 55, 75.
Tohu, 18, 19, 21, 22, 42, 43.
Torah, 56, 61, 68.
Tribunals, 23, 24; contrary to law of
Jesus, 25 _et seq._; sanctioned by
the Church, 221.
Trinity, 14, 40, 58, 116, 117, 127.
Truth, Christian, 4.
Tübingen, school of, 33.
Turks, 259.
_verdammen_, meaning of, 34.
Violence, renunciation of, 38; organized,
45, 196; destructive to happiness, 253;
temptations to, 254; futility of, 259
_et seq._
Virgins, parable of, 139.
_voskresnovit_, meaning of, 146.
Vulgate, 34.
War, organized murder, 101, 192; justified
by the Church, 211, 221.
Wars of our century, victims of, 193.
Work, an inevitable condition of
happiness, 186, 201, 205, 207.
World, the doctrine of, illustrated, 129;
sufferings for, 181, 185-192; its
commands, 191; its necessities, 184
_et seq._; justification of, 188;
its relation to the Church, 221
_et seq._
Worldly advantage, 11.
_zanah_, meaning of, 83.