342 



GREEK CHURCH. 



of Alexandria, we hvo never omitted to direct the 

 priests subject to our patriarchal and apostolic 

 throne, that if any members of the Anglican Church 

 should depart this life within the city or district 

 committed to their charge, when sailed upon they 

 should freely go to attend to them, and render the 

 proper rites. 



Concerning the extension of this beginning of the 

 burial of Anglicans by Orthodox priests, and vict 

 tena, to baptism, marriage, and the holy commun- 

 ion, we speak our private opinion, that it is neces- 

 sary concerning this, that there should first be a dis- 

 tinct request from the Archbishop of Canterbury, as 

 in the case of burial, and then all the patriarchs, con- 

 sidering it together, can give their answer in com- 

 mon. For the Orthodox Church having once decided 

 any part of its dogma or canon, no particular church 

 in the Orthodox communion can ever, by itself, and 

 of its own judgment, change or transgress any thing 

 of what is settled, however small a thing it may be. 



Finally, giving the blessing of peace in Christ to 

 the holy Church of the United States of America, 

 and especially our church prayers and blessings to 

 your most wise Reverence, we pray that " the God 

 of Peace, which brought again from the dead our 

 Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, 

 through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make 

 y ou " all " perfect in every good work to do his 

 will, working in you that which is well pleasing in 

 his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory 

 forever and ever. Amen." 



Of your esteemed Reverence the fervent and ear- 

 nest well-wisher in Christ, 



t 80PHKONIU8, of Alexandria. 



ALIXANDHIA, April 20, 1878. 



Hicrothens, by the mercy of God. Patriarch of the 

 great divine city Antioch, and of all the East. 



To the Most Reverend Charles R. Hole, Presbyter 

 of the Church of St. John. Auburn, New York, our 

 patriarchal and apostolic blessing in Christ Jesus 

 our Saviour. 



The most valued letter of your Reverence, and the 

 copy of the three resolutions of the joint committee, 

 bishops, presbyters, and laymen, adopted iu the 

 great synod of the Church of the United States of 

 America, the 12th-2*th of the month of October, 

 1871, with the report of the correspondence which 

 passed the three preceding yearn between the most 

 holy authorities of the Russo-Greck Church and 

 those of the Anglican Communion, we have recently 

 received, and with great interest have read what is 

 decreed in the aforc-mcntione<l resolutions, and more 

 especially what is said concerning making inquiry 

 a* to friendly relations with the holy Eastern Ortho- 

 dox Church, and the taking " further steps forth* 

 communication of such information as may be mutu- 

 ally important and interesting to this Church and 

 to the holy Orthodox Church of the East." 



Considering with attention what has been written 

 on both tides, we rejoiced at the brotherly kindness 

 and peacefulness of the great aim of the fellowship 

 between the Churches through friendly writings and 

 deeds of true brotherlincss and kindnos. For truly 

 our Saviour, through the holy Gospels nnd the Kpis- 

 tles, bids us "love one another" and "bear one 

 another's burdens." that so may be fulfilled the law 

 of God. For love is both that which draws together 

 things divided, and strengthens all human fellow- 

 ships, and prepares for bliss in respect to botl 

 I'hrint'mn toachins and philosophy being beneficent, 

 philanthropic, and inclined to fellowship, the Ortho- 

 dox Eastern Church, steadfaat on these Godlike prin- 

 prays"for the union of all" in 



the confession of tlie faith, never overlooking any 

 peaceful occasion for consultation and dUeatioO 

 with all nations of the earth concerning love one 

 toward another, praying that " nil may be one " 

 .'>lm xvii.iil)ln Christ Jesus the Saviour of all. 

 and that with one heart we may glorify his blessed 



On account of these things, what has been resolved 

 by the great synod of the United States of America 

 has been a cause of heart -felt joy to ui, concerning 

 fellowship with the Orthou< Cliurch in 



brotherly love, whoso pure n>ult> prmiii 

 est moral benefit to each Church. \\ 

 spending thus by this present letter, we ask 

 Reverence to report these things also i 

 synod of the United States. Now may t 

 our Lord Jesus Christ and our patriarchal bl> 

 be with your dear Reverence. Given InDfJOMOM, 

 March 10, 1873, the first year of the Indi. i 

 t IIIKKOTHKi 

 of Antioch, your brother in Christ. 



The Church of Rossis has had, since the 

 beginning of the year 1872, a religious society 

 specially devoted to the establishment of closer 

 relations with the other Episcopal Churches 

 of the world, especially with the Anglican nnd 

 the Catholic Churches. The society calls itself 

 the " Association of the Friend* of Ecclesi- 

 astical Enlightenment," and contains among 

 its most active members the young tlu-oli 

 who have studied at the German nnm-i - 

 and who on that account take a special inter, -t 

 in the religious movements of the Romnn 

 Catholic nnd the Protestant Churches. 



The Grund-duke Constantine, the brother 

 of the Emperor, is the patron of the Associa- 

 tion, and takes often an active part in its pro- 

 ceedings. The society officially states its ob- 

 jects to be as follows : 1. To promote the in- 

 tercourse between our clergy nnd the secular 

 society, and the exchange of opinions on ques- 

 tions concerning the Orthodox Church. 2. 

 The diffusion of correct views on the true 

 doctrine, the history, and the present wants 

 of the Orthodox Church, by means of books 

 nnd lectures, both scientific nnd popular. 8. To 

 entertain communications with the champions 

 of orthodox truth in foreign countries, to give 

 to them a moral support, and to contribute t.. 

 the enlightenment of the public opinion of 

 foreign countries concerning the Orthodox 

 Church. With regard to the first and second 

 points it is said: "One of the chief public 

 calamities of our time is the indifference of the 

 laity with regard to the questions and wants 

 of church-life. In our country also society 

 derives too little advantage from the enlighten- 

 ing of the Church. The clergy has assumed 

 the organization and the habits of a caste, and 

 the Russian Chnreh HM It' i-- c\p< >scd to attacks 

 upon it pretended lethnrgy. though this is by 

 no means an inherent quality of orthoi! 

 Our first nnd most important task consists, 

 therefore, in our activity nt home. According 

 t 'i our programme, we must oiidnn -or to awaken 

 in the orthodox society an interest in reli 

 questions, nnd as mil' '.Me tobriiiL'tln' 



laity nnd the clergy nearer to each other." 

 As regards the third question, the secretary of 

 the society, Alexander Kiriyev. in his report 

 on the year 1872-1873, remarks: " N< 

 who watches public opinion can have- tail 

 see the interest which Russia hag taken in the 

 great religious events of the West, rn countries. 

 The intense attention with which the whole 



