298 THR UGH R US SI A OX A M US TA NG. 



But because the pope is born into his position and in- 

 herits his characteristics from many generations of 

 sires and grandsires, every one of whom was as incon- 

 gruous and out of place in the garb of Christ as he, it 

 behooves us not to be too uncharitable in our judg- 

 ment. 



The Russian priest occupies a unique and unenvi- 

 able position in the society of his own country as w r ell 

 as among the spiritual representatives of the earth. 

 The Romish priest and the Protestant pastor, who take 

 the initiative in works of charity and keep a sharp eye 

 on the morals of their parishioners, would find in the 

 heart and the deeds of the Russian pope no chord of 

 sympathy. The pope rarely preaches sermons and he 

 takes no part in charitable works nor bothers himself 

 about the moral welfare of the people. His interest 

 in the benefice to which he has been assigned on ordi- 

 nation, probably begins and ends with the amount of 

 money he is able to squeeze out of his parishioners. 

 As he neither pretends, nor is expected to make any 

 pretense, to a life of morality, his methods of adding 

 to his income are often strangely at variance with our 

 ideas of what pertains to the office and functions of a 

 priest. 



In some districts the popes receive small salaries 

 from the government and in others grants of land, off 

 which, with the addition of baptismal, marriage, burial, 

 and other fees, they are required to make their living. 

 Short of stealing and robbery with violence, the more 

 unscrupulous of the clergy resort to any method of 

 extortion and money-getting. Their most notorious 

 methods are to act in their parishes as agents for the 



