644 
SEEKS* 
rQots> they are allowed wine only on the Saturday in Holy-week, 
and meat on Easter Sunday. Besides the great Lent, they have 
four others of eight days each, which are instituted to prepare for 
the four great festivals of the Nativity, the Ascension, the Annuncia- 
tion, and of St. George : in which times they must not so much as 
speak of eggs, fish, oil, or butter. The Armenians abstain at all times 
from eating of blood and things strangled. They have seven sacra- 
ments, — baptism, confirmation, penance, the eucharist, extreme unc- 
tion, orders, and matrimony. In baptism, the child is plunged 
three times into the water, and the same form of words that is used 
with us is repeated every time ; the priest then puts a small cord, 
made with silk and cotton, on the neck of the infant ; and anoints 
his forehead, chin, stomach, arm-pits, hands, and feet, making the 
sign of the cross on each part. When the child is baptized, he is 
carried home by the godfather with sounds of drums and trumpets. 
The women do not go to church till forty days after their delivery, 
and they observe many Jewish customs. 
At the communion, to w hich infants of two or three months old are 
admitted, the priest gives a piece of the consecrated host soaked iri 
the consecrated wine. The elements are covered with a great veil, 
and placed in a cupboard near the altar, by the side of the Gospels. 
When the priest takes the chalice and patin, he is followed by his 
deacons and snbdeacons, with flambeaux, and plates of copper fur- 
nished with bells. In this manner, with a censer before him, he goes 
in procession round the sanctuary ; he then sets them on the altar, 
pronounces the words of consecration, and turns himself to the peo- 
ple, who fall down, kiss the earth, and beat their breasts : then, after 
taking it himself, he distributes the host in wine to the people. They 
consecrate holy-water but once a year, at which time every one fills a 
pot, and carries it home. This brings in a considerable revenue to 
the church. The Armenians seem to place the chief part of their 
religion in fastings and abstinences : and among the clergy, the higher 
their degree, the lower they must live; insomuch that it is said the 
archbishops live on nothing but pulse. Temperance is doubtless a 
virtue, but it is astonishing to what an absurd extreme it has been 
carried under the name of religion, and how much priests of all 
religions have persuaded mankind that they would recommend them- 
selves to the favour of the Almighty, by abstaining from even a mo- 
derate use of bis benefits. The worst of it is, that these artificial 
duties and factitious virtues uniformly eradicate the essence of all 
religion, morality, by leading those who perform them to place 
great merit in things of no value. 
Seeks. 
This is the name of a religious sect settled at Patna, and so called 
Trom a word contained in one of the commandments of their founder, 
which signifies “ Learn thou.” In books giving an account of Oriental 
sects and customs, we find mention made both of Seeks and Seiks ; 
and some think that the same tribe is meant by both names. If so, 
different authors write very differently of their principles and manners. 
