Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/509

 RUSSIA 485 visited the council of Florence to promote a union of the eastern churches with the Latin, but on his return was arrested and deposed. Feodor I. in 1589 appointed the first Russian patriarch, and even obtained for the new dig- nit7 in 1593 the recognition of the four ori- ental patriarchs. The patriarchate was again abolished by Peter I., who transferred the su- preme administration to the " holy synod," re- serving for himself and his successors the head- ship of the church. To a still higher degree was the church stripped of her independence under Catharine II., the secular government assuming all the property of the church and the education and appointment of the clergy. In point of zeal and activity the Russian church cannot compare with the Roman Cath- olic and the Protestant churches. A Bible society was organized under Alexander I. ; it was suppressed during the reign of Nicholas, but has resumed its operations under Alex- ander II. A number of years ago a few members of the highest Russian aristocracy joined the Roman Catholic church ; and Prince Gagarin (who entered the order of the Jes- suits) maintained that there was in the Russian church a considerable party favorable to a cor- porate union of the church with Rome. There is also a small party which endeavors to estab- lish closer relations with the churches of the Anglican communion and with the Old Catho- lics. The membership of the established church in 1871 was stated at 53,139,000 in Russia proper, 30,000 in Poland, 42,000 in Finland, 1,930,000 in Caucasia, and 2,875,000 in Siberia. In central Asia the population connected with the Greek church was estimated in 1874 at about 130,000. Thus in the whole empire the population belonging to this church is supposed to exceed 58,000,000. There is, however, a vast number of sects, some of which are recog- nized by the government and their statistics given (although said to be under-estimated) by the minister of public worship. Of the latter there are the Dukhobortzi, or Champions of the Holy Spirit ; the Molokoni, or Milk Drink- ers ; the Khlysti, or Flagellants ; and the Skoptzi, or Eunuchs, also called White Doves, who practise castration. These last have ex- isted from ancient times, and have their ad- herents chiefly among the wealthy. Besides these, writers mention the Little Christians, Helpers, Non-Payers of Rent, Napoleonists, and others. The largest body, the existence of which the government ignores, is the Ras- kolniks, whose origin is assigned to the popu- lar opposition to certain reforms introduced in the 17th century by the patriarch Nikon, especially to changes in the Slavic translation of the Bible and in the Slavic liturgical books. They call themselves Starovertzi or Old Believ- ers. As their antipathy to change often extends to political measures, they have been general- ly persecuted by the government. Their his- tory is but little known, and accurate statistics cannot be obtained. Their number has been variously estimated at from 1,000,000 to 17,- 000,000 ; the best authorities incline toward the highest estimate. The United Greek church some years ago numbered about 230,000, all Ruthenians in Poland ; in the spring of 1875, however, the bulk of them joined the Orthodox church. The Gregorian Armenian church has six eparchies : Nakhitchevan, Bessarabia, As- trakhan, Erivan, Gruso-Imerethia, Karabagh, and Shirvan. The most celebrated literary in- stitution of this church is the Lazareff institute for oriental languages at Moscow, which pro- vides for the education of 20 youths. The number of Gregorian Armenians is said to be 37,000 in European Russia, and 561,000 in the Caucasus. The Roman Catholic population is given as 2,883,000 in Russia proper, 4,826,000 in Poland, 830 in Finland, 18,000 in the Cau- casus, and 25,000 in Siberia. The Protestant population, a large majority of whom are Lu- therans, is 2,234,000 in Russia proper, 331,000 in Poland, 1,797,000 in Finland, 10,600 in Cau- casia, and 5,700 in Siberia. The number of Mohammedans amounts to 7,225,000 : 2,359,- 000 in European Russia, 1,960,000 in Caucasia, 61,000 in Siberia, and 2,843,000 in central Asia. The Lutheran church is divided into six consis- torial districts. The general consistory has its seat at St. Petersburg. A Lutheran theologi- cal faculty is connected with the university of Dorpat. The Reformed denomination has about 30 churches, mostly in Lithuania, where they are organized into a synod. The scat- tered Reformed congregations in other parts of the empire are under the direction of Lu- theran consistories. The Mennonites claimed in 1873 a population of nearly 40,000, chiefly in South Russia ; but as the new military law abolished the exemption from military duty which had formerly been conceded to them, they resolved to emigrate to the United States. (See MENNONITES.) The Moravians have pros- perous missions in Livonia and Esthonia, where they have more than 250 chapels and 60,000 members. Recently the Baptists have also established a few missions, which in 1873 re- solved upon forming a Russian organization. The Jews number about 2,647,000 (1,829,000 in Russia proper, about 800,000 in Poland, and the remainder in Caucasia and Siberia). The most numerous of the pagans, whose number is estimated at about 550,000, are the Bud- dhists, with 380 places of worship and 4,400 priests. The cause of public education was first effectively promoted by Peter the Great, who caused Russia to take the first step toward European civilization. Catharine II. founded many schools and literary institutions. Alex- ander I. made great efforts in behalf of the people, and tried to establish a complete sys- tem of public instruction. The principal de- partments of education, with the exception of the military schools, are under the superinten- dence of the ministry of public instruction, es- tablished in 1802. The empire (excepting Fin- land) is divided for educational purposes into