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Russian Sects.

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Religious sects abound in Russia, and under the most absolute monarchy in Europe we have the singular phenomenon of large bodies of dissenters defying the sovereign's power, and living in open secession from the National Church. All of these sects are included under the general name of Raskolniks (q.v.), i.e. Schismatics. The Raskolniks are divided into two great branches, the Popoftchins and the Bezpopoftchins, thie former having priests and the latter none. (For much of the following article we are indebted to the Rev. F.W. Flocken, missionary to Bulgaria.)

I. The POPOFTCHINS are divided into five principal sects.

1. The Diaconoftchins. This sect was started in 1706 at Veska, usnder the leadership of Alexander the Deacon, from whom it takes its name.

2. The Epefanoftchins (q.v.).

3. The Peremayanoftchins (q.v.).

4. The Starovertzi (men of the ancient faith) is the name assumed by the majority of those who refused to acquiesce in the reforms introduced ini the 17th century, especially the revision of the Scriptures and the liturgical books effected by the patriarch Nikon (A.D. 1654). The following are the points which, they strenuously maintain, justify their separation from the National Church:

a. The service should be according to the old books before their alteration by Nikon.

b. In the Creed the article on the Holy Ghost should read, "And in the Holy Ghost, the true and living Lord."

c. The Hallelujah should be sung only twice, not three times; after the second adding "Glory to (God."

d. The processions around the churches should go with the course of the sun, and not against it.

e. That the sign of the cross should be made by uniting the fourth and fifth fingers, and not the first three fingers, with the thumb.

f. To acknowledge, respect, and adore only the eight-ended cross.

g. The name of Jesus is to be written and pronounced Isus, and not Jesus.

There were other and still smaller points of dispute, and the tendency to fanaticism so universally found in Russian dissent did not fail to appear among them. They were persecuted under Peter I (A.D. 1689-1725), who laid double taxes on them; but his successors, especially Catharine II and Alexander I, have adopted a milder policy with the hope of winning them back to the Eastern Church. But little success has attended these attempts at reconciliation.

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