The Greeks of To-Day

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 edition. Excerpt: ...pervading essence of faith which sanctifies the private and public lives of men--it must, I fear, be acknowledged that the profession and forms of the Greek, like those of the Romish Church, bear a prominence in the public eye disproportioned to that active principle of goodness which the observer might expect to see resulting therefrom. Perhaps this very prominence of religious observance, this outward and ever boastful union of Church and State, this blending of glittering religious paraphernalia with the political structure, excites expectations which in other communities are not excited by the independent and unobtrusive workings of religious associations. When we see people, as we do in Roman Catholic and Orthodox countries, pouring into the ever open churches, and note the vast number of those churches; when bells peal for matins and vespers on week days as well as Sabbaths; when the clergy of all grades, clothed in imposing canonical robes, make so large a feature in the street processions; and crosses and shrines meet the eye at every roadside, the natural inference is, not only that the Church is a prominent part of the social system, but that religious faith and religious conduct must be the chief characteristic of the people. The outward and omnipresent sign, like the roll of drums and flying flag in a garrisoned town, denotes an active and palpable power protecting and vivifying the community around. A perpetual exhibition of external religious forms and ceremonies is a perpetual challenge to investigation; and hence the deficiencies, if found to exist, in the moral and religious life of such a people, are the The Greek Church and the Greek nation are, so to speak, synonymous terms. The larger proportion of the...