sation may doubtless be urged against Romish apostacy. But, perhaps, the most dark and deadly of all its deeds is the prohibition of the study of God's Word; since it seals and perpetuates every other error, and excludes, as much as possible, all hope of amendment and reformation. If it had been in the power of some mortal to intercept the light of the sun in its progress from heaven to earth; to arrest, in mid course, the rains which were on their way to fertilize the ground; and if he had exerted a power so mighty for a purpose so disastrous, turning a fruitful world into barrenness, and destroying its entire population, to gratify some sordid interest; would not such a crime as this be too vast to be expressed in human language? What, then, shall we say of a religion which attempts to check the free course of that Truth which is the light and life of the immortal spirit; and, hence, is as much superior to the light of the sun as eternity is to time? God has spoken from heaven: the Roman-Catholic religion attempts to overpower the sound of His voice. God has given the Scriptures as an epistle from Himself to mankind: Romanism places a seal upon the Volume. God has commanded us to read: Romanism gives orders, "Read not." Thus does

Popery barricade, as it were, the very gate of Paradise. It says to God, Hitherto shalt Thou go; and no further. It would exclude the Deity from His own empire, and despoil man of his salvation.

Happy is it for Greece that she is not stained with guilt so gigantic. She neither insults the Deity, nor wrongs herself, by preventing the free use of the Scriptures. By receiving gladly the Word of God, the Greek Church has evinced that it has not linked itself eternally to error. It contains within itself the principle and means of reformation. It may almost be compared to the Ethiopian Eunuch who was engaged in studying the Sacred Records on his return from Jerusalem, to whom the Evangelist was sent to enlarge and correct his views. Who would not venture to expect the Divine blessing on a Church which has adopted such a line of conduct? Who would not venture to hope that here, also, the Divine Word shall prosper in the thing whereunto it is sent?

CHAP. X.

CIRCULATION OF TRACTS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS.

Character of Greek Religious Treatises-Works of the Fathers, in Manuscript, abundant in the Greek MonasteriesWritings of Koraï-Interview with him at Paris-Publications of Bambas-Welcome reception given to Tracts.

THE facilities afforded by the Press for communicating information have been employed, almost universally, in modern Missions. The Church Missionary Society, as well as other kindred Institutions, has availed itself of this advantage in the Mediterranean. It has had a printing-press in active operation, for some years, in the Island of Malta; and, under the superintendence of the Rev. W. Jowett, it has been the means of circulating a very large number of religious publications in various languages.

The Greeks have been in the utmost need of this species of instruction. Works which could give clear views of Christian doctrine have not

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existed amongst them; and the writings of a religious character, which were in use, were of the most superstitious kind. If an individual, under concern for his eternal interests, had recourse to the sermons, or Synaxaria (legends), or practical treatises, which might fall in his way, instead of discovering and embracing the consolatory truth, that Christ had suffered all that was necessary to atone for his sins, he was usually led to impose upon himself the most rigorous self-inflictions, and to depend, in a considerable degree, on his own sufferings for an entrance into eternal blessedness. I remember meeting with an individual, who, by the perusal of such works as these, had performed daily, for a course of years, thousands of "repentances;" had fasted in the most self-denying manner; had given away in alms the pecuniary means which he possessed; had practised many other mortifications; and, thus flattering himself that he had arrived at a high degree of sanctity, had actually attempted the performance of a miracle.

The best works of Divinity, which the Greeks have possessed, are the writings of the Fathers. Not only are printed editions to be found amongst them, but, in the monasteries, numerous manuscript copies of Chrysostom, Gregory, Basil,

Epiphanius, and others*. Sometimes they are beautiful specimens of penmanship, being usually written on vellum, and probably of the 14th or 15th centuries. Notwithstanding the successive calamities which have visited these lands, I cannot but suppose, from the very large number of these manuscripts which I have seen in various monasteries and heard of in others, that if any scientific traveller had time to examine them with care, valuable remains of antiquity might still be discovered.

But though the Greek monasteries are so abundantly possessed of the Divinity of the Fa thers, it is almost entirely useless to them. Very few of the monks can understand Hellenic; and though the name of "the divine Chrysostom" is frequently heard amongst them, I only recollect a single monastery where I found his writings the subject of study.

Other works, not indeed strictly Theological, but of a useful character, have for some time been published, and perused, by Modern Greeks. Amongst these, the writings of Koraï and Bambas are deservedly pre-eminent. They have been of great service in diffusing general information

They are known by the generic name Chrysostomics (Χρυσοστομικά.)