But, again, this is no theological disquisition.
Witnessing, however, as I said above, in your own kingdom, the daily
increasing influence of the Roman See, you can surely understand how
legitimately jealous we must be of the same influence extending within the
precincts of our sheepfold. And, therefore, not only is our faith to be
preserved unmolested, but the saving deed is to be done by _us_, and not
through the agency of English and French ambassadors or fleets, to be
achieved in the name of the faith we profess in common with our Greek
brethren, and by no means stipulated in the name of universal freedom of
thought. I think I have said enough to prove the vital and cordial
interest which Russia cannot but take in the cause of her own church, and
of those who profess it in Turkey, and the paramount necessity she is
under of making that cause her own."--(P. 12, _et seq._)

If the Russian author is so anxious to convert the British Protestants to
the Graeco-Russian, or, as he calls her, "Graeco-Catholic" Church, he may
translate her controversial works into English, and build places of
worship where image-kissing, prostration, incense, and holy water, may be
exhibited for the edification of the British heretics, _ad libitum_.
Nobody will interfere with their ceremonies, not even with their
preachings against Protestantism, because its disciples in Great Britain
are satisfied with defending their religion by spiritual weapons, and do
not resort to material arms, except in repressing either public or private
acts of violence. As regards the dogmatic pre-eminence of his church over
that of Rome,--her rejection of the "_anti-apostolic double procession of
the Holy Ghost_,"--which has been, I think, retained by the English Church,
&c., I leave this subject to the decision of theologians, but shall only
observe that the worship of images, relics, and other pagan practices,
which I have described in this chapter, do not prove much in favour of the
_purity of her tradition_. I would also ask whether it is in accordance
with this tradition that the Russian clergy, notwithstanding all their
claims to apostolic succession, are governed by the Czar, who sometimes
delegates for this purpose a colonel of hussars,(125) which office, I
believe, was never known, even in the most militant of churches? It has
been, indeed, well said by the Marquis de Custine, that the Russian clergy
are but an army wearing regimentals somewhat different f