were said, petition and response, by all five standing
before the screen, after which the four old men, with rough and rugged
faces, shaggy hair, and wide flowing beards, closed up together, and, as
they stood back to back, the priest placed the beautifully-bound copy of
the Gospels upon their heads and began to read. The rough faces seemed
at once to change their whole expression: their blue eyes sparkled, and
there appeared that light upon every countenance which "never was on sea
or land," or anywhere else except upon the face of one who is in
communion with God. My thoughts went back to the story of Moses as he
came down from Sinai, and veiled his face as he spoke to the people,
lest they should find there that which they could neither bear to see or
understand. One's thoughts are always going back to scriptural scenes
and descriptions when amongst the Russian peasantry.

[Illustration: _S. Isaac's Cathedral, Petrograd._]

FOOTNOTES:

[6] Published by T. Fisher Unwin, Paternoster Square.

CHAPTER V

RELIGIOUS LIFE AND WORSHIP

It is well sometimes to define our terms and phrases, and it is
absolutely necessary in this case. What is it that we mean when we speak
of the religious life of a people, Christian and non-Christian alike?
Our soldiers have been fighting shoulder to shoulder with Hindoos and
Mohammedans, whose British commander, on the eve of their first battle,
addressed them in words which ought to be long remembered by those who
are working and praying for the hastening of GOD's kingdom, appealing to
their faith, and reminding them that prayers were ascending from Mosque
and from Temple to the GOD of all, on their behalf.

The Hindoos and Moslems have their religious life as well as ourselves.
And it behoves us of the Christian Church, especially when such stirring
words can be addressed to two Eastern peoples, so widely different in
their creeds, to remind them that their prayers are going up to the same
"GOD of all," to look very earnestly and sympathetically at the
religious life and worship of all the different Churches which make up
the "Mystical Body of CHRIST and the blessed company of all faithful
people."

It is along that way and that alone--the affectionate, respectful, and
sympathetic interest in the religious life and worship of those who
differ from us and those not in communion with us, that unity lies, and
I feel sure there is no other. The religious life of a man, or peop