In civil commotions of this kind occurring in any of the ancient

non-Protestant countries in Europe, it is always a question of the utmost

moment which side the Church and the clergy espouse. It is true that the

Church and the clergy do not fight themselves, and so do not add any

thing to the physical strength of the party which they befriend, but they

add enormously to its moral strength, that is, to its confidence and

courage. Men have a sort of instinctive respect and fear for constituted

authorities of any kind, and, though often willing to plot against them,

are still very apt to falter and fall back when the time comes for the

actual collision. The feeling that, after all, they are in the wrong in

fighting against the government of their country, weakens them extremely,

and makes them ready to abandon the struggle in panic and dismay on the

first unfavorable turn of fortune. But if they have the Church and the

clergy on their side, this state of things is quite changed. The

sanction of religion--the thought that they are fighting in the cause of

God and of duty, nerves their arms, and gives them that confidence in the

result which is almost essential to victory.

It was so in this case. There was no class in the community more opposed

to the Czar's proposed improvements and reforms than the Church. Indeed,

it is always so. The Church and the clergy are always found in these

countries on the side of opposition to progress and improvement. It is

not that they are really opposed to improvement itself for its own sake,

but that they are so afraid of change. They call themselves

Conservatives, and wish to preserve every thing as it is. They hate the

process of pulling down. Now, if a thing is good, it is better, of

course, to preserve it; but, on the other hand, if it is bad, it is

better that it should be pulled down. When, therefore, you are asked

whether you are a Conservative or not, reply that that depends upon the

character of the institution or the usage which is attacked. If it is

good, let it stand. If it is bad, let it be destroyed.

In the case of Peter's proposed improvements and reforms the Church and

the clergy were Conservatives of the most determined character. Of

course, the plotters of the conspiracy in Moscow were in communication

with the patriarch and the leading ecclesiastics in forming their plans;

and in arranging for the marching of the Guards to the capital they took

care to have priests with them to encourage them in the movement, and to

assure them that in opposing the present government and restoring Sophia

to power they were serving the cause of God and religion by promoting the

expulsion from the country of the infidel foreigners that were coming in

in such numbers, and subverting all the good old usages and customs of

the realm.

It was this sympathy on the part of the clergy which gave the officers

and soldiers of the Guards their courage and confidence in daring to

persist in their march to Moscow in defiance of the army of General

Gordon, brought out to oppose them.

The two armies approached each other. General Gordon, as is usual in

such cases, ordered a battery of artillery which he had brought up in the

road before the Guards to fire, but he directed that the guns should be

pointed so high that the balls should go over the heads of the enemy.

His object was to intimidate them. But the effect was the contrary. The

priests, who had come into the army of the insurgents to encourage them