Jew

and Turk alike are leagued with the more powerful ecclesiastics, in intrigues for dismi ing and retaining holders of sacred offices— poor ignorant men concerned only in earning their daily bread by endle services and visitations, for which they receive fees, fining their flocks for non-attendance, and other sins. They frighten them with threats of excommunication, social ostracism, and hell fire, much: us the Roman clergy also do. he church service, as far as the laity are concerned, consists in listening and looking on, lighting candles, and repeating again and again “Have mercy, Lord, have mercy ”— often emphasised by striking the head on the church flagstones so violently as to be heard from far off. The liturgy is in a language which even priests no longer understand; and the reading of saintly legends takes the place of any attempt to educate the ignorant, who are kept on their knees before pictures, and relics, for 226 days in the year. The churches are full of untold wealth, in the usele forms of jewelled lamps and vestments, and pictures overlaid with gold. At least 200 millions sterling is annually subscribed by the laity, to support this system, yet the Greek priests are both hated and despised. Green. This is the color of youth, spring, and verdure (see Colors). The mysterious “el Khudr” (the “green one”) was sent (according to Moslem legends) to fetch the Water of Life from Paradise, by Dhu-el-Karnein (“he of the two horns”), or Alexander the Great. After much toil he found the “ Fount of Youth” in the “Land of Darkne ,” and drank some of it. But the fountain disappeared for ever, leaving el Khudr immortal and—according to the Koran—a friend of Moslems. So also Varuna, lord of rainy skies in the Veda, rides a green crocodile; Surya the sun has green attendants, and rides a green peacock. Nearly all the Saktis—or female counterparts of the gods—are colored green (see Mr Rodriquez, Hindu Pantheon, 1841-1845, colored plates), Kama the love god is green, and shoots arrows at Siva and at his green consort. 200