Page images
PDF
EPUB

"WHICH THINGS ARE AN ALLEGORY."

Ατινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα.

CROSS the dark and wintry deep

Methought I heard the storm-winds sweep,

The wares to fury lashing:

Upon the rugged, rock-bound shore
Methought, with unibated roar,
I heard the billows dashing.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

!

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

Medmenham.

A precious freight that vessel bears,
Not merchandize of costly wares,-
If that were all her store,
Would they not simply let her drive
Contented should they but survive
To reach the wished-for shore?

But there are souls of dying men,
Dying to live or die again,

To dwell in hell or heaven;
And there are treasures, manifold
More worth than jewels, gems or gold,
Into her keeping given.

Food is there for immortal souls,
With holy symbols, sacred scrolls,
And records writ in blood;
Memorials of the good and brave,
Who, spite of threatening wind and wave,
True to their colours stood.

She keeps them still all safely stored,
Some would have cast them overboard
In dastard fear, or hope

How vain! that lightened once of these
With angry winds and surging seas
The ship would better cope.

O where is He who walked the wave
Of old, a foundering bark to save
And bring it safe to land!

Could we but once discern that Form,

Soon should we see proud winds and storm

Die down at His command.

Not yet! She nears, she strikes the rock;.
I hear the thunder of the shock,

And see-she parts in twain!
The foreship sticks as in a vice,
The stem breaks up, and in a trice
The fragments strew the main!

Dear God! a wondrous sight to see-
Of all the souls that manfully

Kept in that ship their post,
Not one but safely wins the shore,
Terror and toil and peril o'er,

Nor life nor treasure lost!

F. W. H.

*“

[merged small][graphic][merged small]

HE Russian churches, according to Oriental usage, are generally of the form of a Greek cross, but are often simply square or oblong buildings, with or without aisles. In towns they are commonly built of stone or brick, and are large and decorated buildings surmounted by at least one dome and often by five, one in the centre and one in each corner. In the country they are mostly constructed of timber-that being the usual material for house-building in Russia; but even then they are ornamented to a greater or lesser extent, according to the means the parish has at its disposal. As the congregation always stands during the service, less room is required than in our churches, and on this account the Russian churches are generally smaller than our own often apparently too small, for many

poor people remain without in the porch for lack of room within.

2

The church consists generally of three spacious porches at the west end and sides of the nave, or cruciform area, and of the sanctuary, or altar, which occupies the eastern limb of the cross, or the whole of the apsis, as the case may be. This part of the church is separated from the place where the congregation assemble by a tall screen, called Iconostasis, always richly ornamented with painting, gilding, and other decorations, which is pierced with three doors-one in the centre, called the royal door or gate, and one on either side, called respectively the deacon's and the sub-deacon's door. The central door is the most highly decorated of the three, and has a silk or woollen curtain behind it, which is drawn close at certain parts of

« PreviousContinue »