III. THE LONGER CATECHISM OF THE ORTHODOX, CATHOLIC, EASTERN CHURCH.

Examined and Approved by the Most Holy Governing Synod, and Published for the Use of Schools, and of all Orthodox Christians, by Order of His Imperial Majesty. (Moscow, at the Synodical Press, 1830.)

[The large Russian Catechism of Philaret, approved by the holy Synod (although omitted by Kimmel in his Collection, and barely mentioned by Gass in his Greek Symbolics), is now the most authoritative doctrinal standard of the orthodox Græco-Russian Church, and has practically superseded the older Catechism, or Orthodox Confession of Mogila. Originally composed in Slavono-Russian, it was by authority translated into several languages. We have before us a Russian edition (Moscow, 1869), a Greek edition ( Χριστιανικὴ κατ᾿ ἔκτασιν κατήχησις τῆς ὀρϑοδόξου, καϑολικῆς καὶ ἀνατοικῆς ἐκκλησίας , Odessa, 1848), and a German edition (Ausführlicher christlicher Katechismus der orthodox-katholischen orientalischen Kirche, St. Petersburg, 1850).

The English translation here given was prepared by the Rev. R. W. Blackmore, B.A., formerly chaplain to the Russia Company in Kronstadt, and published at Aberdeen, 1845, in the work The Doctrine of the Russian Church. On comparing it with the authorized Greek and German translations, we found it faithful aud idiomatic. The numbering of Questions, and the difference in type of Questions and Answers, are ours. In all other editions we have seen, the Questions are not numbered. As this Catechism has never before appeared in America, we thought it best to give it in full, although the Introduction and the First Part would be sufficient for this collection of doctrinal symbols. Comp. Vol. I. § 19, pp. 68–73.]