Q. Do you invite people to come to your preaching, or do they come of their own accord?
A. In general they come of their own accord. If any ask me if it is permitted to them to come, I always tell them that my house is open, and any one who wishes is free to come. When I first commenced this service, in the time of Capodistria, I invited his particular friend, old Mr. Konstantas, and others.
Q. Our questions relate principally to the last two years.
A. During that time, and since the great opposition to my preaching commenced, I have been particularly careful, in general, to avoid inviting people.
Q. You are accused of having, this year and the last, expressed things to the offense of others, and of having expressed principles, sentiments, and opinions, which attack in general the foundations of religion, and are otherwise injurious. Have you anything to say by way of defense?
A. What religion is meant? If it be that of Mohammed, I may be guilty.
Q. The religion of the Oriental Orthodox Church?
A. I have already said that my preaching consists in teaching what is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, that is, the Word of God, which all the most distinguished early Fathers in the Eastern Church, especially Chrysostom and Athanasius, declared to be the only school of godliness, the fountain at which all Christians ought to drink; and if the Eastern Church acknowledges these sacred Scriptures as the foundations of its religion, I cannot be guilty of the charge, for I have said nothing against those bases. As to the superstructure, what has at various times been built up on these foundations, I have nothing to say at this time. That is quite another question, and one which the accusation does not touch. But against the foundations themselves, as already explained, I can have said nothing, because I preach that Word, which contains them. And besides, I consider it a sin for any one to preach anything of his own, and that it is the duty of every one to preach only what is contained in the Word of God."
The judge then said, "The examination is ended."1
1 Missionary Herald, 1851, p. 268.