The cow has a long tongue, but she is not allowed to speak.
A golden bed will not relieve the sick.
Russian Bible Society. Dr. P. speaks in the highest terms of the Princess Sophia Mestchersky, who was among the first to encourage him to attempt, in 1811, the formation of a Bible Society in Moscow; which in two years was realized.
“From this commencement in 1813 till my leaving Russia, the princess had published ninety-three different pieces, amounting to upwards of 400,000 copies, on religious and moral subjects, which together form eight volumes, 8vo., and which were gratuitously distributed, or sold at low prices.”
Among these are the principal publications of the London Religious Tract Society.
A very favourable account of the religious character of the late emperor Alexander is given, chiefly from the communications of the illustrious princess above mentioned, and written by her at the time of his death.
The Russian Bible Society was founded in St. Petersburg, on the 23rd of January, 1813, and continued in full activity about twelve years under the patronage of Alexander. During the last three years of his reign, he was powerfully counteracted by a strong party formed among the principal nobility and clergy. There were, too, conspirators forming diabolical plans against the peace of the empire, who misrepresented to the government the character and labours of the friends of religion and of Bible Institutions, to turn away attention from themselves, and their own wicked revolutionary designs. But the mind of Alexander was not changed.
When Nicholas his brother came to the throne, the plots of the party above referred to were happily overthrown. But unhappily Seraphim, the metropolitan, with several other prelates, and one or two fanatical monks, had for some years entertained unfriendly feelings towards the Institution. The new emperor’s Ukaz was published in 1826.
It is gratifying, however, to find that on the 14th of March, 1831, a new Bible Society, exclusively for the Protestants in the Russian empire, was formed at St. Petersburg, with the sanction of the present emperor; and that the president is Prince Lieven, the minister for public instruction,
“A protestant nobleman of true piety, who laboured in the cause with indefatigable zeal, during the whole period of the existence of the national institution.”