Leo Tolstoy

“ In the periodical absolution of sins at Confession I see a harmful deception, which only encourages im- morality and causes men not to fear to sin.
Both in Extreme Unction and in Anointing I see methods of gross sorcery — as in the worship of icons and relics, and as in all the rites, prayers and exorcisms which fill the Prayer-Book. In the Sacrament I see a deification of the flesh, and a perversion of Christian teaching. ”

“ REPLY TO THE SYNOD'S EDICT 287
that from which^ with such suffering, I have escaped, than a flying bird can re-enter the eggshell from which it has emerged.
' He who begins by loving Christianity better than truth, will proceed by loving his own sect or church better than Christianity, and end in loving himself (his own peace) better than all,' said Coleridge.
I travelled the contrary way. I began by loving my Orthodox faith more than my peace, then I loved Christianity more than my Church, and now I love truth more than anything in the world. ”

“ What is most terrible is that people to whom it is profitable, not only deceive adults, but (having power to do so) deceive children also — those very children con- cerning whom Jesus pronounced woe on him who de- ceives them. It is terrible that these people for such petty advantages do such fearful harm, by hiding from men the truth that was revealed by Jesus, and that gives blessings such as are not counterbalanced even to the extent of a one-thousandth part by the advantages these men secure for themselves. ”

“ I believe that to obtain pro- gress in love there is only one means : prayer — not public prayer in churches, plainly forbidden by Jesus,* but private prayer, like the sample given us by Jesus, consisting of the renewing and strengthening, in our own consciousness, of the meaning of our life and of our complete dependence on the will of God. ”

“ God, love ; the only God — the Source of all, — 1 not only do not deny, but 1 attribute real existence to God alone, and 1 see the whole meaning of life only in fulfilling his will, which is expressed in the Christian teaching. ”

“ They behave like a robber who killed a whole family of five or six people to carry off an old coat and tenpence in money. They would willingly have given him all their clothes and all their money not to be killed ”

“ Were he to come now, and see what is done in his name in church, he would surely, with yet greater and most just anger, throw out all these horrible altar- cloths,* lances, crosses, and cups and candles and icons and all the things wherewith the priests — carrying on their sorcery — hide God and his truth from mankind.
So that is what is true and what is untrue in the Synod's Edict about me. I certainly do not believe in what they say they believe in. But I believe in much they wish to persuade people that I dis- believe in. ”

“ They undertake to teach us to understand the per- sonality of Christ, but his teaching, which destroys evil in the world, and blesses men so simply, easily, and undoubtedly, if only they do not pervert it, is all hidden, is all transformed into a gross sorcery of wash- ings, smearing with oil, gestures, exorcisms, eating of bits of bread, etc., so that of the true teaching nothing remains. ”

“ So it is with the religious deceivers. It would be worth while keeping them ten times better, and letting them live in the greatest luxury, if only they would refrain from ruining men with their deceptions. ”

“ That a child in case of death should go to Paradise, one has to know how to oil him and how to immerse him while pronouncing certain words ; in order that after child-birth a mother may cease to be unclean, certain incantations have to be pronounced ”

“ If they call the exposure of their imposture ' blasphemy/ that only shows the strength of their deception, and should increase the efforts to destroy this deception_, made by those who believe in God and in Christ's teaching, and who see that this deception hides the true God from men's sight. ”