The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia
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of her heart, that herdaughter should adopt it; so that he had strong hopes, with such afoundation, of convincing her of its truth and beauty. He knew not,indeed, how powerful an advocate of his cause he had in Thaddeus. Hisonly hope, with regard to his countrymen at large, rested on the factthat Christianity had been at some period, however remote, the faith oftheir forefathers; that its emblem still remained venerated by them inthe land, and that they were imbued universally with a strong feeling ofrespect for their ancient customs. Its great opponent, Islamism, hadgained but a weak footing in their minds; and they were more likely toadopt a faith which they would consider better founded, if they could beconvinced that it was the belief of their ancestors, and that its verysymbols still existed among them.
Selem took Ina's hand, and walked some way in silence. At length hesaid--
"I have much to communicate to you, and may have but a short time forthe purpose; for I know not how soon I may be called upon to offer up myblood as a sacrifice to the liberties of our country; and gladly would Isuffer death if one so dear as you were to be benefited by it."
"Oh! talk not of death, dear Selem; the very thought breaks my heart,"cried Ina. "Have I but just found you to lose you? The noble spirit ofour father would sink beneath so great a blow."
"Do not grieve, dear sister! Thoughts of death will not bring thedreaded tyrant nearer; nor, if we persuade ourselves that he cannotreach us, will the vain hope shield us more securely from his unfailingdart. I spoke but as every warrior must feel, when he sees each day hisfriends cut down at his side; but it makes him not the less brave ordaring, though he knows that it may be his turn to fall the next. But Iwish not to die; and for your sake, my sister, may Heaven grant me along life, and reserve my humble efforts for our country's cause! But,Ina, the subject on which I would speak to you is not of death, but oflife. I bring you a message from our lost mother, which I have too longdelayed delivering. You, her unknown babe, whom she confided to mycare, if I could succeed in discovering you, were in her thoughts to thelast."
They had reached the cross before described, in the grove towards whichSelem now pointed.
"Know you, Ina, why, and by whom, yon cross was placed there?"
"I have scarce thought why," she answered. "Perchance by our fathers,before Allah and his prophet were known in our land."
"Yes, it was placed there by our fathers, doubtlessly," answered Selem;"but as a symbol of a pure and holy faith, from which their childrenhave widely departed. It is the symbol of a faith in which our motherdied, in which I was nurtured, and in which she charged me to instructyou."
"What!" cried Ina. "Are there more faiths than that which, a short timeago, all in the land believed and the faith of Mahomet--by which Ithought we could alone gain Paradise?"
"Indeed, Ina, there are many strange creeds in the world," answeredSelem; "but one only is pure and true. It was established long beforeMahomet promulgated his doctrines; and far, far different are its tenetsfrom his. He, indeed, took truth for the foundation of his religion,acknowledging the great, the immutable, all-powerful, all-seeing Being,whom our countrymen also worship with a belief in a hereafter. But onthat foundation, he built up a superstructure, composed of falsehoods asgross as they were improbable, forming his tenets to please the wildhordes over whom he sought to gain power. His aim was conquest. Hepromised a quick translation to the realms of bliss, to those who fellfighting for him; and his Paradise he pictured as the utmost enjoymentof sensual pleasures, such as his followers most prized on earth,awarding to you, the fairer portion of the human race, the same place ofabject subjection which he would make you submit to in this world. Toforward his great aim, personal aggrandisement, he preachedextermination to all who would not embrace his faith, or, in otherwords, obey his rule. He found that women did not assist him in hisaims; and he, therefore, pretended that they were formed to be theabject slaves of man's will.
"This, dear sister, is the religion which the Turks have sought tointroduce into our country; and already have its baneful effects beenfelt. Now mark the difference of the religion of the cross. Itinculcates peace and love to all men. It pictures a heaven of bliss,unutterable, free from all the base and sensual passions of this life,pure, eternal. It makes woman man's helpmate, his companion, hisadviser, his equal. It gives birth to all the nobler feelings of ournature. It purifies love, it sanctifies marriage, it exalts courage,and it produces friendship unselfish and firm."
"All! what a beautiful religion must that be, my brother!" cried Ina,her eyes beaming with fervour, and the colour of her cheeks heighteningwith animation. "I have often wondered that a Great Spirit, whom mencall just and good, should have formed one half of his people to be theslaves of the other; but now I see that it is not that He is unjust, butthat man has become usurping and bad. Oh! I can never again believethat Mahomet was a true prophet!"
"Ina, your words delight me," cried her brother. "I find my task almostaccomplished when you speak thus. Man is, indeed, wicked; and the GreatSpirit, seeing this, sent one from heaven to teach him a pure and holycode of morals. Christ so loved mankind, and grieved for their sins,that, notwithstanding his power, he allowed himself to be slain on thecross, by those whose wicked customs he came to overthrow. Hisworshippers have, therefore, made use of that sign to remind them of Himwho died for their sake; and in this very grove, on the spot on which wenow stand, have our fathers bowed the knee in adoration of thatbenignant Being."
"Oh, my brother," said Ina. "How I love to hear you speak thus, for Ifeel and know that your words are those of truth!"
"I believe them," answered Selem. "And much I wish that not only you,but that all our countrymen, would adopt the same creed. It would provea surer and more trusty bulwark against our foes than all foreign aid.Knowing our cause to be just, they would have a firmer trust in the Godof justice. It would make them cease from inflicting injuries on eachother; for it teaches us to treat others as we would ourselves betreated. It will enlighten and add firmness to their minds, for it willbanish superstition or dread of evil omens. It will give combinationand strength to their councils, for they will have confidence in eachother, being bound together in one brotherhood as they would be. Itwill enable them to bear reverses with fortitude; for they will considerthem as inflictions kindly sent from above as a punishment for theirsins; and it will temper victory with moderation, as a boon granted fromheaven to be received with thanksgivings and praise to the great Giver."
Ina was thoughtful for a few minutes. "But tell me, Selem," she said atlength, "how is it that the cruel Urus, from whom you have learnt thisreligion, act as they do? How is it that they attack our country,murdering and destroying those who have never done them any harm?"
"You have urged an objection, which I anticipated," replied Selem; "butit does not follow that a religion is false, because its _mere_professors do not act according to its injunctions. It has a far, veryfar, different influence on its true believers. The religion of thecross is not the less true, because men, calling themselves itsfollowers, are wicked. Among the Russians it has been so debased andaltered, so overwhelmed with superstition and priestcraft, that it hassunk into a contemptible and absurd idolatry. The gospel inculcates asimple, pure, and moral rule of life, easy to be understood andfollowed. Such, Ina, is the religion I would teach you, and in which Iwas myself instructed by a good and enlightened man, who had kept hisown mind free from the gross errors and superstition of those whosurrounded him. The injustice of this war, which the Russians arewaging against us, is indeed no argument against the religion I speakof; for it has too frequently happened, that men in power act in directopposition to its tenets. They send armies to ravage countries, destroycities, and commit atrocities of every kind, without the slightestcompunction; nor think themselves at all the worse worshippers of a mildand forgiving faith; each individual holding himself irresponsible forthe acts of the whole. Thus a people, who consider themselves the mostcivilised and religious in the world
, may be guilty of crimes to beequalled only by those perpetrated by the wildest hordes of barbarismwhen their interests or passions are excited."
In that calm retreat did the young Circassian Chief unfold to his fairsister the truths of his religion; and, as her artless mind began tocomprehend them, she clasped her hands with gratitude, that so beautifulan institution had been formed for the benefit of the human race.
"Oh my brother," she exclaimed, "little did I think, when my heart beatwith joy at your return, that you would also bring me so precious agift. What a new, what an extended view of happiness, you have openedto my thoughts! Oh, do not leave me, Selem, till you have taught me allI can learn, as I would not, for worlds, now lose that religion. Itseems like some