The national Priesthood constituted an important means of resistance

What intestine commotions this produced may be gathered from an event which decided the fate of Montenegro. The metropolitan of Montenegro, Daniel (of the house of Petrowich, and the tribe of Xjegushi) who had been ordained by the emigrated patriarch, Arseni Czernowich, had no sooner ventured to leave his own district than lie was taken prisoner by the Turks, and was liberated only on paying a heavy ransom. Islamism, under the patronage of the government, had already made its way into Montenegro; and Daniel, that at all events he might be free from it in his own diocese, prevailed upon the Christians of that territory to rid themselves, by violence, of their Mahometan brethren.

Accordingly, all who did not turn Christians, or secure their safety by flight, were, on an appointed day, suddenly seized and put to death. The fact cannot be disguised, that by no other means could the Greek Christian faitli have been there maintained unmolested. The Dishop, who had ever possessed the right of nominating his successor during his lifetime (as in that country the dignity of Priests and Archpriests was hereditary), became from that time the head of his nation.

On the advance of the Austrians in 1737 , the Albanians and Servians once more rose in great numbers: their force amounting, it is said, to 20,000; but they were met by the Turks, near the Kolubara, and their entire host slaughtered.

But causes existed, independently of these wars (as appeared afterwards), to produce an entire national defection from the ecclesiastical rule.

An impostor, assuming to be Peter 111., succeeded in gaining credit to his pretensions in Montenegro; and obtained an authority, which extended itself far into the Turkish dominions. He was acknowledged by several bishops; and the then Patriarch of the Servian Church at Ipek, sent [ him a valuable horse as a gift of honour. Upon this the Viziers of Bosnia and Koumelia took the field against him, and succeeded in restricting: his authority to Montenegro ; whither the Patriarch of Ipek was himself compelled to flee for safety.

These events determined the Porte not to suffer the election of another Servian Patriarch. The

dignity was united with that of the Patriarch at Constantinople, over which the Porte exercised undisputed power.* Greek Bishops were in con-sequence placed over the Servian Church.

This proved a heavy blow for the nation. With the independence of the Church, the people were deprived of their last remaining share in the conduct of public affairs; which itself had been in some measure instrumental in advancing civilization. They now for the first time found themselves wholly subject to the Turkish Government at Constantinople.