Then, one of the Brothers, who had been appointed to do so, took a pair of scissors, which were lying on the Gospels, and delivered them to the novice. Then the novice handed them back. This was done thrice. When on the third occasion the monk received the scissors from the hand of the novice, he cut off a small portion of the hair over the novice’s forehead, in the name of the Holy Trinity, as a token that therewith all carnal lusts are abolished, saying as he did so: ‘Never forget Whom it is that thou art now espousing, to Whom it is that thou art going, and what it is that thou art forsaking.’ While the assembled monks were softly singing ‘Gospodi pomilui,’ ‘God have mercy,’ the Superior invested the new Brother with the monastic habit, of which each separate article, habit, girdle, hood, and sandals, has its own symbolical meaning. Each time that the Superior placed on him a fresh portion of the habit, he turned to the brothers and said: ‘Let us pray for him. Lord have mercy.’ As soon as he had completely invested him, he repeated a prayer, in which he implored the Lord that He would ‘Lead this Thy servant into Thy spiritual house, receive him into Thy flock, and purify his soul from all carnal affections, and ever put him in remembrance of the blessing and heavenly joy which awaits the elect of God, and all them who, in the life of the monastery, have crucified the flesh for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake.’ Then the Superior and the assembled Brothers and the novice together sang a beautiful old Russian hymn: ‘Tossed on the stormy billows of life, I flee to this haven of rest; Lord, let me here find peace, and balm for the wounds of my heart. With my tears, O Lord, I will wash away the evil tale of my misdeeds, And my life henceforth shall be vowed to Thee, in penance and humble prayer; But the fiend will come to entice and deceive my wavering soul; Lord, help me then with Thy might, that I may not yield to his wiles. I am a sheep of Thy flock, O Lord; unto Thee do I flee for refuge. Though a wanderer, let me come to Thee; O God, have mercy upon me.’ Portions were next read from the Epistle to the Ephesians (vi. 10–17) and from the Gospel according to St. Matthew (x. 37, 38; and xi. 28–30). Then, during the recital of a prayer, the Prior laid a cross on the novice’s chest and shoulders, and called upon him to bear in mind the words of Christ (St. Matt. x. 38). He handed him a lighted taper, and with this in his hand he was to stand before the picture of Christ, until the administration of the Holy Communion. When he handed him this taper, he said, ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven’ (St. Matt. v. 16).