The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-08
RUSSIAN CONVENTION HERE
or THE SOCIETY WHICH rs HELP
ING TO EXTEND THE CHURCH.
II Now Has - Brotherh00ds With Total
Membership Of 7,OOO-Is Joint Re-
IigiOus and Beneft Organization
--Alaskan Bishop Arrives to Preside.

Bishop Tychon of Alaska, the head Of the
Russian Church on this continent, arrived
in this city yesterday for a stay of more
than week, during which he will attend
the national convention Of the Pravos-
lavnoje Obshtest two Vzaimopomoshti That
is the real name Of the Greek Orthodox
Mutual Benefit Society Of the United States.
The convention will meet or Saturday
in the picturesque Russian church at East
Ninety-seventh street and Madison avenue,
and will remain in session five days. About
100 delegates, representing hfty-three
brotherhoods with total membership
of 2OOo are expected to take part in it,
They will come from score of different
States, from Washington in the far West
TO New York. A majority will be from
Pennsylvania. in which State the society
has twenty-one subordinate branches or
brotherhoods each connected with sepa-
rate church.
Special services in honor Of Holy Nicolas
the Wonder-Worker, the patron saint OF
the society. will be held on Sunday Bishop
Tychon will offfcate and he will be assisted
by dozen prominent Russian priests.
Shortly after the adjournment of the con-
vention the Bishop will leave for Russia
to take part in the ceremQnies attending
the canonization of a new Russian saint
which is to occur this summer.
The society was formed in 1895 with the
double purpose Of working for the extension
Of the Russian Church especially among
the Slavonic people in this country, and
to establish a mutual benefit organization
for the members of The Church. Bishop
Nicolas. who was then head of the Russian
Church in this country, was one of the most
enthusiastic advocates of the new society
and lGbored hard for its organization. He
was seconded by the Rev. A. Hotovitzky
of the Russian Church in this city, who
drew up the statutes governing the society.
strong reason why the leading men of
the Russian Church wanted to have the
society started was that they recognized
the necessity Of offering substitute to the
come accustomed to the benefits of similar
organizations within the Roman Catholic
Church.
The Russian Church is young in this
country. outside Of Alas ka. There was
hardly congregation to be found prior
to 1858. At that time there were a NUM-
Der OF Slavonic churches. but these had all
placed Themselves under the jur' diction
Of the Roman Catholic Church. A quarrel
chreh at snd Bhop
Ireland of Minnesota led the former 10
secede, together with his entire congrega-
ton. from tho Roman Catholic Church.
He made pilgrimage to San Francisco.
where Bishop Nicolas of Alas ka resided,
and persuaded him to recognize the So
ceding congregation az a part of the Ortho-
don Church of Russia Since then tie
Ru, ian Church has been steadily growing
In this country.
Members hip in the society is open to
every man of age who is member of the
Rui i'm Church in coed standing. II gives
its members 81 n week in case OF sickne' s.
When a member dies his widow gets 5000,
and a member who loses his wife gets $500.
The sick benefits are paid by the local
brotherhoods, but the insurance is paid
by the nationnl society.
The Bishop Of Alaska ia always honorary
president OF the society. Its president
and real head is elected by the annual
convention. The present president Is the
Rev. Ivan Kotchurof Of the Russian Church
Of Chicago. The local brother hoods. or
extent, their system OF organization con-
forming closely to that Of the, ordinary
secret benefit society. Each such brother
hood ia named after some patron saint
or sacred event.
The New York organization. which has
membership Of nearly one hundred,
is called the Bratsvo Roshdestva Presviatia
Bogoroditz. That means the Brother
hood of the Birth Of the Holy Virgin. 1t
will send as delegates to the impending
convention Mr.. Poliansky. who represents
the Slavonic part of the congregation.
and Vassili Andrejevitch Ebell, as repre-
sentative OF the pure Russian element.