The San Francisco call., 1905-05-01
Comforting of Religious Free
dom by the Gar Is
the Most Forward Stride
Since the Emancipation
ABSOLUTE LIBERTY
GRANTED ALL SECTS
Complete Reversal of the
Policy of Seeking a Ma
tional Unity by Enforc-
ing the Orthodox Doctrines

ST. PETERSBURG, May l. 2:20 a. m.
Real religious freedom conferred upon
his subjects by Emperor Nicholas as an
Easter gift as a historic event of the
highest significance, in comparison
with which the remission of millions OF
dollars of taxes to the peasantry, long
list of decorations and six pages of pro-
motions OF bureaucratic officials are
hardly worth comment.
Liberty of conscience has been re-
peatedly proclaimed, and Procurator
Pcbedonotzeff, in his famous reply to
the evangelical petition of 1888, con-
tended that it existed in the empire
The fact is that as trysting place all
religions have been tolerated in Russia,
but none have been allowed TO treSpaSs
upon the orthodox faith as enunciated
from the mosque that faces the church
on the Nevski in ST. Petersburg. Peo-
pie were free TO remain true to the re-
ligion of their fathers, but were forbid
den to make proselytes. Everybody
might enter, but none might leave the
orthodox church without forfeiting all
civil rights, including the right to in
herit crown property. In the train OF
that policy prosecutions of every con-
ceivable character were directed
against the Raskolniki, or dissident
VARIETY OF HERESIES.
Among the Raskolniki are numbered
a thousand and one queer and rustic
heresies bred of the great schism
caused by reform of the ancient liturgy
and augmented by the suppression of
the patriafchate by Peter the Great.
The old believers, who clung to the old
liturgy and made the sign of the cross
with three fingers instead of two, were
broken up into numerous sects, some
discarding priests and sacraments, and
some trending toward free love and inn
moral practices, while others instituted
an episcopate and priesthood of their
own and dealt with all innovations
from the West as innovations of the
Anti Christ, eschewing tea, coffee and
sugar and considering shaving wicked.
These latter survived countless perse-
cutions for years without legal recogni-
ton of marriages conducted by their
priests, but. nevertheless, became COM
5nefeialx the ahlest class in Russia
Morality and wealth were the secrets
0f their strength his branch of the
OLD believers IrriueaS merchant princes
~ MoEgoE elvaling those of America,
eut they Aege reVer ceased to be- re-
garaea as apostateH from the orthodox
church and hare BEEN subjected to all
svats 0f jagal prosecutions as such.
The humber dissenters have had a
rsuch harder gtrse, being hunted down
until secretly they gave rise to horde
of strange sects. One preached re-
demption by suicide and fiery or
bloody baptism; others worshiped
images of Napoleon as the Messiah,
believing that he escaped to Siberia
and would return some day and estab-
lish reign of justice anu peace, and
still others, like the Flagellants,
Eunuchs, Jumpers and Adamites. in
dulged in most licenticus rites.
ALIEN FAITHS INCLUDED.
The Emperor's act will also affect
about 40,000,000 belonging to alien
Lutherans of Poland and the Baltic
provinces, the Protestants of Finland
and the followers of Islam and Buddha
in the Urals, the Crimea, the Caucasus,
Turkestan and Central Asia.
These figures are only approximate,
as probably millions who are nofninally
orthodox secretly profess other reli-
gions. Whole villages OF Mussulmans
baptized into the othodox communion
by ruse, petition in vain to be per-
mitted to retlrn to Mohammedanism.
While the Emperor's approval Of
the action of the committee of the
mlIiiSleTS QlSllDCt1y uOlOS TO OTInO-
doxy as the state religion and creates
the usual commission to work out
many details in connection with the
offspring of mixed marriages during
minority, legitimatization Of marriages
and registration of deaths and births,
II also rescinds number of acts
aimed specifically at various religions
and establishes the principle of abso-
lutte freedom Of worship and the right
Of every Russian who becomes of age
10 change his confession of faith, in
which the assurance of religious free
dom lies. 1t also contemplates relief
OF Catholics and Poles from the pres-
ent vexatious restrictions as to preach
ing the cathechism, the Russian lam
gauge, etc.
Logically the Emperor's action In
wolves complete reversal Of the Rus
sian policy Of seeking national unity
In conquered provinces In religious
unity. He has accepted the axiom Of
the Metropolitan Antonious.:
You cannot hold strange children
in the church against their will"