Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-08-30
RUSSIAN CHURCH FREED FROM HOLD
 0f AUT0CRACY
General Convention Opens Session With Enormous
 Possibilities.

doIllHSC COIl, AuS. 1C.-- w OIlu-W Wluc interest may be expected to follow the
 proceeding of the general conven- tion or ecumenical council of the Rus so- Greek Orthodox church, which has been called to assemble today in Mos cow. The meeting will be the first of its kind since Peter the Great. hav- ing abolished the patriarchate, forced the church under the control of the autocracy.
 In no country of the world are church and state so intimately bound up with one another as was the case in Russia before the recent revolu- tion. The holy synod, with mem- bership comprising the metropolitans, archbishops and other high prelates of the Orthodox church, leavened by a sprinkling of laymen appointed by the czar on the nomination of the procurate, was the highest and most august body of the state, enjoying precedence even over the council of the empire. The holy synod, while in com plete control of the church. was in itself under the direct authority of the procurator general, who in turn was the the personal representative of the czar.
 Naturally, under the new regime in Russia, there is bound to be com- plete reorganization of the Orthodox church, with view to placing it's con- trol in the hands of the people. It IS not this phase of the Moscow con- gress, however, that is of most inter- est and concern outside of Russia. The interest in other countries centers in the probable effect that the action of the congress and the reorganization of the Russian church may have on the great project for church unity.
 Those who know conditions explain this keen interest by saying that un- der the leadership of Rev. Dr. Will liam T. Manning, rector of Trinity church, New York city, the Protestant Episcopal church in the United States has, beginning with it's action in 1910, led the Church of England and the whole Anglican communion in plans for church unity throughout the world.
 Into these plans have come almost the entire Christian population, with the exception of the Roman Catholic church. One of the two bodies which the Anglicans most wish to come into close relations with is the Russo Greek Orthodox church. So long as conditions continued as they were un- der the Russian autocracy there ex- isted little possibility of securing the cooperation of the Russian church in any plan for world unity. Now, under the changed conditions, the leaders of the movement in America and Eng land entertain strong hopes that this may be secured.
 The Russian church is one of many branches of the Eastern Orthodox Catholic church. Separating from the church in the west many centuries ago, it has continued ever since in efforts to widen the breach. In organization the two branches are as far apart as any of the Protestant denominations.
 The church of Russia is limited to that country, save that the Exarch of Georgia is ex-officio a member of the holy synod, together with the three Georgia bishops. The membership of the church embraces virtually the en- tire population of Russia with the ex- ception of the Jewish element.
 Some fear has been expressed that tllc CHuICA, IuIouSl CllC MOoSoW SoH- gress. may go too far in the exercise of it's newlyfound freedom. From ex- treme conservatism to extreme liber- alism is an easy step in ecclesiastical affairs, as the past history of church has shown. The proposal for the recognition of women, permit ting them voice and vote, is step far in advance of any taken by some of the most liberal of the Protestant 
 It is for these reasons that the pro- :eedings of the Moscow congress will with closest attention the world over. The feeling is universal that the decision of the congress may make or unmake Christian history of the whole world during the next few years.