Daily Kennebec journal., 1918-02-06
BoLSHEv|kI ORDER
SURRENDER OF ALL
CHURCH PROPERTY

Petrograd, Sunday, Feb. 3.-The So
Wet issued decree today signed Nick
OLAF Lenine and others of the de fac
to government absolutely separating
the church and the state. eliminating
church income from the state and con-
fiscating all church reality, furnishing
and paraphernalia.
Religious freedom is guaranteed SO
long as religious societies do not in
terfere with social order. limit the
rights Of individuals or hinder the re-
public. No religious scruples are TO
exempt persons from their duties as
citizens, Marriage ceremonies and
birth registrations are to be perform
ed by the civil authorities. Religious
teaching is abolished in state schools
and in private schools with a similar
curric ulum.
No state assistance will be given to
any church society or religious agent
No religious society will be permitted
to own any property, but will merely
be permitted to borrow it from the
state for church services.
Small parades Of prayerful members
Of the Orthodox church were held to.
day in protest against the seizure by
the Bolsheviki Of church property. The
largest parade centered at the Kazan
cathedral plaza. In this group which
was typical of all the others. bare
headed rrelates in full regalia and flow
ing robes. marched along the Nevsky
Prospect carrying crosses and sacred
images with laymen following them
chanting. None of the paraders were
molested.
The authorities of the Smolny In
stitute had scattered through the
streets proclamations declaring that
they had no intention of disturbing any
religious parade but previous rumors
to the effect that the democrations
would be dispersed by force evidently
curtailed their size.
In the Orthodox churches some ol
the priests laid strong emphasis on the
assertion that they did not object tt
the surrerdering Of church treasures
TO save Russia from a foreign enemy
hut urged the people to fight to the last
rather than surrender the holy images
to the custody of Jews. many of whom
they declared were holding most i'm
portant posts in the Smolney govern.
ment The protests in this respect as
sumed an antiSemitic character.
Metropolitan issues Anaihema
Because of the seizure of the Alex
andra Nevesky monastery in Petrograd
by the Bolsheviki and attacks on
church property elsewhere, taken in
conjunction with other circumstances
attending the latest revolution, the
Most Rev. DR.. Tikhon, patriarch of
all Russia and metropolitan of Mos
COW. issued Saturday at Moscow an
anathema threatening the participants
with communication and calling on
the faithful to defend the sacrednass
OF the church.
In connection with the seizure Of
Alexander Nevsky monastery, which
occurred Friday by order of Madame
kolontay, minister Of social welfare.
there was a riot and a sharp struggle.
in which the monks fought the Red
Guards. One monk named Stipetro.,
who was wounded, died today.
The clash Of the church with the
Bolsheviki government Is approaching
most acute stage. The patriarch
whose anathema is couched in the
strongest language also has demanded
from the military commission at Mchi-
lev the release of Archbishop Gommel
and other prelates and an explanati' n
of their arrest.
When the patriarch's advisers urged
him to revise his anathema so that
it would be less bitter against the Boil
sheviki he is reported to shave fatty
refused, declaring that he was ready
to carry it out to the death.
The anathema closes with an appeal
by the patriarch, through all church
prelates, calling upon all the parishes
to fight and suffer for the sanctity of
the church.
DR.. Tikhon has been head of the
Orthodox church virtually since the
overthrow of the emperor. Opposing
with his might, the plan of the Smolny
government to remodel the monastery
and the entire church system along
sociological rather than religious lines
he is expected to exert tremendous in
fiuence among the peasants and sol
diers, the great majority of whom are
Orthodox.