The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1921-06-29
Nv. The Russian Church and Russian
Public Opinion OH the Protocols.

The first two editions of the Pro-
| tocols passed almost unnoticed in
| Russia. In fact, only one newspaper
1 reviewed the books. The Theological
reviews did not even mention them,
| and II is doubtful whether they knew
| of their existence since the edition
was a small one and was bought by
very few people. Most OF the authori-
ties of the Russian Church with whom
/ spoke concerning Minis and his
work had n very poor opinion of Nilus
whom they regarded as crazed fana-
| tic. In 1911, Nilus addressed n let
ter TO the patriarchs of the Orient,
to the Holy Synod. and to the Pope,
asking them to call together the Sth
| Oecumenical Council in order to take
measures to protect Christianity
against the coming of the Antichrist.
At the same time Nilus preached this
doctrine of preparedness to the monks
at Optina. The monastic peace was
so troubled by Nilus that the au-
thorities asked him never again to APP
pear at the cloister.
The first Indications of public in
terest in the Protocols became appar-
cnt In 1918. A new edition of the
| Protocols was published by Ismailoff.
a Moscow lawyer. The Sentinel. II
publication marked for its constant
pogrom agitation, was advertising the
new edition. In February 1919, how
ever, the Diet of the Don ordered the
suppression of this publication. The
center of anti-semitic propaganda
was then transferred to Rostoff, the
| seat of the Department of Propaganda
for the army of General Denikinc.
From Rostoff the Protocols We're sent
| cut in great numbers and distributed
among the units of the volunteers and
among the Cossack troops at Kouban.
! They served as fuel to " violent agi-
tation in favor of pogroms and brought
lurid and pernicious results. This
propaganda tlemoraliZed the troops
! and gave them justification for the
| pillagcs which were n cause of their.
eventual defeat. A circular against
this propaganda was Sent to all the
chaplains at the front ~ Archpriest
| George Schavclsky head of the mill
| tary clergy, but the effects of this
circular were paralyzed ny the atti-
| tude of the commanding officers.
| During the summer of 1918 Malak.
! hoff formerly professor at the Mos
cow Academy arrived at Rostoff and
| began violent tiSemitic agitation
based on the ProtoCo.s. Iha Pro
tocols were of special Importance in
the pogroms in the Ukraine. One of
my friends Colonel Dzougaeff, told me
| in Kiev during the fighting between
! the Hoffman Skoropadsky and Pet
lioura. He escaped in disguise but
was later arrested by the soldiers of
Petlioura who mistOok him for II jew
and wished to shoot him. One of the
chiefs whom he asked the reason for
this said you wish to give us n king
with head of gold. So it was stated
at the sessions of your Wise Men of
Zion" 49,.
In conclusion let INC stdic tiit w
Russia. where the Protocols originat-
ed. they had no influence whatever
| for n long time. Their influence show
ed itself only as a justification for
atrocities during civil war. That is
why ! was SO astonishcd to see the
Protocols translated into the prin-
cipal European languages. 1t might be
supposed that this interest has mani
tested itself in connection with the
great events OF our country. most OF
them indeed apocalyptic and mex
plicablc But it seems to me that this
manner of explaining a historical
cataclysm greatly resembles the prac-
tises of the women of the Orient who
attempt TO foreiell the future by
means of fantastic arrangement OF
stones or by the tossing of coin.
1t is important to note that with
the exception of small group, the
Russian Church did not take part in
the Protocols as was shown by the
attitude of the Elders Of Optina to-
wards Nilus. | am convinced that it
is not the Nostokoffs or the Maiakhoffs
who express the spirit of the Church,
but rather those who do not look upon
religion as tho handmaidcn of politics,
and who do not regard the morbid
revelations of Nilus as the wisdom
of the Master. =. II.