The New York herald., 1922-12-10

criminal. But CIVIL power Will not
prosecute until the Patriarch Is de-
throned and unfrocked. Even now the
Soviet newspapers call him always by
his original name In the world, not by
his ecclesiastical name and title, Pa
triarch Tikhon. 1t Is first necessary
to detach the church from the Patri-
arch, and the "reformers" must con-
vince the assembly that the Patriarch
was guided by political and not by re-
ligious motives. To condemn the
eleven priests to death it was neces-
sary, as we have seen, for the Soviet
Government to obtain the adverse ex
pert opinion of Bishop Antonine, and
in order to condemn the Patriarch 1t
needs the adverse expert decision Of
the assembly.
(2) This unfortunate country, torn
to pieces. has its only symbol Of unity
in the Patriarch. In him Is the ma
tional center to which 1t tends. This
Is no secret to the Soviet Government.
So the assembly, after having con-
demned the Patriarch, unfrocked him,
given him back his name In the world
and driven him forth from sanctuary
in order that he may be seized by the
Bolshevik police and tried for his life
as a political criminal. will then de-
clare that the monarchical principle has
had its day for the church also. In
other words, thew will do away with
the recently established Patriarchate.
decapitate the church and replace the
Patriarch by synod; that is. by an
impersonal and arbitrarily composed
Soviet of bishops, priests and laymen
--lackeys of the Government, which Is
already waxing enthusiastic over the
advantages Of the synodal systefh-as
il Comrades" Bronstein G. Co. cared
for any system of church government.
(3) The third clause of the assem-
bly, program touches on the relations
between the new church and the State.
'"rhe separation OF church and State
must be recognized by the church. dis
tinctly. unalterably. once and for all"
But this separation is conceived in
the somewhat original form OF a COM
plete subordination of the church to
the civil power. Patriarch Tikhon
dwelt on that very point when saw
him In April, 1920. The State has
separated itself from the church." he
said to me, land think It has acted
wisely, but II should therefore refrain
from continually meddling. as It does.
in ecclesiastical affairs"
Most readers of THE New York HER
AID are aware Of the political position
In Russia. The Communists who rule
Russia place at the head of all institu-
tIons, which are filled with secret ene-
mics of Bolshevism, so-called "Com-
munist Cells" Of two or three men, to
observe, inform on and terrify the en-
ployees Of those institutions. Now
Bishop Antonine and his colleagues
are preparing at the present moment
for the church a Communist Cell of
that kind. And 1t is probable that
such q cell will be formed, II II has not
been formed already. A number OF
clergymen and laymen have applied to
tho All-Russian Central Executive
Committee for permission to form
themselves into such a cell; but II Is
significant that they have so far con-
cealed their names. Let me quote,
however, from their somewhat vague
anu lOTB NlOueu dppHCdtioIs
Being desirous in the measure OF
our understanding and force to aid the
Soviet Government In the matter Of
the national religion" they propose
ito form, in connection with the Gen.
trail Executive Committee special
ALI Russian Committee for dealing
with matters affecting the Orthodox
church. An Orthodox bishop. fully
authorized TO deal with ecclesiastical
affairs should be at the head OF this
committee"
The proposed committee Is charged
with several duties. The first and
most important is, ito select from the
whole mass of the Orthodox priesthood
and laity those persons who recognize
the Justice of the Russian revolution
and are loyal to the Soviet power, to
protect those persons from any ad-
verse church decisions and disciplinary
punishments that may be inflicted on
them by the Patriarchal admlnistra-
ton" This paragraph is printed in
heavy type. 1t is evidently the center
OF gravity. But the committees duties
are not confined to this 1t is also to
compel the church to assist the Gov
ernment in the execution Of it's Com
munistic schemes.
90 The last important point in the