The New York herald., 1922-12-10
PATRIARCH TIKHON.

arch. and they finally obtained those
powers by deceit.
Then the new group set about to
strengthen Its own position. AS the
only Bishop to Join since it's forma-
tion had been Leoniddo 1t fastened to
procure its own creatures. It had al
ready consecrated bishops Fathers
Chantzev and Albinsky. On the other
hand. It expelled those bishops who
opposed them or the Government
Archbishop Nikander was thus ex-
PEELED from the archiepiscopal chair at
Moscow. though no ecclesiastical fault
was attributed to him, while even sew
eral courts had not condemned him
It did the same to Vennamin, the Met
ropolitan of Petrograd, who had ex-
communicated the following Petrograd
priests subordinate to him: Vedensky.
Krasnitslzy and Byelkov. n
vennamin next attempted to carry
out the decree Of the supreme church
administration Of November 7. 1920,
and declared that the Petrograd See
being deprived OF the possibility OF re-
ceiving orders from the Patriarch,
would be managed by It's bishops, in
dependent Of the new church power.
The immediate result OF this bold
move on vennamin's part was his ar
rest, and the Isrestia fastened to add
the threat that "a Metropolitan should
be very careful. In Petrograd the
trial Of the church people for resist
ing the Government Is only beginning,
and a Metropolitan. by melting to ac-
ton his humber brethren. has done
all that he could to insure that the
trials will end with severer sentences
than those passed at Moscow. And the
central figure in these Petrograd trials
will be the Metropolitan himself This
he should not have forgotten"
Now these Petrograd trials are end
Ing and a death sentence is threaten
Ing the Metropolitan. The heads of
the reformed" church are not shy of
using police methods to obtain recog-
milton OF their power. and the priest
hood, terrified by the arrests. trials
and shootings, cannot make up its
mind to act openly against the re-
formers"
The priests Of the old church, hav-
ing no longer a center Of union in the
person OF the bishop, act without con-
fidence or harmony. But the faithful
have shown hostility to the usurpers
at public discussions instituted by the
Initiative group" to propagate the
new church policy. Three OF these
overflow meetings took place In the
hall of the Conservatoire holding
1900 persons. Statements and discus
sions accompanied by continual out
bursts again the "reformers." who were
called TRAITORS" Jews" murder
ers," and asked How much are you
being paid by ehe secret police ?"
Bishops Antonine and Leonide were
overwhelmed with insults on leaving
the church after the service. May 20
was set for the conservation of Father
be performed by Bishops Antonine,
Leonide and Ionannika. But from
early morning thousands OF people
blocked the entry TO the cathedral, so
that neither the bishops nor the can
didates (who had been warned before
hand of what was awaiting them)
dared appear In the cathedral, and the
laying on OF hands had TO take place in
the small chapel Of the Patriarch. Not
long ago a woman In Petrograd threw
stone at the High Priest vedensky,
wounding him In the head.
Tasks of the Assembly
Are Set Forth Seriatum
The program OF "the Initiative
group" is clearly given In the Livin0
Church, its organ in the press, and
also in its original appeal. It's first
task Is to call the assembly. Here
they will apparently exhibit gerryman-
dering. violence, deceit and corruption
enough to make the most corrupt pollt-