The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1922-06-30
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RUSSIAN ORTHODOX
CHURCH D|SORCANIzED

Moscow, June 3O.-The great
RUSSIAN Orthodox church. which
for centuries was probably the
most important social factor and
one OF the most important politi,
cally in Russian life, seems to
have gone to pieces itself. rather
than to have had any effect upon
the Bolshevik government. in it's
first direct conflict with the So.
Wet :egime.
Whatever may have been the
underlying purpose of the Com
muntst government in directing
the rcquisition Of church treas
ures 10: relief Of the famine suf
terers. the requisition itself has
succeeded in splitting the church.
scores Of priests are under ar.
rest and revolutionary tribunal
throughout the country are -
ing them for cca1nter-rs - '5c
or thefS and secretion esnurch
vaiuables without any particular
resentment on the part of the
Pensioners. Patriarch Tikon.
the head Of the church, abdicat-
ed when faced with trial by the
civil courts on the charge of op-
posing the requisition. One Of
the meG he suggested as his
possible successor, the Metro
politan Benjamin, Of Pertograd,
is also TO be put on trial, and in
the meantime the control Of
church affairs has been turned
over to a group known popularity
as the "red clergy
This group, pledged to simplify
the church services and to work
IN harmony with the Bolshevik
government already has taken
ever number Of churches. II
Is headed by Bishop Antonin, Of
Moscow, who early in the con.
flict that developed over the re-
QUESTION Of treasures, volunteer,
ed to assist the Soviet govern
ment. Now Antonin is planning
to secure close cooperation be-
tween church and state by ap-
polntment in the Russian cabinet
OF a ccmmissar for church af.
fairs.
The actual value of church
treasures Of Russia probably was
several hundred million dollars.
but the requisitioners obtained
but q small proportion of this
amount. They secured tons ot|
silver, much gold, and thousands
OF precious stones, but for every
diamond studded mitre, the re
qulsltioners found one or two
similar articles listed as stolen or
For the theft of these,
and for open agitation against
there is scarcely al
province in Russia where church
men lave not been arrested. In
addition to the eight.
priests, one woman and two law
men sentenced to death at Mos |
COW, and the four sentenced at |
Shuya, other death sentences are
being imposed. Except at Shuya
however, none has been carried i
out, and it is generally believed |
III Moscow that most Of these |
convicted will be pardoned or re- |!
celve reduced sentences. General
Brusslloff, one Of the heroes Of |
the Russian war against Germany i
and Austria, has interceded fori
his dangbter-in-law Mrs. Barbara
ivanova Brussiloff, the woman !
to death in the Mos
COW trial. ;
Or residents Of Moscow have
old the correspondent that the
arrests of the clergy were not
because Russians ord;-
aarlly had very little respect for
he priests. They were devout
n their church worship but re-
'arded the clergy, particularly
Il the villages, as men who
'hargcd them for all the services
he church rendered, making
hem pay for births, maria ges
md deaths.
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