The Penn's Grove record., 1923-07-20
THE SOvIETS AND THE CHURCH
Great Fight For Separation of Church
And State In Russia
BY Bishop Edgar Blake

me attitude OF the soviet bONeIH-I
ment toward religion at the present
time appears to be one Of tolerance to-
wards those Churches and priests that
confine their activities to the duties of
their calling and content themselves
with the spiritual and social mystery
of the people. 1t is avowedly hostile to-
ward those Churches and priests sus-
pected of counter-revolutionary activi-
ties against the government and sup
presses them with an oppressive hand.
In order to understand the situation
it should be remembered that under the
old regime the Church was the creature
Of the State. Through the ProcuratOr
of the Holy Synod, the Cars personal
appointee and representative, the
Church was controlled by the State for
the State. It was the chief support of
the monarchy and the principal bull
wark of absolutism. The Procurator
of the Holy Snyod was the most power
full and sinister influence in the pOliti-|
cal life of Russia. The Church was
feared, hated and cursed by those who
were struggling for liberty against the
Czarist regime. When the revolution
came under Kerensky the leaders of
the Church refused to recognize it.
When the Soviet came to power they
We're mathematical The leaders of
the Church stood for restoration of the
monarchy. And certain of the bishops
went SO Tar, as 10 lnduBUfaIe a move
ment for the restoration of the old re-
gime under the Grand Duke Nicholas.
The Church was the only organization
in a position to successfully challenge
the Soviets, and certain of its leaders
did not hesitate to use it as a counter
revolution agency against the new
government.
It should also be remembered that
the Soviet leaders are frankly atheistic.
They regard religion as a product of
superstition and look upon the Church
as an enemy of intellectual and social
progress. 1t is the institution the So
VietS fear most and the one of which
they have most reason to be afraid.
It the beginning they took an attitude
of hostility and oppression toward the
Church. Priests who were suspected
of counter-revolutionary activities or
sympathies We're often ruthlesSly and
brutallY dealt with. The oppressive
measures of the government went far
beyond the necessities of its own
safety. and the Church suffered far be-
Yond its deserts. 1t is one of those sad
and brutal chapters that are written in
every revolution.
A change of attitude has taken place
both within the Church and within the
State. To be sure. the Russian clergy
outside of Russia is as hostile to the
Soviets as ever, and from their posi-
ton of safety are carrying on their
warfare as actively ad bitterly as in
the past. But within Russia open OPP
position to the government has prac-
tically ceased and the Church is accept
ing the situation and adjusting itself
to it.
A change has also occurred within
the government. The SovietS have dis
covered that religion cannot be killed
by oppression. They have learned that
| ne rCap1fiOn intancifas= devotion HANOI
the change in the policy of the govern
ment and the adoption of an attitude
of tolerance toward Church and priests
that devote themselves to the duties of
their sacred calling and refrain from
activities against the government. The
Churches of Russia are not closed.
Fifty thousand priests are doing their
work as usual. I attended a service in
the Cathedral at Moscow where more
han 10000 people were present and
there was no Interference of any kind
whatver. 7 preached twice in the
Methodist Episcopal Church in Petro-
grad to crowded congregations. Our
people have carried on their activities
throughout the revolution without any
interference from the government what
ever. 1t is the universal testimony that
more people are now attending the ser
vices of the Church than before the
revolution.
1 It was only ten days ago that Prot
estant Bibles were publicly burned in
Rome as immoral literature. The cere-
mony was blessed by a bishop of the
Roman Catholic Church and eulogized
by a deputy who had previously at
tackled the Methodists in the italian
! Parliament and called for their eXpul-
sion from Rome. So far as I know no
such edifying spectacle has yet occur
red in Moscow. There is undoubtedly
- o,,a aano,,, 80 -oIf~io,,a foIa~o-oa
in Russia han in any country of Eu-
rop and American that is dominated
by the Roman Catholic Church.
Execution of Priests
This will doubtless be strange read
ing to those who have accepted as
trustworthy the propaganda that has
filled the American press since the ex-
ecution of the Roman Catholic Priest
Budkievic. 1t may be well, therefore.
to state with entire frankness certain
significant and sinister facts. When
the Soviet government decreed the ma
tionalization of Church properties, a
decree based upon and almost an exact
copy of the law of France, the Roman
Catholic authorities in Russia refused
to recognize the decree and declared
they could only take their orders from
the Vatican. When the Soviets decreed
that the jewels and treasures of the
Churches should be taken for the bene-
fit of the famine sufferers, the Roman
Catholic ecclesiastics again refused to
recognize the authority of the govern
ment. and the archbishop issued a let
ter to his priests instructing them to
disregard the decree and resist its exc
cution. which certain of them did. I'M
mediately the Soviets accepted this
challenge and placed the archbishop
and certain of his priests under arrest
and brought them to trial for resisting
the civil authority. Their trial was
public and lasted many days. It's pro-
ceedings We're published in full.
Nothing was done in a corner. During
the trial documentary evidence was in
PRODUCED showing that NJ. Budkievsc, a
Russian citizen of Polish extraction, had
had discriminating relations with the
Polish government at the time when
Russia was at war with Poland. He
was found guilty and sentenced to
death. not because he was priest or
because he taught the catechism to
children, as certain of the public and
religious press nave said, but because
he was convicted of reasonable acts
against his own government.
The public press, particularly of
ENGLAND and America. was filled with