THE RUSSIAN CHURCH

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 158, 29 March 1919, Page 13

THE RUSSIAN CHURCH

BOLSHEVIST PERSECUTION. The Archbishop of Canterbury hits received the follow ins telegram from l'laton.Metropolitan-of Odessa:—"l fervently beg your Eminence-' to protect tlie Orthodox ltussian .Church, 'i'ho Kcvqlutioiiary Government is subjecting it lo omelties by the side ot which the persecutions' of tlie Christians in. the iirst. three centuries.'pnlc. Many Archbishops, liimdreds of priests, have''been mnrlyred and shot. The- churches are profaned and pillaged. On December 18 Antony, Metropolitan of JCieif, was arrested without reasons'and taken we know not whither. All my efforts to liberate this innocent martyr led to nothing.. I implore Your Eminence and your body of bishops to save the Metropolitan ironi the hands of his persecutors, and the' Church from the frightful - agonies (angoisses effroyables) which she is enduring." Tlie Archbishop of Canterbury lias sent tlie following tolegrnm in reply:— - "The' Church of England sends hor deep sympathy to the IJu-isian Orthodox Church in tlie trials and dangers through which site is passing. The terrible persecutions and martyrdoms detailed by Your Eminence awakp profound emotions in the' hearts of the Christian people in' tills country.-. lam doing all.l can, and .meanwhile assure you of tho prayers of our bishops and people." .'l'laton. Metropolitan of Odessa, is one 'of-the. dignitaries of the Orthodox Church best known outside ttussia. Before tlie outbreak of the war he was ilussian Archbishop of A'orth America, and the Aleutian Islands, in charge of' members of the Orthodox Church in the Ihiited States, and in this capacity exerted himself to promote the cause of reunion on the basis of-a. belter understanding of the.point of view of different bodies of Christians. For this end he accepted a position on the editorial board of "Tho Constructive Quarterly,'' edited by-. Mr. .Silas M'JJec, and contributed to its pages. Archbishop Pin ton's -departure from America for the See of Kishiiieff was made the occasion of a farewell service and a meeting at which warm tributes were''paid to his work and influence' bv. Dr.. Manning, | Hector of Trinity Church. New York, and by Mr. M'Bee, who said that when tho Arohbishop wrote his lirst message to "The Constructive Quarterly" Lord Bryee, then British Ambassador at/' Washington, said of it that it was "the most significant word that had come from the Sist to tho West for centuries." In his present position as Metropolitan of Odessa tho Archbishop has continued tlie. same efforts, while in'political matters, lie has' consistently refrained from allowing; himself to be regarded as the partisan of any group. " ■ '- ■- t