State and Church by W. W. Prescott

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 12, 1912

State and Church

By W. W. Prescott

Reports, Notes, and Comments Pertaining to the Current History of Religious Freedom, and the Campaign "to Make America Catholic."

Conducted by the Religious Liberty Association.

W. W. Prescott - - - - - Secretary

Religious Liberty Restricted in Russia

It has been generally understood in this country that religious freedom had been granted in Russia, and this has been interpreted as meaning that the different denominations were at liberty, under certain well-defined conditions, to conduct public religious services, and to propagate their views. Either this was a misunderstanding of the intent of the proclamation, or the Russian government has changed its mind. This is clear from a "circular" recently issued by the ministerium of the interior, which refers to the activities of those who are "harvesting good harvests to the detriment of the prevailing faith," and declares that these activities must cease. This circular is here given entire:—

"Circular Regarding the Sects"

"Since the imperial decree of April 17, 1905, and Oct. 17, 1906, which guaranteed religious liberty not only to the citizens of Russia, but also to the followers of other sects which are not forbidden by the criminal law, there has been manifested a systematic striving to use the guaranteed graces for a far-reaching propaganda among the believers of the true faith.

"In spite of the different regulations of the ministerium of the interior, which were to curtail the unlawful workings of the sects, one must come to the decision, from the different things that have been sent to the ministerium, that the Baptists and Adventists belong to the most active sects. They do not circumscribe their work, but on the other hand make their influence greater year by year, not only among their own followers, but also among those who do not belong to them.

"This kind of work of the sects is not only established by the facts in the official papers, but they themselves openly publish their success in their writings.

"From their own periodicals one can find exact reports and descriptions of their work and the great number of so-called evangelistic 'messengers,' and that these messengers go from city to city and from village to village, everywhere establishing a far-reaching propaganda in order to bring in an artful life among the sects, especially by means of their much-attended revival meetings, which, according to their own testimony, they organize, and are working day and night to carry forward these revivals. They do not only hold readings with the so-called 'brethren,' but also with those who are interested, and even those who gainsay them. They also conduct regular children's meetings, hold water baptism even in the open air for the newly converted ones, and conduct meetings so as to attract the attention of strangers to them. They also carry on a far-reaching street mission work, and as the result the figures in their reports show that the workings of these sects are attracting the attention of the ignorant believers of the right faith in the villages who are not firm in questions of faith. They are thus harvesting good harvests to the detriment of the prevailing faith.

"Such a work of the sects shows a determination on their side to transgress the laws that have no reference to persons of the Orthodox faith, and they are also transgressing the regulations of the ministerium of the interior of Oct. 14, 1910, regulating the organizing of prayer-meetings and other religious services. In this way they procure for themselves a cloak of a false understanding of religious freedom, and further procure the privileged position which other confessions of faith enjoy who have long been in the kingdom and are acknowledged by the law. Such determinations and desires of the sects which have no lawful foundation must not be tolerated. The prevailing law and the regulations of the kingdom have given the different sects a large scope in religious affairs. These, however, are conditioned by the decree of the high throne, and upon this territory there can not be permitted any enlargement of this law, nor the boundary-line overstepped.

"Therefore the authorities of the ruling powers must make it their duty to strictly see to it that the sects come up to all the regulations with reference to the laws regulating their holding meetings, and that these laws are not transgressed nor allowed to be interpreted wrongly, only allowing the religious liberty according to the highest acts to prevail.

"The authorities are also instructed to especially see to it that if these laws and regulations regarding the faith of the different sects are not adhered to, the guilty ones are to be lawfully dealt with.

"At the same time it is necessary, in order to check the bad influence of the prayer-meetings and other religious services of the sects upon the believers of the Orthodox faith, first, that the local authorities be instructed to see that the regulations of the fourth of October, 1910, are in no wise given way to; and second, that special care be taken in allowing the different sects to conduct meetings which, according to paragraph five, are not dealing with religious questions, nor are after the nature of a prayer-meeting; and if they serve as a propaganda among those of the Orthodox faith, they are not to be permitted. It is furthermore necessary, since the regulations of the fourth of October, 1910, have already been before the public two years, to instruct the local authorities to report to the government whether these resolutions shielding the true church have been successful. Resolutions and other suspicions with reference to this law should be sent to the ministerium of the interior."

From a letter written by Elder J. T. Boettcher, president of the Russian Union Conference, these paragraphs, dealing with this circular, are taken:—

"I feel it my duty to send you a copy of the latest circular that has been sent out by the ministerium of the interior in Russia. We call it a circular in Russia. This, however, means a law, because the ministerium of the interior has a perfect right to make any law it has a mind to, regardless of the lawmaking body. If this law is carried into effect, it will mean bitter persecution to us. As I wrote you in my last letter, the effects of it are already being felt. It is very hard for our brethren to open places of meeting. But this is the Lord's work, and I believe his eyes see it all, and his ears hear it all.

"We must not be surprised at any time to hear that a number of our people in Russia, and even the workers, are imprisoned; but I believe if all of God's people will make it a special subject of prayer, he will send deliverance."

Our people everywhere will take an anxious interest in this matter, and we suggest that the situation in Russia be made a subject of earnest prayer.