ANTI GOD CAMPAIGN

Grey River Argus, 17 February 1930, Page 5

ANTI GOD CAMPAIGN

NOT A PERSECUTION But Only Propaganda (Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received February 16 at 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 15. In political circles it is considered that the Churches have no justification for demanding political action in what •s, essen-tiaily, Russia’s domestic and internal concern as affecting religion. Tt is furthermore pointed out that the recent Anglo-Soviet agreement contains .( mutual explicit undertaking .‘hat the “contracting parties solemnly affirm, desire, and intend scrupulously to respect the undoubted right of each state to order its own life in its own way.’’ Certain details already known, and likely to be made available, include the fact that the reported recent murder of three - hundred naval officers in connection with religious persecution occurred in 1918. It is even stated that names have been checked in confirmation of its truth.

The present position may be summed up thus: “There is strong moral and economic pressure being put on the people who are professing religious faith, which the Soviet is doing everything in its power to suppress. It is primarily a propaganda, rather than a persecution, campaign. The Soviet is permitting services in Russian churches for Russian peole. No churches have been closed, except at the request of local authorities. There is nothing to prevent adult Russians receiving religions instruction from their priests or having their children religiously instructed. There has been an intensification of the anti-religious campaign, although the legislation in that connection has not been strengthened. MR BALDWIN’S VIEW. (Received February 15 at 5.5 p.m.') LONDON, February 15. Mr S. Baldwin, speaking at' Belfast, said: The conscience of the country had been stirred, as it had not been stirred for generations, by the reports of the persecutions of the Christians in Russia. In the past, he said. Britain had never failed to protest against such treatment. The choice at the present moment for Britain to reenter into relations with the Soviet was an intolerable humiliation to Britain, and it would give the lie to all that they stood for generations past. PER TIT, February 15. A minister, entering the Congregational Church at Victoria Park, was I shocked to find the hymn books dis-, ordered and torn, the Bible ripped. I and the Communion clothes thrown , [away. Detectives are inquiring into the matter. There is an uneasy feel-i dng that it may be an attempt to in- [ troduce Soviet anti-Christian propaganda.