ATHEISM IN RUSSIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20491, 17 February 1930, Page 10

ATHEISM IN RUSSIA.

PROTEST BY BALDWIN.

PERSECUTION OF. CHRISTIANS

RE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONS

INTOLERABLE HUMILIATION.

By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Received February 16, 5.5 p.m.) .?>••• • • LONDON, Feb. 15. In the course of a speech at Belfast tho Loader of the British Conservative Party, *Wr. - Baldwin, said t'lio conscience of the ■ L country had bean stirred as it had not ••'been stirred for a generation by reports of r-tlio'pcrsecUtion of• Christians in Russia» " Britain in the past had never failed to -protest against such treatment.. The , clipico" of the present moment to ..re-enter upon relations .with the Soviet vjvas an intolerable humiliation to Britain, it gave the lie to all for which she had „6tood for generations past. In.political circles it is considered that '/tho Churches have no. justification for demanding pqlitical action in what is essentially Russia's domestic and internal conVcem aa affecting religion. Furthermore the. recently made agreement between and the Soviet contains a mutual, explicit. undertaking as follows"The ".contracting parties, solemnly affirm their "desire a'nd intention scrupulously to respect the undoubted right of a State to 'order its own life in its own way." Certain "details already known, and "likely to bo made available, include the ' fact that the reported recent murder of ToQO naval officers in connection with religious persecution actually occurred in 1918. It is' even stated that the names r oi the officers have been checked in con>£rmation of- the truth of the report.The, present position may be summed .np as follows There is strong moral and faith which the Soviet is doing in its power to suppress. It is .primarily a . propaganda campaign rather ■jthan. one of persecution. The Soviet is permitting services to be ' held in. Russian churches for Russian No churches have been closed .except;at-the request ol local authorities. "There is nothing to prevent adult Russians receiving religious instruction from their priests or having their children instructed in religion. 1 • .. There has been an intensification of the :.anti-religious - campaign, • although legisla-•-"tion in'' that connection has not been strengthened. .

JWIIOLT. WORLD MOVED.

'vg MISTAKE OK DICTATOR. • V} 'NEW CRUSADE FORETOLD. i , , ; l>> (Received February 16, 11.20 p.m.) •. LONDON, Feb. 16. -jj- Mr; 'Shaw Desmond, a .publicist and in an article in the Sunday Ex- ' press,. asks:—"Are wo about to hear a icall for-,£u new crusade against Bolshevik Russia ?, I believe we are. Stalin, the ruthless dictator tho tiny and foul rainority<of 250,000f rpersons, which holds *140,000,000. Russians: in its; grip, which Slaughter's priests "at the altar, and worshippers in "the churches has made his jiirsfc vital mistake,. that may lead to the of the Soviet Republic.

** inay'lind/as 5 others have done, '|h'at rib antagonist is so much' to be as .united Christendom. The .-Christian Churches throughont„JEurope at -this 'riiomen t are finding' a'common platform' and caused What Stalin and his fellow-tyrants have not-realised is that, "however disunited they may think, the Mvorld outside Russia, the World is still 'United .in upholding mankind's right to Goil in its own w.ay. t • iTlie'. Pope . is> no Jonger a s prisoner in \the Vatican.' He .is supreme controller i>of the largest international Church on g earth. 'He has only to make ail appeal Jto. bring millions to a new crusade from 3nll over the world. Moscow has stirred -up ■ forces which she will' not be able to bt„ ' „ ' , af - a y*"V _

PRESS ANGRY.

0 N ECCLESIASTICS.

OF PERSECUTIONS.

(Received February 17, 12,15 a^m.) , , ;/ . . LONDON. Feb. IG. message from Moscow says official JSayiet, newspapers .the. English iarebbishops of preparing the way fpi anofal intervention in Russia; Ihey say protests must be taken in conjunction with the Popo's. Ths so • ecclesiastics are simply conducting '■ a political campaign,"- say tho ■papefs. "Tho alleged persecutions are'absolutely invented. Every effort to inter-, tfere with Russia on religious or any other -pretexts ■ will be resolutely, crushed. 'if" The' newly-enlightened Russian masses ■frill bo able to deal with these inciters, to a new war." h.'ln a signed report of an interview ttietrbpolitan members of Synod describe "the -" Pope's pronouncement as unnecessary 'and. unwarranted. "Wo ourselves - can defend the Orthodox Church," .they say. "Tho Pope has proved himself to be in tho camp of the British landlords. and Franco-Italian magnates. iWe . shall shortly issue a special call to believers pointing out that the fresh attempts of the Pope to implant Catholicism "among orthqdox Christians is absolutely 'intolerable. j- "Tho Archbishop of Canterbury's recent ,j>poeeh showed the same lack of truth in. •Regard to alleged persecutions. It smacks .xif promoting, a flock, of new reasons for 'intervention' in Russia. The. sudden, in.explipible outburst of friendly . sentiment leads ~to the thought that it is not .fif question of defending the Church, but /if the pursuit of some earthly object." "'.Jewish circles in London learn, that the "Soviet has closed up the Leningrad Choral •"Synagogue for Conversion into a secular institute. The Moscow'' Communists have pissed a resolution asking the Soviet to deal similarly with the local synagogue.