NEWS FROM RUSSIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20958, 22 February 1930, Page 10

NEWS FROM RUSSIA.

ATTITUDE TO IIIE VATICAN. By Rev. Esio Flkishmait ((Associate Pastor of the Riga Salvation Temple). No doubt much interest has been treated in mainy Christian quarters as to the attitude of the Vatican to Russia. As far as news can he had there seems to be very little distinction made by the Bolshevists between the different religious •todies, and there is clear evidence that the Catholic Church is persecuted on tne i same grounds as; other confessions. Many v have been thinking, a r d mwspapers hav.> sometimes suggested, that the Vatican has come to -an agreement with the Soviet Government in order to lessen the strain ■. of religious persecution, particularly of, tie Roman Church. It is true that the Popp t&kes much interest in the religious affairs of Russia, but of a definite agreement, as far as one can gather from the daily papers, nothing is said. It seems rather to the contrary. Th e Observatora Romano, October 3, says that reports about an agreement between tie Vatican ,and Russia are without foundation. The New York Herald says f hat the Vatican , is very much troubled by a new outbreak of intense persecution against the Catholics in Russia, the reason being because the Pope has not agreed to negotiate with Moscow regarding the Concordat. The paper further states that the Pope is unable to defend the interests of Catholies, priests, and church buildings. > v NEW GODS.

The Wahrheitszeuge (" The-Witness of Truth”), of November 17, says;—“The Soviet Government, in support of' the campaign against God, has published anti-religious textbdoks for different classes of people. The following is a ■ample from the Peasant Textbook-‘For the farmer, the threshing machine and , the steam plough take the place of God ; for the, worker it is the factory, the machine house, the machine.’ Personal .power takes the place, of Providence. Industrialism, electrification, anu farming alone are divine. We have irrigation instead of prayer for rain; in place of prayer against hail, we use the destruction of clouds by explosive powder; dn place of divine protection against lightning, we have lightning conductors; in . place of the blessing of the fields by the . Church, we have a better choice of seed.” All churches closed.

The anti-religious movement has succeeded in closing all churches, prayerhouses _ and svnacrogues in Kherson, a .large city in the south of Russia,

Tno paper Sevodnia (Toi day), November 21, reports that news has come from that the Soviet • Government has given orders that all churches in Jafoslav and Susdal must be closed by December I. Reports about , i the closing of churches and synagogues v could be peatly multiplied. The closing on the churches is always a mark of - the victory of the; ’pti-rcligious propafandists. Jaunakas Shm (Latest tows), November' 5, reports on the , following:—- “ Moscow, November 5. According to reports from A. three orthodox churches and two synagogues were closed. The occasion was marked as a great revolutionary/ festival. In the evening antireligious pictures were demonstrated in the squares, and meetings were held. Concerts and'anti-religion? lectures on atheism were given in the closed . churches. The union of ungodliness en- . -rolled new members." AGA’NST "HE ZIONISTS, recently a number of Jews have •migrated from _ Soviet Russia, and they “any striking features in the Government’s attitude towards the! Jews 1 and, Zionists in particular.’ Hevodnia reports information received from the Jewish emigrants as follows:—“Antisemitism and persecution of the Zionists in Soviet Russia has developed recently an eplder v> character.. Antieemitiam has become yen* strong in the a ?.. aa Government offices. . Since the Rabbi from L,, after leaving Russia and going abroad, communicated some information to the : press, many rabbis, 'especially in the provincial towns, were arrested and im- . prisoned, Zionists were first arrested and afterwards compiled to sign a declaration that they would cease their Zionist, activities. Those who refused to sigir this promise were banished to Narnn.” : 4f ter . foQr , weeks spent in Russia inTesngating the conditions of Jews living under the Bolshevik regime, -Rabbi Simon • G i aZ i er ’.? e^. Y °r k ' sa * 3 > "Slowly but surely the life is being snuffed out of more than three million Russian Jews ron . Rule and di ibolical ingenuity of Bolshevism. Death and insanity are considered messengers of mercy.”—Christian Victory, November 1, 1929. GOSPEL KORAN AND TALMUD. _ News has come from Moscow that the Leader of the Chief Office of Political Literature, Krupskaja, has given orders that ail public libraries ' Soviet Russia npist make a clearance 1 of many philosophical, religious, and other books. ‘The Imt of books to-be destroyed includes, by the, way, the , works of Plato, Kant Schopenhauer, Neitszche, Spencer, etc. apd also the Gospel, the Koran, and the Talmud.” r . ' RELIGIOUS ANTAGONISM,' In the Moscow district there have been opened nine more anti-religious nniver A sities r ■ to teach and preach atheism. Another such school has been opened in Leningrad, and the students are preparing themselves for “ ,ctive propaganda of militant: atheism.” -The trade unions • have.: been ordered to pup port this programme by monthly appropriations. ■ Moscow Internationalists cry, “Down . witAthe Christian religion, out with the \ missions.” Lenin said: “Religion must be abolished. . , . If it resist hasten its exit by violence.’" Zionieff, leader in Communism, is re- ■ ported to have said: “Wo will grapple with the Lord God in due season. Wo Will vanquish Him in the highest heaven, and wherever Ho seeks refuge, and we shall subdue Him forever.”— (Christian Victory, November 1, 1929.