of the Church ? ” he replied without the
slightest hesitation, “ Yes.” When I asked
if the Government had persecuted and killed
priests, he hesitated, and finally replied that
he did not think the Government desired
either the persecution or murder of priests,
but there had been both. At the same time
whenever any case was brought to the notice
of the Government steps were immediately
taken to bring those responsible to book. He
was quite emphatic that Lenin and his colleagues,
in spite of their own theories about
religion, did desire that everybody should have
perfect freedom of conscience and the right to
follow whatever creed they chose. This fact
is borne out by what can be seen at all hours
of the day in the streets of all the towns and
villages. The churches are open, people go in
and out by the score, and on Sundays by the
hundreds. In addition, individual men and
women stop to cross themselves and pray outside
the innumerable churches to be found
everywhere. In these circumstances it is extraordinary
to me that any Christian people
should be worried about the position of the
Church in Russia. She has perfect freedom to
preach her gospel, conduct her services, and
worship God in her own way.
The real thing that is wrong from the official standpoint, is not that the Government is what it is—frankly materialist—but that the
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