The largest Protestant denomination in Canada, the United Church, invited and sponsored the recent tour of this country by the Russian 'church' delegation headed by 'archbishop' Boris.
Dr Ernest E. Long, secretary of the the general council of the United Church, said that the reason for sponsoring the visit was to promote understanding, give 'visibility' to the unity of the Christian World, and foster good will between Canadian and russian Christians.
The Rev. Gordon C. Smith prominent U.C. pastor in Toronto, in his Dec. 4 broadcast referred to these Russian 'clergy' in these words: "Who are these clothed in white robes, and whence have they come? These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.".
Referring to these "brethren from behind the Iron Curtain" as "saved through fire, to visit us," he concluded: "Pray God that our congregations will see the real value of Missions and give generously to Christmas Missionary Offerings because it is out of the Missionary and Maintenance Fund that money has been made available" for this visit.
The United Church Observer (Dec. 1) praises this Red-dominated Orthodox 'church' as showing itself "so loyal (to Christ) through the ordeal of fiercest persecution..."
WHAT ARE THE FACTS? Stripped of pipe dreams and make-believe, these are the cold naked facts:
(1) These visiting 'clergy' claim to represent the Russian Orthodox Church. Yet this church in Canada dissociated itself entirely from the visit. Rev. Oleg Boldyreff, head of the Orthodox Church in Montreal, not only extended no welcome, but said that this 'church' in Russia today "is a mere political organ of the Soviet government," with which his branch of the church "had absolutely no spiritual connection." He pointed out that the church was dissolved in Russia following the Revolution, and partly restored in 1935 "as a church docile to the Communist regime." Now fully restored, he said this 'church' collaborates with the Kremlin in its propaganda against the free world.
(2) A release from the Latvian Information Centre in Toronto (Dec. 2) warns: "Although the ultimate goal is destruction of the church and extirpation of religion, the more immediate demands of Communist strategy are for domination of the clerical apparatus for their own specific purposes.".
(3) Red 'clergy' attended the World Council of Churches meeting in the U. S. in 1953 for propaganda purposes. That they were serving — Marx, not Christ, is evident when we consider the fact that several of these 'churchmen' — inter alia, Chabada, Hajek, and Hromadka — recently received the "Order of the Republic" from the Red regime of Czecho-Slovakia.
(4) A prime purpose of Boris' trip was to propagate the Red line of religious freedom in Russia. The immensity of this falsehood is evident when we consider that since the Reds 'liberated' Estonia ten years ago all but 30 of the 250 Lutheran clergy of that little country have fled or disappeared; and less than 350 Catholic priests are left of Lithuania's former 1600. The story in the Ukraine is the same. "Ukrainian Commentary" (Winnipeg) lists no less than 41 Ukrainian bishops and archbishops alone who were imprisoned, exiled and liquidated in this land of religious 'freedom.'
Who is 'Bishop' Boris? Intelligence Survey, the authoritative Australian review on Red activities, reports:
"Archbishop Boris, favoured colleague of Moscow's Patriarch Alexej, has been sent to visit several countries of the Near, and Middle East, ostensibly to inspect all establishments of the Church. This man's career demonstrated beyond all argument that he is a Communist agent. He first emerged as a public figure in 1942 when he strongly supported Stalin. In 1950 while in Berlin at the Orthodox Church of St. Vladimir he was known as an active and trusted member of the M.V.D. When an attempt was made in 1952 to establish him in Paris as Exarch of all Western Europe, the French wisely refused to allow him to enter France. Boris arrived in America early this year to take up his position as Exarch of North and South America, but in March he was sent back to Russia, together with Shiskin, an M.V.D. colleague from Leningrad."
The Rev. Smyth commands our deep respect. But sheer nonsense is his suggestion that these Red propagandists' robes are dyed in the blood of the lamb. The ugly truth is that they are stained in the blood of the saints.
The Observer notwithstanding, those who showed themselves "so loyal (to Christ) through the ordeal of fiercest persecution" are not these Red propagandists, but the 30 million Christians who fill the cemeteries and slave camps of the U.S.S.R.
AND STAGGERING is the fact that the money for this Red propaganda junket was taken from the church's missionary funds. And Dr. Long admitted that he was ready, if necessary, to use these funds to buy liquor for these guests. Just think of calling for Christians to contribute to Missions, and then misappropriating the funds to entertain the propagandists of the very regime responsible for the murder of thousands of Christian missionaries!
Do we build up understanding and good will with our persecuted brothers-in-Christ behind the Curtain by entertaining and embracing their persecutors? With whom do we seek understanding and good will: the oppressed? or their oppressors?
One can feel only sorrow for those well meaning but confused and gullible individuals who would serve the cause of Jesus Christ by wining and dining His enemies. This is a good example of why Christians who would combat Communism must first understand it.