[Page 103] The
passing of Philip Mihailovitch removed a steadying and uniting
influence
from the brotherhood. It could he safely asserted that after his death
the brotherhood was never the same again. No one was able to take his
place
as the expounder of beliefs, traditions and doctrines to this day. His
death came at a time when his prestige was needed as never before. It
was
a time when a new generation of leadership was beginning to assert
itself.
It must he home
in mind that, like Philip Mihailovitch, who passed away at the age of
77,
his contemporaries, the leading elders of the various congregations —
those who with Philip Mihailovitch, were responsible for the migration
to America were of his age and older, therefore, they were not as
vigorous
as formerly in holding the reins of the brotherhood, consequently,
their
leadership was being challenged by the next age group, a challenge
which
they resisted with resulting friction.
It was this
challenge
to older leadership — plus the desire to find ways and means to
control
the needless, and at times, acrimonious debates during church services
that, in the summer of 1932, prompted the Selimskaia congregation
(Vasili
T. Sussoyeff, presbyter) the Karmolinovskaia or Bechanakskaia
congregation
(Nikifor A. Uraine, presbyter) and the Ol'shanskaia congregation (David
P. Meloserdoff, presbyter) to combine into one large congregation with
a hold new concept in Molokan church government, a concept that
eventually
caused a major reshuffle of church membership affecting not only the
congregations
of Los Angeles but also all the congregations in the outlying
communities — Arizona as well as the San Joaquin valley.
[Page 104] The
three united congregations comprised a total membership of over 500
families.
This, large membership, of course, required a large building, so it was
decided to purchase a site on East Third Street, between Bodie and
Pecan
Streets, where, in late summer of 1932, building operations were begun
on a large handsome building for which a sum of money was
enthusiastically
subscribed.
While the
building
project was advancing, a detailed set of by-laws to govern such a large
membership were being worked out. During this phase of the project
Afonasi
T. Bezayeff was moved by the Holy Spirit to utter an unfavorable
prophesy
concerning the whole new development. Other prophets too, were active
in
opposition. Ivan W. Sussoyeff predicted that dire consequences will
result
from the union of the three congregations, that they will abandon some
principal tenets of the Molokan faith. All these predictions caused a
considerable
stir and endless discussions in the community, both pro and contrary.
Nevertheless,
the construction was progressing without a let up and the by-laws were
being readied for approval. In February of 1933 it was nearing
completion
and Sunday the 26th of February was designated as the day of
dedication.
It was decreed that the first day of the assemblage was to be attended
by the membership and their families only.
The appointed
day turned out to he one of those beautiful, pre-spring February days
that
Southern California is noted for. The day was warm. The sun was shining
brightly as each individual congregation assembled at their old
premises;
The Selimskaia on S. Pecan St. The Ol'shanskaia in the rear building on
S. Utah St. and the Karmalinovskaia on E. Third St. directly across the
street from the new project.
Each group was
to regulate their departure so as to arrive at the new church building
at eleven o'clock sharp. Saying their final prayers at the old
locations,
each group marched [Page 105] through the middle of the streets with
their
respective presbyters in the lead holding the Opened Bible in their
hands
while the choir was singing the designated psalm (Psalm 121 "I rejoiced
when they said unto me: 'Let us go unto the house of the Lord'.")
 |
Members of the old Selimskaia congregation
proceeding along
E. Third Street to a meeting with two other congregations to form the
First
United Church (Big church). The two white-suited and white bearded
elders
holding the scriptures are, on the left: Vasili Tikhonitch Susoev and
next
to him: Foma Stepanich Bogdanoff. 1933. [Photo] Courtesy of Morris M. Belakoff. Click to Enlarge |
No guests or non-members were present during the festivities of the first Sunday's service. The official dedication was to take place the following Sunday. For this event invitations were sent out to all the local congregations as well as to all Molokan communities in other cities and towns.
On the following Sunday the new building was overflowing with the invited guests. Large delegations arrived from all outlying communities. Each brought a monetary contribution to help defray the building cost. A large group of local government officials arrived with the mayor of Los Angeles at its head.
 |
View in front of new building of First United
Church on
E. Third Street as members enter for the first day's dedication
ceremonies. [Photo] Courtesy of Mr. And Mrs. John A. Kotoff. Click to Enlarge |
The membership of the remaining three congregations, the Prokhladnaia, Akhtinskaia, and old Romanovskaia were sharply divided in their attitude towards the new congregation. A majority were in sympathy with it while a good sized [Page 106] minority vehemently opposed it and refrained from attending the dedication ceremonies, basing their opposition on the prophesy of Afonasy Bezayeff who said that the new congregation will be divided into three groups and giving each group a derogatory appellation, further saying that their presbyters, the well respected Vasili T. Sussoyeff and Nikifor A. Uraine, will soon shed tears of repentance. In addition to these there was the prophesy of Ivan W. Sussoyeff who predicted that the new congregation will eventually reject many ordinances of, our forefathers.
The position of those who were opposed to the new group was strengthened when the by-laws of the United congregation were revealed during the dedication ceremonies.
These by-laws, among other things, provided that the affairs of the congregation were to be governed by several committees. One of these was to look after the church property, collect dues, etc., while another, which was to be called the "Dukhovny Komitet", was to oversee the spiritual affairs of the congregation, to settle disputes between members, to deny any recalcitrant member access to church sacraments pending his reconciliation, to appoint proper members to responsible church positions and to maintain order and harmony during services etc. The by-laws also specified that the presbyters and elders were obliged to abide by the decisions of the Komitet in all such matters.
This was a clear departure from the traditional Molokan church rule for it made impotent the authority of the presbyters who were subject, as it were, to the orders of the komitet, whose members as a rule, were young and inexperienced in spiritual matters.
Another innovation that weakened the authority of the presbyters and elders was the rule by which the chief speaker was elected annually for a term of one year, in effect demoting the senior speaker and his colleagues and thus depriving the [Page 107] presbyters of one of their traditional duties, that is appointing the speakers as the need arose. This was the rule that was expected to control the acrimonious debates in the services.
It was claimed by the proponents that such rules were necessary, in fact, indispensable for governing a large congregation and that by relieving the presbyters of the above mentioned minor but onerous duties, they would have more time to minister to the spiritual needs of the congregation.
Be that is it may, it was an innovation, one that was unanimously accepted and approved by the whole congregation and to which the presbyters acquiesced, albeit reluctantly.
However, these new rules planted another seed of discord throughout the whole Molokan brotherhood. To some they appeared as a panacea for all its ills. Elect a Komitet and there will he nothing but harmony in the church henceforth. To others they were anathema, a worldly innovation and were to he resisted at all costs. Eventually all these arguments led to a permanent division in the Prokhladnoye church, in the old Romanovskaia and in the Akhtinskaia congregations. The Arizona congregation, small as it was, also split up and remained divided for several years, while those in the San Joaquin valley, although physically undivided, were not entirely of one accord. [NOTE: 75 years later, in 1999, though the Arizona churches combined into one building, similar agitation continues, many not paying dues, as it does in many other American Molokan congregations.]
For several years the feelings were so strong that there was very little fraternization between the two sides. But with the passing of the years it was shown that laws were only as strong as the will of the people to obey them. It was also shown that a strong presbyter was able to veto the komitet if he felt that the latter's acts were contrary to common sense or to the traditions of the church.
It was also being realized by both sides that the brotherhood at best was not so numerous nor so strong that, divided, each side could stand up against the onslaughts of the world, that there were problems requiring common, united action for their [Page 108] solution. Especially was this true when in 1940, as a result of the expansion of the European war into a world wide conflict, the United States Congress passed the Selective Service Act requiring all men between the ages of 18-45 to register for military service.
This was one problem that required concerted action of the whole community to uphold its position as religious conscientious objectors.
[<Chapter 5] [Contents]
[Chapter 7>]
To Molokan History