Out of 2,025,000 of Moscow inhabitants 7600 are members of the society
“The Godless”. Out of 700,000 Moscow workers and employees, only 3000
belong to this society. About 100 Moscow factories do not have any
“Godless” clubs at all.
Bits of paper on the doors of Moscow churches give the information:
“Mass singing with the participation of opera singers”... “Talks on re-
ligious and moral themes”... “Lectures”...
“Religious propaganda goes on incessantly, — in churches, in families,
in public, in the streets. Steady work is being accomplished under an
experienced and organised direction.” In another recent issue of the same
paper (quoted by the “Vosrojdenic”, December 29th, 1927), we find the
following: “All over the land priests have become active, and especially
so, among the youth.” Special unions exist. “The Union of Young
Christians’, “The Union of Young Believers”, “The Union of Young Bap-
tists”, etc. In Petrograd and Moscow 30 oo of religious persons are young
people, and among them up to 75 9% are girls. In the Melitopol district
go % of the youth belong to the Union of Young Baptists.
In the provinces it often happens that members of the Union of Young
Communists pass into religious organisations. In these — the percentage of
young girls predominates. Members are forbidden to drink, to smoke and
to swear. This makes such organisations especially attractive to girls.
Religious organisations have created their own co-operatives; working
communities, corporations, help in the form of free meals, etc., lessons In
singing, etc. Musical circles are organised, plays are staged, even mass
processions with music and singing are arranged. The priests have learned
a lesson from us in these matters, and have found a way of attracting
people.” (Quoted by the “Vosrojdenie”’, December 15th, 1927). Jarslavsky
in the Jubilee issue of the “Antireligious Magazine” (October 1927) writes:
“It would mean deceiving oneself of one were to assume that the prole-
tariat has become entirely atheistic, and that the church has lost its grip... .
One should peep into the workers’ lodgings, in order to get a plimpse of the
numerous ikons and sacred lamps shining in the corners. True one may
often notice alongside of a religious emblem the protraits of Marx and
Lenin’ ...
The same writer, in the “Pravda” (Nov. 22nd, 1927) is indignant that
‘the decision of the XIII session of the party was understood by many
organisations as implying an effort on the part of communists fo put a
stop to antireligious propaganda. The result was that a number of such
organisations forbade meetings of the “Godless” to take place on their
premises. In some districts the “Unions of the Godless” even became
illegal organisations.” The “Comsomol Pravda’ (December 19277) gives the
20)