small flourish

Open Letter from the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood to the Government

Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood
BRILLIANT, B.C.

November 5th, 1924.

Open Letter
to the Government of the Province of British Columbia.
— from -
Anastasia F. Holubova and all the members of the
Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood.

[ The sorrowing crowd in front of their dead leader's Brilliant home, Unknown, Koozma Tarasoff personal collection 576 ]

It is my opinion as well as all members of our Community that you have ravished our great wrestler. It is proved by your threaten which was expressed openly by Judge Morrison in the Court at Nelson on October 8th and shortly after that a tragical death of Peter Lordly happened early Wednesday morning on October 29th 1924 on C.P.R. train near Farron; B.C. The attempt was made on his life by Evil-Doer intentionally.

Our opinion that you have destroyed Mr. Verigin with intention to squelch the Community, as Justice Morrison has frankly displayed his attitude at the bench of the Court. He stated to the jury that they were in British Columbia and that the Doukhobor Community meant nothing to them. In fact the following is his exact words: "The sooner that it (Community) was-squelched the better."

You thought that you would squelch our Community, but we will say that you will never squelch it. The authorities similar to you thought when they would kill the Christ His Glory and teaching would be vanished, but Christ had seeded his seeds on earth and it began to multiply. Same thing applies to our Community which will exist forever.

Although you are unable to raise Mr. Verigin from death, but we put on you a fine of responsibility as he was our great irreparable leader maintained us as his children. At the present time we remain similar to small children without parents, which children are unable to obtain maintenance, because they are small. Consequently we file a heavy claim against you for the body of Mr. Verigin but for his irreparable intellectual faculties. We feel that you have destroyed Mr. Verigin with intention that will enable you to in easiest way to squelch Ideal of Holy Community.

No doubt that you remember about three years ago when Mr. Verigin published in Press that the Doukhobors will throw their children and elderly ones into the river, but this was just a parable. It is possible the Government will throw children and elder's instead of Peter Verigin, and now the time is approached because if the Government will insist upon selling our property for. Tax purposes the prophecy will be fulfilled — the children, old and weak ones will be compelled to jump into the river in reality. Our refusal for none payment of Taxes is on account of we are unable to do so for the reason that the Government has not paid our Community for building of roads and bridges for which we are pending your final decision and settlement.

We beg to repeat once more that we are claiming against you not for the body of Mr. Verigin but for his intellectual faculties. who maintained us in every respect.

GLORY TO GOD.

Source: Selkirk College Special Collections, KCIR Cabinet, , Anastasia F. Holubova, Open Letter from Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood to BC Government, November 5, 1924.

Return to parent page