Part 2. Special Instructions Concerning Teaching, Divine Service, and Conduct With the Native Peoples

17) The dogmas of the faith and the essence of active teaching must be adhered to so firmly that nothing contrary to them should be said or permitted, even if open death should threaten you.

But condescension to those newly converting, as to infants in the faith, in regard to certain deficiencies in outward observance, must necessarily be shown—partly on account of local circumstances, partly in expectation of their growth in faith and in life.

18) Keeping the fasts in the customary way—that is, by substituting animal food with purely vegetable food—is almost entirely impossible for the inhabitants of that region by reason of the very locality; and a fast for them may more conveniently consist not in kind but in quantity and manner, and in abstinence from labor and games, in the intensification of prayer, in greater and more diligent attendance at divine services, and so forth.

19) Attendance at ordinary divine services, other than the Liturgy, is not to be established as a strict obligation for those newly converting, and strict fulfillment of this is not to be required; and therefore, during your travels to remote places—when all those you visit are usually gathered together and when divine services cannot ordinarily be conducted—replacing them with instruction in the Word of God will be the most beneficial substitute and the most appropriate service.

20) Easements in the strictness of the rules regarding marriages may be permitted only for very weighty reasons and in extreme necessity, and what exactly these easements may be, special instructions will be given to you. The sparseness of the local population makes marriage relations, which would otherwise be quite inadmissible, somewhat less objectionable.

21) Do not suddenly wean them from old customs not contrary to Christianity, but only explain to them that these are permitted by condescension.

22) As for native peoples who have not received holy baptism—if there is no prospect that any offense against what is holy or breach of decorum might arise from them—not only do not forbid them to be present at the celebration of our divine services such as Vespers, Matins, and the other general services, but as far as possible encourage this.

As for the Liturgy, although by the rules of the Church the catechumens are not permitted to hear the Liturgy of the Faithful, yet since once the ambassadors of St Vladimir in Constantinople, being pagans, were permitted to hear the entire Liturgy—and this served as an occasion for the conversion of Russia to Christianity—one may permit this to pagans who are being converted or who are very well disposed toward Christianity, with the proviso that they not be told that they are already counted as Christians.

23) No matrimonial unions and agreements concluded before baptism are to be considered an obstacle to the reception of holy baptism; and no marriages contracted before baptism—including the most closely consanguineous (which in any case can hardly be encountered)—are to be dissolved; and in examining marriage matters among the newly converted, one must in general proceed with great leniency and condescension.

24) Under no circumstances—neither before baptism, nor at baptism itself, nor soon after it—are gifts of any kind to be given to the newly converting, or permitted to the godparents to give, lest this might become for the native peoples a lure or an occasion for various stratagems (as has happened among us).

25) By virtue of the holy antimins given to you, you have the authority to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in any place: in a clean uninhabited house, and in the open air; but for this, for many reasons, it is more fitting to have a special tent, which is to be pitched in places as needed.

26) Have your more permanent residence where it will be more useful and needful. Doubly happy is that preacher whose presence among them the native peoples count as their own happiness.

27) In teaching by the above-described order, take care not to proceed to the explanation of subsequent subjects before all your hearers, or at least the greater part of them, have understood the preceding—even if this should delay the matter, for it is better to do one thing well than two things poorly.

28) In the teaching of the faith and the Christian law, no proofs not confirmed by Holy Scripture are to be used; still less are false miracles or revelations to be invented, under pain of the most severe condemnation. But if anywhere the Lord should visibly manifest His power in some sign or miracle, make careful use of it in your preaching.

29) In order to increase the number receiving holy baptism, do not employ any measures and means incompatible with the spirit of the Gospel and unbecoming a preacher—such as compulsion, threats, gifts, promises of benefits, and the like.

30) Do not proceed to the administration of holy baptism to native peoples earlier than they have been taught by you the above-mentioned matters of the faith and the law, and when they themselves express their agreement.

31) All peoples living in our Russian colonies are counted as belonging to Russia; but those among them not yet enlightened by holy baptism do not yet know that they are under the powerful protection of Russia, and that the peace they enjoy is the fruit of this protection. When the occasion arises, this may be pointed out to those inclined toward Christianity as an additional inducement.

32) Upon arriving at your appointed place, do not say at all that you have been sent by the government; do not present yourself as any sort of official, but as a simple traveler desiring true well-being for those near him, and come solely in order to show the means to attain that well-being.

33) From your first entry into office, by your conduct and the virtues befitting your rank and calling, strive to earn a good opinion of yourself and respect—both from the native peoples and from the Europeans living there. A good reputation compels respect; and when you are respected, then your word carries weight and your influence is great.

34) By no means show open contempt for their manner of life, customs, and so forth, however deserving of it they may seem; for nothing can so offend and irritate savages as open contempt for them and mockery of them and everything that is theirs.

35) From your first meeting with the native peoples, strive to gain their confidence and goodwill—not by gifts or flattery, but by prudence, readiness for every help, good and sensible counsel, and sincerity. Otherwise, who will open his heart to you, or trust you in anything?

36) In giving instruction and in conversations with the native peoples generally, be brief, gentle, simple, and by no means adopt a lofty, teacherly manner—by which one can greatly harm the success of one’s work.

37) When one of the native peoples speaks to you, listen attentively, patiently, and with forbearance; and answer their questions intelligibly, with special warmth and gentleness—for a question from a native person concerning spiritual matters is a great thing for the preacher, and questions are a special sign of trust and attention.

38) Those unwilling to receive holy baptism, even after several persuasions, do not offend in any way, and especially do not compel them to receive baptism. And although justice requires that in dealing with savages one be more warm and attentive to those who have already accepted Christianity than to those who have not, yet in no case does the preacher of the Gospel have the right to treat anyone with cruelty or violence.

39) Among some of the local savages one may encounter polygamy, but always only among the rich and powerful; and therefore, in inclining them to monogamy, act with all prudence, and by no means act with authority here, lest you thereby harden and irritate them.

40) From those newly converting and the newly converted, under no pretext whatsoever demand any contributions or offerings for the church or for any other pious purposes; but do not reject them either, and receive with goodwill any willing and sincere offerings.

41) Without extreme necessity, do not take or demand from the newly converted guides or workers for your journey—especially on a compulsory basis—lest thereby you give them cause to think that by accepting Christianity they at the same time become slaves or hired laborers of the missionaries.

42) Under no pretext whatsoever accept from the newly enlightened or other native peoples any gifts or offerings, and do not enter into any trade relations with them, either personally or through intermediaries, under pain of the most severe judgment—even for the purpose of giving them to the church or to the poor.

43) Undertake journeys at a convenient time—that is, when the local inhabitants are more free from the hunting of wild animals and fishing—so that an ill-timed journey does not deprive the native peoples of their advantages. But if it should prove that visiting a certain place requires more time and difficulty at a convenient season, it is better to take the more difficult journey at the inconvenient time.

44) Supplies for journeys and for the discharge of your duties—such as a translator, a kayak, guides, and traveling provisions for them—are to be requested from the nearest local authorities. But such requests must be limited to strict necessity, lest excess in this matter give occasion for complaint or prejudice the reputation of the ministry.

45) In order to be more effectively and fully useful to your parishioners, you must in a short time learn their language—at first, at least, to the degree of being able to understand it. The deacon with you is also under a strict obligation to learn the language of those native peoples among whom he will reside, and in a very short time—enough to understand them and to say the most necessary things.

46) Strive to learn thoroughly: the faith, rites, customs, inclinations, character, and entire way of life of your parishioners—especially in order the more surely and conveniently to act upon them.

Note: To do justice to their good customs is no small matter for your success.

47) During your visits and stays in various places, when time permits, give the savages advice and instruction concerning the improvement of their way of life and manner of living—but without any compulsion or offense, sincerely and in a friendly manner, and let all such counsel and instruction be given as if proceeding from genuine concern for their welfare.

48) Do not enter into the resolution of worldly matters, and do not weaken in the eyes of the native peoples any authority, whether set by the government or their own, either by open or by secret suggestions—just as Jesus Christ Himself, living on earth, in no way undermined any administration, and when asked to adjudicate between brothers over an inheritance, said: “Who made me a judge or divider over you?”

49) Judging by the meek character of many of the savages, it seems that with peaceable conduct befitting a preacher of the Gospel, no attack or attempt upon life can be expected from them; but if, against all expectation, any danger should arise, then in that case, being not only a preacher of the Gospel but also a servant of the Sovereign and the State, defend yourself by all lawful means.

50) During your stay in America, should any matter concerning state secrets come to your knowledge, on no account write of it in private letters to anyone, but proceed in exact accordance with the ukaz of His Imperial Majesty Peter I, given by him in 1720.