22 DECEMBER 1923, Page 3

* * * * The Times of Friday, December 14th,

published a letter from Bishop Bury, correcting a statement, which was recently attributed to him, and to which we called atten- tion at the time, that the Orthodox Church in Russia was " on its last legs." Bishop Bury, who has just re- turned from his visit to Russia, says that the conditions are certainly very critical, but so far from being on its last legs the Church is " a far stronger spiritual force in Russian life and thought than in its pre-War days." He believes, indeed, that the spirit of self-sacrifice which has carried the Church through the period of persecution will be " a real influence in Russia's restoration."