in Peking His Grace the very. Reverend Metre Orthodox Church in Chins, metropolitan Innceent, head of the Who at the age of 68, suddenly usted away at the German Hosital in Peking on the morning of Tune 28 as a result of heart failure, The deceased, though, subject to repeated sttacke of cardial asthma for the Jast few years, was carry ing on his duty Saithfully, until about. two months ago, when he suddenly took. a turn for the Worse ind was confined tq bed. Many re-Sldents. of Peking remember his fail and dignified figure arrayed in shining white vestments conducting the, impressive. Russian Easter Service qu the Russian Orthodox Micsion in Pei Kuan, only a little while ago.
"The reatest, service the deceased has rendered the Orthodox Chris-finns, both Chins Grihodox Mission and its branches the preser
in various parts of China, He was determined 0 deferd it to the very fast against its enemies and in this respect he received support on Side of the Chinese Government well "ay that of other foreign churches. He Jed the Church through the mest trying and tur Dulent period of the Russian Revolution and on his death bed placed it safely in the hands of his Bueeessor, the Right Reverend Bishop Simon, Zermerly head of the Russtan Church in Shanghai Metropolitan Innocent was born on March 8 (February 22, old Style) 1668, in a village of Enisseiaya province in Siberia, where his father Ax Figurovsky, was a priest. He received hit early education theological seminary in Tomsk ter: in St. Petersburg, new vad, where, in 1888, he enter-the theological academy,—from 'Which he was graduated in' 1892.
In 1804, he wat appointed to the the Ste Petersburg Theological Seminary, and in. October, 1806, he was nominated head of the Russian Orthodox. Mission in Peking, where, after a trip in Europe, he acquainted himself with missionary organizations and took over his duties in March, 1897. He remained in his post for 31 yea revisiting Russia only three times During the Boxer Rebellion, deceased took refuge in the Legation Quarter. Over 200 Orthodox Christian Chinese were massacred and the buildings of the old Ruse sian Mission, including the church and very valuable library, burnt down. "Setting ally to-the reconstruction of sion, Metropolitan Innocent, then a Bishop, acquired more land and rebuilt the present Mission and enlarged its activities by opening new churches and school establishing a house for the aged poor and other useful institutions in various parts of China: He also acquired a. printing plant, which was very well equipped, and the possession of which enabled the mission to supply the Russian population in, China with school dks after the Revolution, The Revolution in Russia brought to an end the prosperity of the Mission and practically ruined it In spite of the limited means ath disposal, the energetic and patriotic cally spirited whoad of the Mission found it possible to convert the Mission into a centre to which flock hundreds of Russian refugees for shelter and help. They were always welcome as long as. the Mission could afford giving, and great is the number of those who, due to this tinely help, were saved from utter despair and destitution.
The question of organized help for the poor was always his com gem. Not long before his death, Metzopilitan Innocent was elected honorary president of the Peking
which he most. graciously gave his Russian {Association assent and until his last day show-keen iterest in this new or ganization.
Besides his purely religious and philanthropic work, the late pre-Jnte'is well known fir-his scholarly inmente, It was due to his good knowledge of Chinese and his untiring efforts that the Chinese= Russian Dictionary in two volumes, containing about 17,000 characters, Was conipiled under his editorship in 1009. This work has never been surpassed by any other Russian matters of religion and. "Church net and uncompromising in
rulings, he at the same time was
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.