The nobility of Moscow made another move. To scare back the advancing
forces of emancipation, they elected, as provincial leaders, three
nobles bearing the greatest names of old Russia and haters of the new
ideas. To defeat these came a successor of St. Gregory and St. Bavon,
one who accepted the thought that when God advances great ideas the
Church must marshal them. Philarete, Metropolitan of Moscow, upheld
emancipation and condemned its foes; his earnest eloquence carried all.
The work progressed unevenly--nobles in different governments differed
in plan and aim--an assembly of delegates was brought together at St.
Petersburg to combine and perfect a resultant plan under the eye of the
Emperor. The Grand Council of the Empire, too, was set at the work. It
was a most unpromising body, yet the Emperor's will stirred it.
The opposition now made the most brilliant stroke of its campaign. Just
as James II of England prated of toleration and planned the enslavement
of all thought, so now the bigoted plotters against emancipation began
to prate of constitutional liberty.
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