The Schism after the Death of Peter Verigin, 1859-1924
On January 12, 1924, Michael Cazakoff, vice president and general manager of the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood, wrote to J. Bruce Walker from the Department of Immigration in Ottawa, asking for permission for Peter Verigin, the son of the slain leader, to come to Canada to lead the Doukhobors. The McKenzie King government was quick to expedite the permission for Verigin to come to Canada. (McLaren 1995, 95).
However, on November 17, 1924, the same Cazakoff and Larion Verigin, Peter Verigin’s nephew, wrote to Prime Minister MacKenzie King asking him to forbid the entry of Peter Verigin into Canada, as they predicted he would spread Bolshevik tendencies and division in the community. Colonel Cortland Starnes was sent to the Kootenays to assess the situation and agreed; however, there was an election and Peter Verigin was elected as the new leader by a large majority, and Cazakoff withdrew his objections (Ibid., 99).
There were delays in obtaining his release from the Soviet Union, for both personal reasons and because of problems with the Soviet authorities. In 1927, he had been jailed for drunkenness and brawling. (Ibid.)
When Peter Verigin arrived in Canada he was eloquent to the press and tried to lay any fears to rest, but it soon became apparent the new leader was more complex than he seemed. He often gave in to his temper, gambling and excessive drinking (Ibid., 100).
The Canadian authorities were worried about Verigin’s possible Bolshevik tendencies, and began to try to find an excuse to deport him, which came in the form of his perjury conviction in 1933. (For more information please see Peter Verigin's Trial)
The Collection:
In the papers in the collection from Judge Forin, there is a letter written by Larion W. Verigin to Forin requesting advice and giving information on the situation in a matter that had arisen from the desire of part of the Doukhobors to separate from the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood. ([Letter] 1926 March 10, Brilliant, B.C. [to] J. A. Forin, Esq., Nelson, B.C.)
There was a lack of leadership and when the segment wished to leave the community, which was set up as a corporation, they had no right to take anything with them under the laws of incorporation.
This letter was written only seven months before the letter was written to McKenzie King asking for assistance in refusing Peter Verigin entry to Canada.
Works Cited:
McLaren, John . “Wrestling Spirits: The Strange Case of Peter Verigin II.” Canadian Ethnic Studies , 27 (October 1995): 95-130.
