Bishop Nikandr, due to his obedience to his administration, would not dare to oppose to use Chinese priests because in fact the idea was initiated personally by the Patriarch. He only with vigilance looked at it, having before his eyes the sad experience of "derusification"(using Chinese) in the Shanghai diocese. There Chinese bishop Simeon (De), hardly having entered on the Shanghai faculty, has shown chauvinistic anti Russian tendencies and, supported by groups of like minded Chinese priests, began to make amazing announcements: "Heads of Orthodox Church all time adhered to feudal traditions and […] conservative methods. This was the cause, why during two hundred years the Orthodox Church could not give the society anything active and has led Orthodoxy non progressive dying road ". […] We bear the responsibility for revival of orthodox belief in China […] It is a private affair of Chinese people. […] Under the direction of Communist Party I have understood, that we should understand precisely the past mistakes in preaching and in way of our life " [38]. Well, why not the leader "zhivotserkovnikov"?! (The term used during communistic regime in Russia by church collaboraters).
Being afraid of the forced rates of using Chinese, Bishop Nikandr did not want to allow entrance of confusion into the diocese, aspired to harmonize interests of believers of the Chinese and Russian nationalities. He understood that Russian Church in Manchuria suddenly cannot turn into Chinese. At the same time, he took measures, both for revival of missionary work, and for preparation of the Chinese clergy. The priest Father Dionisy Pozdnyaev - a modern researcher of history of Orthodoxy in China, shows rather convincing fact: "First step to realization of the plan of creation of the Chinese Church in Manchuria was establishment of the Missionary Board of Trustees at the Mission Compound in Harbin" [39]. The Council was subdivided into a staff department and school (its goal was education of the Chinese clergy), a department of the organization of Orthodox Chinese parishes (it should engage in formation of the mixed Russian-Chinese parishes following the example of Three Rivers), a department of patriotic education (to manage studying of the state laws and ideologies) and a translational department [40.]
The circumspect position of Bishop Nikandr in a question on rates of carrying out using Chinese, finally, was supported by Metropolitan Nicolai (Jarushevich), the head of the Department of the External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate: "the Chinese Orthodox flock is small, theological formation of candidates of the Chinese nationality in number of clergy is not always on the necessary level. Aren't actions on organization of Autocephalous Chinese Orthodox Church premature?" [41.]
With approach of summer of 1954 the occasion for the former disagreements between Russian Bishops of the East-Asian Exarchate has disappeared. The decision of the Higher Church authority planned abolition of Exarchate (though former dioceses were meanwhile kept). Archbishop Victor has been advised of the necessity "through embassy of the USSR in the People's Republic of China to familiarize himself with the opinion of the Chinese government on the further forms of management of the Chinese Orthodox Church" [42.] (Ponder upon implied sense of this formulation!) At the same time it was offered to Russian clergy in China, wishing to return home, to address the General Consulate of the USSR for registration of visas [43.]
All this was an eloquent signal. For Bishop Nikandr it became obvious, that henceforth it is necessary to prepare for departure from China all Russian clergymen. Other problems, like using Chinese clergy, the life pushed on second plan.
[38] Priest D. Pozdnyaev. Orthodoxy in China. Internet.
[39] In the same place.
[40] In the same place.
[41] In the same place.
[42] In the same place.
[43] In the same place.