One of the fundamental considerations in using the Bulletin as a source is that its principle authors were Orthodox priests and missionaries. Orthodox clergy were often either unsympathetic or openly violent in their opposition to sectarianism, and Mormons fell under heavy persecution by both religious and secular authorities. The village priest often worked in close tandem with the military and police in order to contain anti-Orthodox elements. Other priests-like Nikola Stroev, the author of a lengthy 1907 article on Mormonism-were friends with prominent Mormons and sought to dissuade them peacefully from their faith without resorting to official persecution. However, reports and interpretation of historical events by Orthodox writers must be taken into consideration when evaluating the Bulletin.