Presbyterianism has an ecclesiastical organisation and a written creed, and its doctrines have long since become clearly defined by means of public discussion, polemical literature, and general assemblies.

The Molokanye, on the contrary, have had no means of developing their fundamental principles and forming their vague religious beliefs into a clearly defined logical system.

Their theology is therefore still in a half-fluid state, so that it is impossible to predict what form it will ultimately assume.

"We have not yet thought about that," I have frequently been told when I inquired about some abstruse doctrine; "we must talk about it at the meeting next Sunday.
What is your opinion ?" Besides this, their fundamental principles allow great latitude for individual and local differences of opinion.

They hold that Holy Writ is the only rule of faith and conduct, but that it must be taken in the spiritual, and not in the literal, sense.