But to the Russians of that time such notions were still more repulsive than the innovations of Nikon.

These men were Orthodox to the backbone--"plus royalistes que le roi"-- and according to Orthodox conceptions the founding of a new Church is an absurdity.

They believed that if the chain of historic continuity were once broken, the Church must necessarily cease to exist, in the same way as an ancient family becomes extinct when its sole representative dies without issue.

If, therefore, the Church had already ceased to exist, there was no longer any means of communication between Christ and His people, the sacraments were no longer efficacious, and mankind was forever deprived of the ordinary means of grace.
Now, on this important point there was a difference of opinion among the Dissenters.

Some of them believed that, though the ecclesiastical authorities had become heretical, the Church still existed in the communion of those who had refused to accept the innovations.