Amerikai Magyar Reformátusok Lapja, 1917 (18. évfolyam, 14-52. szám)
1917-06-16 / 24. szám
24. szám Junius 16. AMERIKAI MAGYAR REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA 2 Hungary: “The Realm of the Crown of ST. STEPHEN.” Had the coronation of Karl IV as apostolic King of Hungary a few weeks ago at Budapest occured in time of peace, the impressiveness and picturesqueness of that event would have attracted universal attention. As it was, a few words of descriptive material, comprised practically all that our American journals placed in the hands of their readers. Even though we car hardly get a glimpse of the placing of the crown of St. Stephen upon the head of the scion of the house of Habsburg, that crown which was the gift of Pope Syl. vester nearly a thousand years ago and which disappeared utterly during the Revolution of 1848, and the recovery of which was attended with a number of romantic circumstances, yet. the coronation of a new king at this time fraught with matters of the highest importance to the life of the Hungarian nation. Will the young king alinate the Hungarian people, or will there be a still firmer cementing of fellowship and friendship such as that won by Maria Theresa and the late king? Though Hungary is an independent nation, having its own constitution and existing almost without vestige of subjection to the will of Austria, an end to anything like being a vassal having been achieved in 1867 when rhe full powers of constitutional government wei. reinstated, yet, according to Hungarians themselves there is ever present a fear of Austrian domination ana Teutonic control. A great country is Hungary, a very great country ; in area it is among the largest in Europe, while none is superior to it in present and future agricultural, commercial and industrial possibilities, From the time Asiatic tribes penetrated to the valley of the Danube the marvelous fertility of he domain was fully realized- It had been the richest of Roman provinces, the country from whence they mined their gold and invaluable ores. In salt alone the country has untold wealth. And what snail be said of the enormous amounts of iron, copper and silver that have been takem from its mines? Gun sider also the many, many mineral springs that afford cures and panaceas for all sorts of ailments and diseases, and after that think of the many health resorts in the high Alpine ranges of the Carpathian mountains amid scenery hardly less awe-inspiring than of Switzerland. Then there are the baths on the shores or Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Hungary, nd oniy a short trip from Budapest. Then there are the glories of the strip of seacoast on he Adriatic at Fiume. And shall we not say that Hungary is great ? But even more than through he good gifts of Nature—and they have been bestowed most liberally—Hungary is great because of the general thrift, unselfish hospitality, and nobility of Magyar character, In his way, he humblest peasant in his action and mien, is quite as noble as the richest magnate occupying a seat in Parliament and rbrd over his score thousand acres of grain-yielding, wine-producing soil. Budapest, Rival of Vienna and Paris. The average person misconstrues Budapest as being Hungary. In reality this cosmopolitan city ot a million population rivals Vienna and Paris. It is tne eapital of Hungary, but can hardly be said to represent Hungary. Possibly that does not matter, seeing that tourist have little opportunity to visit either tne capital or the country. Budapest is extremely modern and up to date. Its avenues are broad and beutifuny laid out, its parks are large and attractive, its arch: tecture is pretentious. The rapid transit system is l model one both by surface and subway. It is the only city that can boast a daily paper that is telephoneu its subscribers! There are subsidized opera houses and theaters, and the performances equal those of any cnv m the world. There are museums of art and antiquities- Tuere is the great and new basilica of St. Stephen, rhe ane exposition building for agriculture, and the vas. Houses of Parliment, which were patterned after tne most lavish way and most bizarre effect. Then tncrs are all kinds of pleasure resorts along the Danube. Everywhere is heard the music of gipsy fiddlers srI gipsy bands because the Hungarians are passionaieiy fond of the music of the Cziganes. But while Pest ,'.s spick and span and is ultra-modern, a city that is socially not wide awake until midnight nd thereaft-ir. Buda is a city of traditions and an intermingling c_ the ancient, the ancient of Roman times and the middle period of the Turks, and the spirit that actuates Pest, traditions are a real asset. They count for almost as ■nuch as historical facts and have fully as much stirring interest- Old castles crowning crags overlooking ana guarding mountain passes and river courses, ancien, churches, abbeys and cathedrals, exotic manner!., costumes, customs and superstitions give tone ano color to a country. Hungary lacks none of these things fhe glory of Buda is its great ivy-grown citadel, ox acropolis like those in Greek cities, built on a high porphyry rock back of which is a great park, once a After the citadel, the next in point of glory, but shorn of tradition, the chief glory is the great Royal Palace with its almost countless number of chambers and udience, rooms, a building that the late king ignored as a place of residence and to the chagrin of his Magyar subjects. For America, the Danube t Budapest having a breadth of possibly 1500 feet, would not be regarded As so very large. Buda and Pest are linked together by four substantial bridges, and in mid-stream is the wholly charming Margaret’s Island, a pleasure park once occupied by a monastic order. On this islnd are hot baths, and from an artesian well flows a stream ot hot sulphur water in demand for its curtive properties (to be continued) PICTURESQUE HUNGARY For the benefit of our American friends, who are interested in the Hungarian Work, as carried on by the Board of Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church and of the Reformed Church in the United States, it affords us great pleasure to publish the above splendid article, written by Prof-....................... It is unboubtedly one of the best descriptions of existing conditions of Hungary. It is sympathetic and interesting from beginning to end. Hungarians in America feel greatly indebted to Prof.............................. for this unprejudiced and fine article written about the Land of the Magyars. The article was originally published in the Reformed Church Messenger. Lapunk olvasóinak eredeti angolban és magyar kivonatos fordításban bemutatjuk azt a rokonszenves leírást és czikket Magyar-országrol, mely nemrégiben jelent meg a nagy elterjedtségnek örvendő Reformed Church Messenger nevű ref. egyházi lap hasábjain Prof .......................... tollából. Mutassák meg ezt a czikket lapunk olvasói az angolul értő ismerőseiknek, hogy azok is olvashassák édes magyar Hazánkról ezt a szép leírást-
