Amerikai Magyar Reformátusok Lapja, 1932 (33. évfolyam, 1-53. szám)
1932-04-02 / 14. szám
AMERIKAI MAGYAR REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA 7 AZ IFJÚSÁG KÖRÉBŐL. HOW SHOULD WE USE SUNDAY? C. E. Topic for April 10. There is quite a difference in the custom of the Hungarians and the Americans in the observance of the Lord’s Day. The living conditions, the church life in the old country have been so different from that of the U. S., that our people became accustomed to think only of the morning part of Sunday as the Lord’s Day. The afternoon and evening was given over to pleasure and rest. This old habit still clings to our congregations. They find it difficult to use the week days for their social gatherings. Our older people are accustomed to go places on Sunday evenings and can’t afford to be up late on week-day nights. But that shouldn’t influence us, young people. We can hold our affairs on week days — we are used to it. We can go for rides on any other evening — we do it, too. We should grow in appreciation of the Sunday as the Lord’s Day to be used for spiritual growth. God knows that we need to grow in our spiritual life more than anything else. This world of our furnishes everything to saturation except food for the soul. God has given Sunday for this purpose, let us use it wisely for the lasting benefit of our lives. (B. Dienes.) WHERE LOVE IS, THERE GOD IS ALSO. By Miss A. Eszterházy. In a certain little Hungarian village dwelt Balogh János, the cobbler. He lived in a cellar, a wretched little hole with a single window. The window looked up towards the street and through it János could just see the passersby. It is true he could see little more than their boots, but few, indeed, were the boots in that neighborhood that had not passed through his hands at one time or another. While János was still a journeyman, his wife had died. But she had left him a little boy three years old. Then, no sooner had the little one begun to grow up to be a help and joy to his father, than a sickness fell upon him and he died. And János became so despairing that he began to murmur against God. One day there came to János an aged wanderer and the old man said to him: “Your speech, János, is not good. How shall we judge the will of God? It is because you would have lived for your own delight that you do now despair.” “But what is a man to live for?” János asked. And the old man answered: “For God, János. He gave you life and for Him must you live. Then you will grieve no more and things will come easier to you.” These words were strange to János but he began fo read his Bible and the more he read, the more clearly he understood what God wanted of him and his heart grew lighter every day. His life now became quiet and joyful. With the m irnmg light he sat down to his wiork, worked out his time, then took his lamp from the hook and his book from the shelf and sat himself down to read. It happened once that János was up reading until very late. And he read how a woman anointed the feet of Christ and washed them with her tears and how He was pleased. And János took off his glasses and laid them on the book and fell a-thinking. “I am always thinking about myself”, he said to himself, “of drinking tea and keeping myself warm and cozy without thinking who is the guest.” “János” — it was the voice of someone close to his ear. János started from his thinking. “Who’s there?” He turned around, he gazed at the door, but there was no one. He dozed off then but suddenly he heard it again quite plainly. “János, János! Look tomorrow in the street. I am coming.” János rose from his chair and began to rub his eyes. He did not know whether he was asleep or awake but the words did not come again, so he turned down the lamp and went to bed. The next morning he looked as much at the window as at his work. Once there passed close by an old soldier, a veteran he was, but in tatters and with a shovel in his hands. The old soldier was called Samu-bácsi and lived with a neighbor who sheltered him out of charity. He stopped before János’ window to sweep away the snow. “I am not growing wiser as I grow older”, thought János. “I made up my mind that Christ is coming to me and, lo! ’tis only Samu-bácsi clearing away the snow. The old man is • very much broken. He has scarcely strength enough to scrape away the snow. The kettle is on the stove. Suppose I make him a little tea.” János put down his awl, got up and tapped on the window. Then he beckoned to Samu-bácsi and opened the door. “Come in and warm yourself a bit”, cried he. And he filled two cups with tea and gave one to his guest. Samu-bacsi drank his cup, and said, “Thank you.” János poured him out a fresh cup, but all the time he was looking out of the window. “Do you expect any one?” asked his guest. “I am expecting and I am not expecting”, said János. “Have you heard of our little Father Christ, how He once came on earth?” “I have heard”, said Samu. “I was reading of it last night”, János explained, “and a voice whispered at my very ear. ‘Look out tomorrow’, it said. T am coming’. I scold my
