Reformátusok Lapja, 1959 (59. évfolyam, 1-22. szám)
1959-07-01 / 13. szám
REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA 21 atmosphere of the Hungarian Reformed spirit, which created galley slaves, martyrs and rulers for whom the Bible was the sum of knowledge, fountain of war strategy, and map for golden Jerusalem. It shows anew the love of those Hungarians toward Christ who were ready to sacrifice everything for their faith and their Church — as, for example, Princess Bethlen, whose husband lost his throne, because she was a Calvinist. From 1701 they lived in exile. When her husband died, she wrote this poem in her diary: “Christ, put me as a flower on thine heart, and thy love remain with me, that I may ever love no one but thee.” Someone could say that there are a lot of Hungarian papers here and everywhere in the world — the lonely Magyar can buy them. Yes, there are Hungarian papers everywhere. There are valuable papers, monthly magazines. But a man has got to pay for them. The Reformátusok Lapja visits those, too, who cannot pay. Also, there are worthless papers which do not deserve to be read. They illuminate the poor Hungarian like the serpent illuminated Eve, Belzebub its victims, and the Stalin candles illuminated the doomed Hungarian cities. The Reformátusok Lapja is more than a religious paper to us. It is the invitation of our Lord to the wedding feast for those Hungarians who are tossed out into the night of desperation and are on the crossroads and far highways. It is the invitation of those Hungarians, too, who are not in the wedding garments of the children of great happy nations. After the second world war, we were shut up in so-called “DP” lagers, forgotten, blockaded, beleaguered by hunger, sickness and sin. During the raids the door of our caves were knocked on, by the police or by the soldiers of occupant forces. Thousands of Hungarians were on the way of starvation with empty stomachs, like the abandoned dogs of the alleys. We, the unhappy nations in Middle Europe, were the scape-goats, branded with the stigma of uncommitted crimes. Then, one day, the Reformátusok Lapja entered into our lagers. And it brought the Spring of new hopes to us. It embraced us with the love of Christ, like the father embraces his lost, but found, son. It told us wonderful things. It told us that there still is love in the hearts of men. It told us that Christ is in America. It invited us into the U. S. A. to participate in the wedding feast of freedom of the children of this great country. We are now here and we bear witness to the fact that each word of the Reformátusok Lapja was true and is Amen. The editor of the Reformátusok Lapja was, and still is, Dr. Alexander Toth. A former professor of the Lancaster college and seminary, a pioneer minister, scholar, and a great admirer of the American way of life. Our concern is great, because he is retiring in the near future. We hope and pray that with his departure this paper will not cease to exist — because it would be an assasination of Hungarian hopes, dreams, aspirations, and it would be an ambush against the triumphant faith of our fathers. Kálmán Csia our pastor in East Chicago, Ind. A MEMORABLE ANNIVERSARY July 13th will be the 330th anniversary of the time when Gábor Bethlen, the Prince of Transylvania, raised to nobility the ministers of Transylvania and the annexed territories of Hungary. Gábor Bethlen, for the furtherance of higher education, patronized and cared for many schools. While he struggled and had victorious battles, he fought for the religious and political liberty of his nation. During the peaceful periods, when the homeland was progressing and building in every respect, Gábor Bethlen was convinced that a well educated and refined mind was mightier than any force or arms. Gábor Bethlen had great expectations of all his schools, but especially the school in Gyulafehérvár, which was in the capital city. He expected that his schools would produce the best educated students who would be the high ranking leaders and office holders of his homeland. The students for all the Reformed Church schools were recruited not only from the nobility, but from the peasant class. Many of these students, who became well educated and filled important offices, were later already raised to nobility. Among the men who were in office, the Reformed ministers played an important role. Gábor Bethlen, who had read the Bible 27 times, was a devout Reformed Christian, who carried his Bible to the battlefields. Feeling the importance of the Reformed faith, he looked with favor upon his Church and its ministers. However, among the people holding office, many were of different beliefs. Among those holding office, the ministers had the broadest education, and Gábor Bethlen, feeling the importance of the ministry in the nation’s life, resolved to raise to nobility the ministers and their descendants, because among them were many of low birth. This decree did not specify that it was only for ministers of the Reformed faith. The Latin text says: “Verbi Dei praeconum seu
