Bethlen Naptár, 1956 (Ligonier)
The Hungarian Reformed Orphans" Home
BETHLEN NAPTÁR 159 The Hungarian Reformed Orphans' Home Glancing Back Thirty-Five Years The late Dr. ALEXANDER KALASSAY, then pastor of our Pittsburgh congregation, made first mention of a possible Elungarian Reformed Orphans’ Home in an article which he wrote for the Reformátusok Lapja in January, 1906. In this article he expressed his dream of a much-needed Protestant orphanage. He suggested that the Reformed Federation, the one and only institution in which all Hungarian Protestants were unified and which was to celebrate its tenth anniversary the same year, use that occasion to crown its decade of fraternal work by founding such a home. In this way, he felt that our Federation would be actively witnessing to its faith and purpose. THE IDEA ACCEPTED - 1906 At the church service preceding the tenth anniversary meeting held at Trenton, N. J., Dr. LOUIS NAN ASSY preached a sermon preparing the delegates’ hearts and minds for the entertainment of this idea. In his opening address President STEPHEN MOLNÁR also stressed the need for such a home for children. At this meeting Dr. NANASSY’S MOTION to found the orphans’ home was unanimously accepted. The sum of one thousand dollars was allocated for this purpose, thus crowning the Federation’s decade of benevolent work. ECHOES OF THE RESOLUTION - 1907 Many pastors and laymen soon became supporters of the historical resolution. They gave time and talent to the realization of the orphans’ home at the earliest possible date. Dr. ALEXANDER HARSANYI (who was later to become a resident of the Bethlen Home from 1946 till his death in 1951) wrote the first article appealing to all Protestants to take hands in this venture and be of one accord. “Let us build!’’ he wrote. The Supreme Council entrusted Stephen Molnár to launch a fundraising campaign for the project. He made the appeal to pastors, congregations, elders, and societies. The campaign was soon under way, but the results were disheartening. There were two main reasons for the poor response: first, that our people lived in meager circumstances and had not yet considered making America their permanent home; and second, that the animosities which arose among churches and their leaders regarding their pending church affiliations, prevented all Protestants from joining forces even in this common cause. THE IDEA PERSISTS - 1908 Though the response to the appeal for funds had been disheartening, neither the Supreme Council nor the supporters of the orphanage-idea were discouraged. During the meeting of the Supreme Council in 1908 a committee including the late Rev. STEPHEN BORSOS and JOSEPH TOMCSANYI, were delegated to work out a plan for the set-up of the orphans’ home, as well as one for bringing about the unification of the churches in this purpose, since by this time they had split into a number of factions. The orphanage fund had grown to $1600.00, the plans were in the making. It was proposed that the orphanage be located in New
