Bethlen Évkönyv, 1993-1996 (Ligonier)
Dózsa György: Az Amerikai Magyar Református Egyesület 100. Évét Ünnepli
It is the strong faith of our founders, their hard work and strong determination to provide help where needed that made the Federation what it is today — a fraternal benefit society. As the early records show, the HRFA was never an exclusionary organization. It accepted into its membership not only Hungarian Protestants but also those who were of the Catholic and Jewish faith. When organized, the Federation was strictly a fraternal aid society. The dues were low, one dollar or less per month, and the death benefits amounted to varying sums. In addition, sick benefits were available to members with a payment of additional dues. One year after the organizational meeting, representatives of the Federation came together in Cleveland, Ohio, where the society, now with 320 members and $272.15 in assets, officially started organizing fraternal activities in Hungarian Protestant communities of Cleveland, OH; Bridgeport, CT; Trenton, NJ; Toledo, OH; Hazelwood, Johnstown, and Phoenixville, PA. In 1898, the Federation established its first official newspaper, the “Őrálló”, which was followed by the “Református Újság” and finally the “Testvériség”. These official organs of the Federation were instrumental in the development of the organization. They supplied readers with spiritual guidance and kept them informed about the financial operation of the organization as well as the cultural events that took place in their Hungarianspeaking communities. 1899 and 1900 were critical years in the life of the Federation. External attacks and internal struggles among the leaders demoralized the membership, and the organization lost almost half of its members. At the Convention in Cleveland in 1901, a new leadership emerged and reorganized the Federation, thus reversing the fortune of the Federation to a brighter future. The 10th anniversary of the Federation was celebrated in Trenton, NJ, on October 17, 1906. The president, Steve Molnár, reported that the Federation in its first 10 years of existence paid over $100,000 to the beneficiaries of deceased members. In order to increase the membership, two full-time field managers were hired. During that meeting, the idea of a home for children 16
