Calvin Synod Herald, 1976 (76. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1976-07-01 / 7-8. szám

REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA

3

GOD AND THE NATION

Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 4, 1976, at Faith United Church of Christ, Hammond, Indiana by Bishop Arpad L. Beretz, Pastor.

“Blessed is the nation, whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!” Psalm 33:12

Dearly Beloved, It is most fitting that we observe the Bi-Centennial of the founding of our nation in the House of God. Alexis de Tocqueville, a French statesmen and historian, wrote a book in 1837 entitled “Democracy in America” and this is what he said: “I sought for the greatness and genius of America in fertile lands and boundless forests; it was not there. I sought for it in her free schools and her institutions of learning; it was not there. I sought for it in her matchless Constitution and democratic congress; it was not there. Not until I went to the churches and temples of America and found them aflame with righteousness did I understand the greatness and genius of America. America is good. When America ceases to be good; America will cease to be great!”

What would de Tocqueville write about us today? Would he find the greatness and genius of America in the churches aflame with righteousness? Would he find America good?

I suspect he would say: I went to the churches and the temples to seek for the greatness and genius of America; it was not there. And yet, I believe that America is good. True, our greatness and our genius is not found in our institutions, to a large extent, any more; but it still can be found. It can be found in the hearts and minds of every man and woman, the run of the mill kind, who believe firmly and sincerely that all are created equal and all are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights . . . including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

This belief wherever it is found is still the greatness and the genius of America. For this belief Americans of all races, colors and creeds have given their lives and their goods and their property for the last 200 years. If the time ever comes that all men are not equal, that all do not have inalienable rights endowed by their Creator — including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness then we will cease to be good and if we cease to be good, America will not be great. In our day this belief is being put to the test.

During the past century, America has become a nation of many different races, many different tongues and many different cultures. We have come to appreciate slowly, maybe too slowly, but surely, that no single culture, no single language or no single group can claim America as its own — and that all others would be simply guests or at worse poachers, aliens and sojourners. No, not even the American Indian can make that claim.

In the summer of 1974, my wife and I spent a few days at our United Church Camp in Laforet, Colorado and met there a fine Indian Chief. He was a Christian — When I asked him, and we became very good friends, I asked him where did the Indian come from — He looked at me puzzled — He said the Indian came from God and placed him in his land, this land.

When I suggested to him that the Indian was really a transplanted Asian, he could not grasp the idea. Yet, he did understand this, that this was God’s land. All who came to this fertile, virgin land with great forests and wide rivers4 _came into God’s land. It was, as if it were destined, to be God's proving ground, testing ground. This is where the plan of God was to be made manifest — that man could

ational (Cemetery

In military formation, Standing row by row,

As far as human eye can see; Gravestones white as snow.

With military dignity They stand where heroes rest,

Whose duty done as patriots;

The Lord already blest.

The soldier, sailor or marine,

Beneath this Holy sod,

Perhaps, your loved one he may be;

Chosen by Lord God.

A military resting place,

Sacred spot on earth,

Enfolds all Faiths, all Ranks and Race; Planned by God at birth.

In military victory,

Sleeping side by side,

This great victorious army;

In Heaven now abide.

By Margaret F. Csóványos

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live with man — that man could love neighbor as himself — man could find justice and righteousness — man could live in peace and hate war — man could govern himself in liberty and freedom. Man could share his goods and substance with his fellowman.

And in return God would give America power, prosperity, unknown in the annals of human kind.

And it happened. It happened to your forebears who came to these shores seeking religious, political, economic freedom. And it has happened to us, this generation of Americans, celebrating the Bi-Centennial. God has remained faithful and good. But we must always remember that He is likewise just.

The founding Fathers set forth their ideals and hopes. And as they were willing to risk all for their beliefs, so were those who followed after lo these many 200 years. Now it’s squarely up to us! We are still God’s proving ground.

Will we be able to accept each ethnic and cultural group on an equal and equitable basis?

Will we be able to give equality before the law to all regardless of color, creed, religious or political persuasion?

Will we be able to accept socially and economically everyone in our society.

Will we be able to reject segregation of age, race, class and sex and become a society that honors and admires a diverse human tapestry. A tapestry in which the smallest part will feel and know that it is part of the whole. I think our ethnic representatives who came this morning and brought their little tributes of what expressed to them their own ethnicity and placed it on the Lord’s Table. Take a look! Not one nation, not one culture could do all this. This is America! Much greater, because we have all the diverse groups.

This is what Msgr. Geno Baroni of Washington meant when he said we all ought to have in America a Family Identity Kit. An Identity Kit that would tell us and tell our