Calvin Synod Herald, 1978 (78. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1978-09-01 / 9-10. szám
4 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD "GO YE THEREFORE .. Recognition of Revs. Alexander and Maria Babos by The Calvin Synod. Ligonier, Pa., April 30,1975 “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears: I come to bury Ceasar, not to praise him ...” As you all know Shakespeare put these immortal words into Anthony’s mouth as he started his famous eulogy over the murdered body of Julius Ceasar.. . “Friends, Hungarian Reformed people, fellow Christians” — as I dare to paraphrase Shakespeare’s words today, — I come neither to bury, nor to praise Rev. Alexander Rabos and Rev. Maria Rabos, but I do claim your ears for God’s eternal message: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” I feel that WE need this recognition evening more than the Babos couple, and thus the admitted purpose of this presentation is to answer one question: What is the message of God to us in the life and ministry of his chosen servants, the Revs. Alexander and Maria Babos. The life and ministry of Sándor and Maria Babos can easily be divided into three phases. If marked by geographical terms, they are: (1) Erdély, (2) Manchuria, (3) U.S.A. If divided according to mission posture, they are: (1) the growing awareness, (2) the daring venture, (3) the further testing and growth. Time-wise the first period is from 1903 to 1933: the second from 1933 to 1947: and the third from 1947 to the present time. Let us take a few glances at each of these phases in order to acknowledge Gods work among us so that we may face our present day challenges in our Synod more faithfully and courageously. I. Erdély — The Growing Awareness (1903-1933). 1. Sándor was born in Budapest “accidentally” as he likes to say, for he is a Transylvanian of the Transylvanians. But later on when in 1933 he exchanged a letter with Irene Kunst, this great German- Hungarian missionary to China, he recognized with awe and gratitude that she was praying for 30 years that the Lord would move the hearts of Hungarian Christians to participate in the great work of mission. “Would it be possible” — Sándor asked then — “that when I was born in 1903, someone was already praying for me!? Irene Kunst felt that it was so.” And we feel so, too. For if the Lord knew Jeremiah before he was formed in the womb, consecrated him before lie was born and appointed him for his assigned task, why is it so impossible to believe that God knew, consecrated and appointed Sándor Babos, too, for his particular task before he was formed and born. And not only Sándor Babos, but each one of us! Although often times we confuse predestination with fatalism and determinism, it is scriptural to believe that before we were born and were able to do any good or evil, He graciously assigned our task not according to works, but of his free mercy. At any event, prayer has been the secret of many great happenings in the church: let us not forget this! 2. According to the Scriptures “Those whom God predestined, he also calls.” This call of God comes to us through various ways: scripture, counselling, circumstances, etc., but our Reformed forefathers loved to say that generally the call is boh the inward work of the Holy Spirit and the outward recognition ot the church. In the case of Alexander Babos this “double” aspect of God’s call is clearly noticeable. While inwardly God prepared him in the theological school of Kolozsvár, especially through the prayer, study, concern of the seven Christian friends, plus through the contacts with Western Christianity, — the external call also became stronger and stronger through the growing awareness of mission in the Reformed Church of Erdély. And all this through the most unusual circumstances! As Sándor observed: “When in Trianon, Erdély was cut off from the body of the Hungarian nation; when all seemed to collapse in the eyes of our fathers who could no longer counsel us in regard to our tasks for the future; when all slogans proved to be useless to cope with the national disaster, — then the Lord, through young professors and students opened our eyes to see the wide horizons of the inward and upward dimensions. We began to understand, that to go and make disciples of all nations was not a harmless text of baptism, but the command of the Lord who has all authority in heaven and on earth...” Thus, when Bishop Sándor Makkai, who became the leading force of raising mission-consciousness in the church, once made the “accidental” remark, “If someone in Erdély would be willing to go, our church would be able to participate in the mission work of the church in other lands, too,” — the young Babos could not forget the words! — “He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” The greatest tragedy for individuals and churches and nations is not suffering loss, but blindness to see and willingness to serve the Lord’s will and purposes. 3. Once Alexander Babos was willing to obey Christ’s command, the critical questions were raised: Where? How? And just as the apostle Paul had to spend years in Arabia before it became clear to him how and where the Lord wanted to use him, Alexander Babos also had his period of uncertainty and searching. German and American friends suggested Mohammedan mission which — for whatever reason — seemed to be so “logical” that the Reformed Church of Hungary also sent its missionary, Lajos Döbrössy ic this field. However, Bishop Makkai felt — for whatever reason again — that attention should be given to our “relatives” in Asia. “We should go to Asia, to China and find out among our blood relatives how can they be relatives in Christ,” — as he phrased it.
