Calvin Synod Herald, 1979 (79. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1979-11-01 / 11-12. szám
6 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Office of the White House Press Secretary Media Liaison PRESIDENT SALUTES HUNGARIAN AMERICANS WASHINGTON, D.C., OCT. 25 - President Carter during his visit to New Brunswick saluted that city’s many citizens of Hungarian heritage. “While retaining strong attachments to their 1,000- year-old homeland,’’ said the President, “Hungarian- Americans have made outstanding contributions to the welfare and the cultural richness of our nation.” Noting the nation’s recent commemoration of the bicentennal of the death of Colonel Michael Kovats de Fabricy, a hero of the Revolutionary War who died while defending Charleston, South Carolina from occupation by British forces, President Carter said, “Colonel de Fabricy’s heroism symbolized the centuriesold devotion of Hungarians to freedom and liberty. “Many of us recall vividly the tragic events of 1956 and the spirit that inspired them 23 years ago this week,” said the President. “Although we continue to have disagreements with the present Hungarian Government over many questions of political freedom and basic human and social values,” he said, “our relations have improved substantially. One important move in this improvement,” said President Carter, “was the return of the Crown of Saint Stephen to the Hungarian people in January, 1978. As a result, the thousand-year-old Crown is back in its ancestral homeland on dignified public display where it can be seen by Hungarians and persons of Hungarian descent from around the world.” REV. SILAY'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY On September 16th, 1979 the members and friends of the United Presbyterian Church of Daisytown, Pa. gathered together for a special thanksgiving day. The wonderful weather and sunshine beautifully reflected the joy and happiness of each participant. In the morning the congregation gave thanks to God for fifty years of service without interruption. In the afternoon, Rev. Alexander Silay, pastor of the United Presbyterian Church of Daisytown was honored with a testimonial dinner for being a faithful minister in that congregation for a half century. Rev. Silay started to work in Daisytown on September 1st, 1929. The master or ceremony was Mr. Alexander Debreczeni. Guest speakers were Rev. Dr. Nathaniel C. Roe, executive presbyter of the Washington Presbytery and Rev. Alexander Jalso from Brownsville. Mr. Steve Bérezik, ruling elder, Mrs. Magdaline Sakach, president of the Ladies Aid, Mr. Hubert Carpenter, Sunday School superintendent presented the greetings and gifts of the congregation. Mr. Alex Temar, in the name of Assumption Roman Catholic Church and Mr. Richard Hajdú, in the name of the First Hungarian Beneficial Society, expressed their best wishes. Rev. Silay received letters of congratulation from Jimmy Carter, President of the United States, Dr. Howard L. Rice, Jr., moderator, Dr. William P. Thompson, stated clerk of the United Presbyterian Church in the USA and from Dr. William G. Rusch, executive of the Synod of Trinity. The following words are inscribed on the plaque given to Rev. Silay: “In appreciation for 50 vears of devoted and dedicated service to God and his congregation September, 1979.” Rev. Silay with tearful eyes exoressed his gratitude to the Almighty for His unceasing blessings and to the members and friends of the congregation for their loyal cooperation. Alexander Jalso 32 CHRISTIAN TURKS SEEK REFUGE IN A DUTCH CHURCH Almelo/Netherlands — 32 Syrian-Orthodox and Armenian Christians from Turkey, who were due for expulsion from the Netherlands in early September after all their previous requests for asylum there were in vain, sought refuge in mid-September in the Reformed (Hervormde) “Great Church” in Almelo. The Reformed congregation of Almelo and the Dutch Council of Churches have offered to help and protect the Turks threatened with expulsion. Only this summer about 200 Turkish Christians spent several months in a church in Holland, refusing to leave its shelter for fear of expulsion. They were given assurances that their requests for asylum would be re-examined and that they could stay in the country until September 1. Their renewed withdrawal into the shelter of the church is a reaction to the news that 41 Turks will have to leave the country after all. During the past few months relief organizations in Sweden, Belgium, the Federal Republic and the Netherlands had examined the living conditions for Christians in Turkey on the spot. In their recently published report they observe that Christians in Turkey have been an object of persecution for many years. Even in Istanbul, where many Turkish Christians hope to find refuge, there is no guarantee of safety for them. The Dutch Council of Churches has urged the responsible authorities to ensure that the Christian Turks will be able to stay on safely in the Netherlands until the final decision is passed by the Supreme Court of Justice. RPS, Oct. ’79
