Calvin Synod Herald, 1981 (81. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)
1981-03-01 / 3-4. szám
6 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD en. I can see Bishop Varga patting himself on the chest and saying, “All Reformed!” We continued the trip all day, stopping at each town for a service of worship, and by afternoon we were two hours behind schedule. Each church was packed, with people standing in the aisles and overflowing into the street. They wanted to talk about their families in the West and about their faith. They taught me that when you stand for something or against something, you must have a place to stand, and their place was the Church. I preached in Bishop Varga’s church in Rimaszombat, and later we met with ministers and elders for a discussion. They asked Dr. Marchand about the church in France, Dr. Watson about the church in Australia, and, since I was a professor of theology, they asked me: “What do you think of Karl Barth’s book on infant baptism?” When I told them that Karl Barth is a very great man but this is a very bad book, they cheered. Then they told me that infant baptism is the sacrament of the Church’s continuation. It is the sign and seal of God’s desire for his Church to continue into another generation, and that the children of believers belong to Him and not to the Party. Infant baptism is the “yes” that God has spoken over the life of the child in Jesus Christ. The third quality in the life of Bishop Varga was transparently clear and of paramount importance. That is his confession. He was a confessional Christian, and the center of his confession was Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Programs in Christian education in his churches were forbidden, but on Sunday afternoons he would gather the young people together and instruct them from the Heidelberg Catechism. Because he was a confessing Christian, because Jesus Christ had set him free, Imre Varga was a free man even in the midst of unfreedom. Let me say a word about the future. I began by quoting the last verse of St. Paul’s great hymn to the resurrection. This chapter makes clear that because Jesus Christ has come there is life beyond death. The God that made us does not forget us. No, He is the one who sent his Son to make atonement for us so that in him there is life everlasting. Therefore, we know that our labor is not in vain in the Lord. It is in this confidence that we meet together this afternoon to celebrate the labor of one who did not labor in vain and who is now with his Lord. Sail on, Imre. Sail on into the presence of Christ the King, to a land that is far more hospitable than the one in which you have labored so faithfully for nearly eight decades. James I. McCord Patience is a bitter cup that only the strong can drink. MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR IMRE VARGA John Calvin Church Perth Amboy, New Jersey, December 28, 1980 (Scripture: Psalm 137 and 2 Corinthians 4) LORD GOD! We praise thee in pain and in tears. The pain we feel because our Brother and Friend Imre Varga has left the communion of his people on earth is stronger than our understanding. We know that it was part of thy eternal counsel that thou hast called him hence — yet because of our love for him and in the weakness of our faith we wish he stayed with us much longer. We know that thou shroudest his life in death’s mystery only to lift it into the light of eternally ongoing life — yet our vision is so limited that we cannot see beyond the shadows of the valley of death. Father of Wisdom and Lord of Love! Help us to see this side of the valley recalling to our mind’s eyes and to our mind’s ears the times when our Brother was still with us. Help us to see him clothed in the power of the Spirit — that while he was hard-pressed on every side he was never crushed; while he was often at his wit’s end he was never at his hope’s end; while he was persecuted by men he was never forsaken by thee; he was knocked down many times indeed but was never knocked out. As we are thinking of him this way we come to see that it was again thy Word which has led us to this vision. So now we can truly praise thee and give thee thanks for the gift of Imre Varga’s life; for the life which was power to the Church, comfort to his beloved ones, and guidance to his people. Lord of Hosts! who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus Christ himself being the head cornerstone, keep us we pray, in communion with all thy saints of whom our dear brother now departed in the body is one. Glory be to thee for having given us faith in the living Christ whose resurrection guarantees that those who have died will rise again. In this faith we pray in His name. AMEN. Andrew Harsanyi WE CAN ONLY SEE A LITTLE . . . We can only see a little of the ocean, Just a few miles distant from the rocky shore; But out there — far beyond our eyes’ horizon, There’s more — immeasurably more. We can only see a little of God’s loving — A few rich treasures from His might store; But out there — far beyond our eyes’ horizon, There’s more — immeasurably more. — Unknown
