Evangéliumi Hírnök, 1997 (89. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1997-04-01 / 4. szám
8. oldal MICHAEL KORNYA AN APOSTOLIC HERO (2) by Dr. Béla Udvarnoki * “THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK AND POWERFUL” The conversion of Michael Komya could have been instantaneous - that is, the act of accepting the Lord as his Saviour and the change that the Lord wrought in his life - but to reach this point took time. From the time he was invited to the home of John Lajos and heard the message of salvation and the call for repentance, about the Biblical way of life and the Scriptural baptism, Komya became a “disciple”, studying the Word of God. He had questions in his mind to which he sought answers. This period, from the fall of 1874 to the summer, August, 1875 - that for almost a year was Komya’s study-course, as preparation for baptism. In fact Komya did not decide to request baptism. Immersion was not his aim in studying. He searched the Scripture for salvation, and in his searching he found the assurance of salvation should be manifested by witnessing, following the Lord and obeying His command to enter into the water of baptism. Today the reader will be aware of the difference between the well thought over, meaningful participation of Komya, grown up man, 31 years of age in the solemn ordinance of immersion, and between the customary steps of the 8 to 10 year old boys and girls, upon the admonition of their parents, to walk down the aisle during a revival to present themselves for baptism. Komya’s baptism was preceded by hard struggle, serious contemplation, careful Bible study and finally the great decision of accepting the Lord. He was baptized on August 26,1875, in the river Koros at three o’clock after midnight. The explanation for this unusual time for immersion can be found in the ecclesiastical situation at that period. Immersion of adults was regarded by the Catholic and Protestant leaders, and consequently by their adherents, as an “Anabaptist” heretical innovation. With their firm grip on the secular authorities they were able to prevent a public baptismal service. There were no Baptist church buildings with baptistries * Booklet, published by the Hungarian Baptist Union of America, 1983. atthattime. Butitwasjustaswell. They practiced immersion as in our Lord’s time - in a river. No one can miss the significance of the preparation, Bible study, meditation, prayer and strong determinations of the candidates for baptism in the last quarter of the 19th century. For the believers who were immersed, the participation in this ordinance was not a goal reached but a starting point of life’s service. That Biblical truth that the Lord calls to repentance and salvation and at the same time sends His people to witness had a full realization in Komya’s conversion. He was ready to witness about the life changing, saving power of Christ. He had to. People, friends and foes alike asked, ridiculed, blamed him: what happened to you? He had to answer and he was glad to answer. The people gave him the opportunity to witness about his happy experience with the Lord. He gave one of his first testimonies to his landowner employer. His testimony was simple, free of theological jargon. Komya was not, and never became a theologian. He remained a Biblical, practicing Christian. His testimony to his boss sounded like this: “Sir, I quit cursing and I do not beat my wife any more.” Then he went on to talk about Jesus who brought this change into his life. The boss and his family readily listened to Komya’s talk about Jesus. (More than 60 years later the daughter of the land owner revealed to Mr. Kimer, the author of Komya’s biography: “I confess I learned from Uncle Michael to love and follow the Lord Jesus.”) From the time of his baptism Komya was happy to tell everyone that he was a believer. The word “believer” in Hungary acquired a secondary meaning. The Baptists were called and often derided as “believer”. This name remained up to the second World War. “He became a believer” was equivalent to “he became a Baptist”. Of course the Baptists regarded this name as a high distinction, although to their antagonists it served as a mocking expression. Komya loved to be called “believer”. Seldom said he, he became a Baptist. For him to be a Baptist meant primarily to belong to a denomination, but to be called a “believer” meant he belonged to the Lord. So he acted in his life as Christian: a believer, worthy of the Gospel. Following the Master All of the apostles were insulted by the enemies of their Master. They were called to seal their doctrines with their blood and nobly did they bear the trial. Matthew suffered martyrdom by being slain with a sword at a distant city of Ethiopia. Mark expired at Alexandria, after being cruelly dragged through the streets of that city. Luke was hanged upon an olive tree in the classic land of Greece. John was put in a caldron of boiling oil, but escaped death in a miraculous manner, and was afterward branded at Patmos. Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downward. James, the Greater, was beheaded at Jerusalem. James, the Less, was thrown from a lofty pinnacle of the temple, and then beaten to death with a fuller’s club. Bartholomew was flayed alive. Andrew was bound to a cross, whence he preached to his persecutors until he died. Thomas was ran through the body with a lance at Coromandel in the East Indies. Jude was shot to death with arrows. Matthias was first stoned and then beheaded. Barnabas of the Gentiles was stoned to death at Salonica. Paul, after various tortures and persecutions, was at length beheaded at Rome by the Emperor Nero. Such was the fate of the apostles, according to traditional statements. ______________________________1997. április SUNDAY SCHOOL Does it make a difference? “In 1915 Leon Trotsky, noted leader of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, attended Sunday School in Chicago with a friend. The teacher did not arrive to teach his class that morning and unfortunately had not notified anyone of his intention to be absent. Trotsky walked away from that Sunday School class and as far as is known never attended another one. Two years later, he was intensely engaged in the Russian Revolution which brought the Communist Regime to power. One cannot help but wonderwhat effect that Sunday School teacher might have had on the world events had he fulfilled his responsibility by being present and teaching his class the Sunday Trotsky visited. Joseph Stalin, who caused so many millions of people to die, was sent to study to be a priest in the Russian church. It had become so worldly and corrupt that he rebelled and turned to Communism as a way of life. Mahatma Gandhi, who was the leader of millions in India, studied Christianity when in England but rejected it because Christians didn’t live up to the teaching of Jesus.
