Hungarian Church Press, 1949 (1. évfolyam, 4-13. szám)
1949-05-26 / 5. szám
i Ever since that time the Reformed Church is undertaking serious endeavours to make the Jewish mission the task of the congregations.In some congregations,with the aid of the pastors, local missionary cells were called into "being,which all meet in the "Good Shepherd" Committee of the General Convontus as central organisation.The President of that work is Br.Alexander Makkal, former "bishop»University profeosor,the missionary leader of the General Convontus. A3 a result of the visit of Br.Conrad Hoffmann in Hungary,in April 1948 a Theological Conference on the Jewish mission was held for several days with the participation of the most outs \unding theologians.In the newly formed central organisation oi all evangelical workers of the Reformed Church the Jewish mission was given a special branch.On the Theological Faculty in Bebrecen during the last term two professors lectured on the Jewish question. The leaders of the Alliance of Presbyterian Women carried on all through the year special courses 8-10 day to train Christian workers,and each group was given also an opportunity to hear on the Jewish mission. The group mainly consisted of the wives of the ministers,who being stirred to special responsibility for the Jewish mission,this meant an achievement of immense importance. "Very often the workers of the Jewish mission were given an opportunity to speak at evangelisations,youth-meetings and evangelisations for pastors. The Church is assuming the fight against anti-Semitism with an ever increasing zeal and cleanses herself, thus being able to carry on her services with a sanctified mind towards the Jews.As a result the number of regenerate Jewish Christians is increasing within the Reformed Church. b/ As to the Lutheran Church»in the Annual Report of 1947 of her Assembly,the assertion was made: "The Church secs no reason for repentance concerning her past attitude towards the Jews." But already in July 1948 the following resolution was made at a Conference hold at Pót of the Lutheran Missionary Society and other groups of this Church:"According to the laws of our Church, missionary work is the task and calling of the Church.The time ha3 come that Jewish missionary work based on the creed may be started as the task of the Church.The missionary activities cf our Church were up to the present Confined only to Gentile mission.That Gentile mission was not blessed in the measure we asked and longed for,is to our mind due to the fact that,we forgot the command of the Word:"To the Jew first and also to the Greek." The Missionary Society resolved to launch a country wide Jewish missionary work of the congregations,enabling the workers bound for foreign mission,to have a share in the Jewish mission up to the time,they can leave for their respective field.Further it was decided that it i3 first of all the pastors,the elders,who must be stirred for responsibility,and to that end annual Jewish missionary conferences must bo held in each church district with Bible Conferences for elders.For the handling of the whole work a special central organisation must be called intobbeing. In the person of Br.Iván Reök,the nev/ general superintendent, one of the leading posts of the Church is filled by a man who at the time of the pogroms was not afraid to take a brave stand by the Jews and is an enthusiastic - supporter of the Jewish Mission also. No 5. -6- May 26, 19 49
