Hungarian Church Press, 1951 (3. évfolyam, 10. szám)
1951-06-01 / 10. szám
THE VISIT OP REV, ROBERT MACHTE ASSOCIATE GENERAL SECRETARY OP THE WORLD COUNCIL OP CHURCHES IN HUNGARY Invited an a .guest by the Reformed Church, Rev »Robert Mo. chic,Minister of the Church of Scotland,Associate General Secretary and Director ox the Inter-church Aid of the World Council of Churches* paid an oight days long visit in Hungary, from May 22nd to Hay 20th, Ho was present at a special' meeting of the Ecumenical Committee of the Hungarian Churchos., Rev.-Robert Mackie also visited theological facultieo,town and village congregations, all over the country# Accompanied by Bishop Albert Bereczky,President of.; the General Synced of the Hungarian Reformed Church, he visited Stephen Kossá,President of the State Office of Church Affairs, Before leaving the country, he has made the following statement to Hungarian Church Press; "i have very much appreciated the opportunity of revisiting Hungary„It is three years since my last visit,and Í have been astonished at the material reconstruction which has taken place # Por a country which suffered so terribly in the war,Hungary has made a marvelous recovery« I am grateful to all who made my journey possibles To the Reformed Church which invited me,and to the other churches which have received me,and also to the officials who showed me much curtesy. It was a great pleasure to stay in the deaconess house at Budapest, and to meet with the deaconesses and learn something of their essential service in the Church# 1 found also at one of their meetings,which I attended, that the whole question of the part which the Church can play in meeting the needs of the whole community,was very much in the mind of the leadership of the Church, I was particularly glad that I was invited to leave Budapest,and to visit some of the centres of Protestant church life in different parts of the country »The visits to the theological facilities helped mo to see what a fine type of the student is now entering the university«I found the professors discussing the same biblical and theological questions as the fellow-professors in other countries0 I hope that the theological faculties will continue to receive the important books fcbich are published in other countries# I was able also to talk with many pastors who were attend ing regional meetings. They told me of the revival of Christian faith and life which is evident in the congregations# Having visited the town of Nyíregyháza,I was very much impressed to discover that there were daily services in the Church#I was present at o:cs of these.I do notkuw of any other Reformed Church, in which people meet to worship daily» At tlic small country town of Gödöllő,I was present at a Sunday morning service«The rover nee of the worshipers and the power of listening was to me an inspiration# I noticed also a high proportion of men,including young men, who were present» I leave Hungary with a new sense of the power of the Holy Spix'it in the Church.The Spirit not only quickens the life of the Individual Christ ians,but it binds Christians everywhere together# I found in the Churches of Hungary a strong feeling of solidarity with their fellow Christians throughout the world» I was present at a meeting of the Ecumenical Committee in Hungary• There were present representatives of the Reformed,Lutheran,Be.ptist,Methodist, Orthodox and other Churches«, At a time when in a number of cron tries there is no longei' an ecumenical committee in relation to the work of the department of interchurch aid,I was very glad to find such strong national connection.Clearly the Churches in Hungary are extremely anxious to main* tain and develop contacts with other churches in the World Council#I was able to assure the Committee that Churches in other countries are eager to keep in touch with the life of the churches in Hungary.My own visit was a proof of this desire-and pledge of future cooperation, * Hungarian Church Pré os • 0-4 *
