Hungarian Church Press, 1957 (9. évfolyam, 14-15. szám)

1957-11-30 / 14. szám

HCffl? XI, 30,1957, Vol, n/l4- 2 -158

ma NINTH REPORT 0F BISHOP ALBERT BERSCZKY SUBMITTED TO THE BAHüBIAN DISTRICT’S ASSEMBLY OP Tine HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH, ON NCVHL3ER 14th, 1957

Fathers and Brethren !

Almost two years have passed since I submitted my VUIth report to the Assembly of the Danubian Church District, It seried at. that time that my report — up to then the most comprehensive of ail, taking nearly three hours to de~ liver - found full agreement with the entire public of the church district. It also seemed that the Reformed Church in Hungary amidst and inspite of mistakes, hesitations, failures and sins, had fought the good fight of faith and had not only uerjoeived the narrow path, which had been graciously opened by the righteous Lord who is aLso mcroi'f'ul in his judgments, but had also become able to walk there in, while bearing good fruits and witnessing to its Lord. It seemed then that our march on this road had already withstood the most severe tests, and a start had been made to correct the mistakes and liquidate the miseries cf mainly personal nature which had caused so many justified conplaints and so much bitterness in the people of our church. It seemed then that I, in the first place, was in the position to take the decisive initiative in order to review our central problem, that is, the cause of our mission; or, more precisely, to remedy said correct the mistakes of omission and commission which had been made in this field. All with keen ears could take notioe of statements like these in ny report: "Let by no means think that our purer and fuller recognition of the church's ness ion is already the pure and full conception. We have undoubtedly received from God enlightenment and inspiration which have strengthened the sense of responsibility for the mission cf the church, and let us be thankful to our lord for this help. Yet there is still very much need for further cLrificataon, in terms of careful investigations, in order to acquire a fuller und er standing of* our mission" and greater obedience in carrying out our :riÍ3 sionary task". 1 r ferred to statements in cy commemorative addresses on the passing of two great personalities, János Victor and John R. Mott. I pointed out that "there are diffcrcnees and interrelations between the specifically missionary work md the total service of the church, and that we have not yet fully cleared up tin terms of this relationship. This is, however, one of our most serious theological tables,,. ,.e are certain that our further theological efforts will lead to a deeper understanding of the close relationship which e:cists between the specific mission of our church, that is, the proclamation of forgiveness in Jesus Christ and of eternal life, and, on the other hand, the service Of our present church generation, that is, our active contribution to the cause of peace among nations and the new form of life of our Hungarian people," This and yet many other things seemed to run parallel, in the course of 1955 and 1956, up to the Galyatető meeting of the Central Coimittee of the Vorld Council of Churches, to the general clarification of our people’s life and with the measures of healing and correction applied to the miseries and grievenoes which had accumulated in the life cf our nation.

In this moment, however, Fathers and Bretliren, I am deeply moved when I must make the confession that there was much in all these tilings which later