Magyar Egyház, 1957 (36. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1957-04-01 / 4. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11 ENGLISH SECTION Message To Hungary... WORLD ALLIANCE OF THE REFORMED CHURCHES The annual meeting of the North American Area Council of the World Alliance of the Reformed Churches was held on March 14th, 15th and 16th in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Free Magyar Reformed Church in America was represented at this meeting by Archdean Zoltán Beky of Trenton and Dean Gabor Csordás of New York City. The widely publicized arrest of nine leading Reformed churchmen in Hungary and the Hungarian situation in general was subject of detailed discussions both in the various committees and in the assembly. The report of the Commission on Civil and Religious Liberty was presented by Dr. Eugene C. Blake, president of the National Council of the Churches of Christ. Out of the detailed report of the Committee we would like to get our readers acquainted with §5 of that report which deals with the Hungarian situation and was adopted by the Assembly. “The arrest of several distinguished leaders and a number of pastors of the Reformed Church in Hungary which has been reported in the public press causes grave concern. It is obvious that these arrests, coming so many months after the October-November uprising are a part of an effort by the present regime in Hungary to put pressure on the Reformed Church. Such arrests coming at this late date cannot be explained as the result of any alleged illegal activities of these men who are no more guilty of political crime than 90% of the Hungarian people. Consequently, the North American Area Council of the Alliance of Reformed Churches throughout the World Holding the Presbyterian Order takes the following actions: 1. Calls upon its member churches to withhold all corporate financial aid from the Reformed Church in Hungary through the Alliance, World Council of Churches, or directly until representatives of the Alliance or of the World Council of Churches have had opportunity to visit Hungary and assure themselves that the elected leaders of the church are men who have the confidence of the congregations and are not puppets of the government. Further we must be assured that a realistic exchange rate will be granted by the government for all dollars transmitted to the Reformed Church and its institutions. 2. Calls upon its member churches to hold up our sister church in Hungary in prayer to God that its ministers and members may stand firm in this critical period of trial, and particularly in demanding freedom to elect their own leadership in the church elections that we understand are scheduled to take place next month. 3. Warns the government of Hungary that in our judgment the Reformed and Presbyterian churches throughout the world, including the church in Hungary, will be in resolute resistance to the government of Hungary if the church leaders of that nation, whom the Reformed congregations trust, are imprisoned, silenced, banished, or otherwise persecuted for alleged political crimes. 4. Directs its Secretary to inform the government of Hungary, the acting Bishops of the Reformed Church in Hungary, and the Secretary of the World Presbyterian Alliance at Geneva of these actions taken at Atlantic City, New Jersey, March 14, 1957.” Furthermore, the following letter was sent “To our Brothers and Sisters in the Reformed Church of Hungary”, to the congregations: “Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. During these days of our meeting you have been much in our minds, hearts, and prayers. We pray that God will give you courage and wisdom to make a clear witness for Jesus Christ our Lord in these days of your trials. May there be a true awakening and renewal by the Holy Spirit in the life of your congregations. We shall continue to pray that by your faith and courage you will be able to keep your church responsibly free and that you may be able to give to your nation an example of how Christians should live in this evil world. Especially do we hope that you will be able to choose leaders in the forthcoming church elections who have your confidence so that our intimate relations with you may be resumed and strengthened. We enclose copies of the resolutions taken by our area of the Alliance on March 14, 1957. Our warmest greetings accompany this letter with our prayer that Jesus Christ may be honored by your congregations and ours.” Gabor Csordás
