Magyar Egyház, 1958 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1958-01-01 / 1. szám
10 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ MACKAY VISITS HUNGARY Dr. John A. Mackay, president of Princeton Theological Seminary and chairman of the International Missionary Council recently spent several days in Hungary in discussions with leaders of the Reformed Church in Hungary. “The internal affairs of the churches in Hungary are very complicated,” Dr. Mackay said. “The relations between church and state in that country are exceedingly delicate. Contacts between the churches in Hungary and the churches in the West may become increasingly difficult.” “On the other hand,” Dr. Mackay continued, “the Hungarian government is very eager to establish good relations with the churches and with the ecumenical movement in general. It is quite clear, however, that the government is deeply resentful of the application of pressure from outside Hungary and vows that it will not yield to such external pressure. “It is of the utmost importance,” Dr. Mackay concluded, “that the churches in Hungary and the world confessional bodies that are represented in Hungary should come' to a common understanding among themselves with regard to the best policy in the present situation.” THE CHURCH According to the Bible our eternal heavenly happiness will consist of our being together with Jesus and each other in a holy communion, a fellowship, in heaven. The fatherly providence and love of God decided that those who truly belong to Jesus and will go to heaven can enjoy already here on earth the fellowship with Jesus and with each other even if not as perfectly as once they will in heaven. The Church is that God-appointed and God-established institution in which we can foretaste to a certain degree our heavenly happiness. That indeed for this purpose did God want the Church to come into being is seen in these following words of the Bible: “God has made Jesus the head over all things for the church, which is his body.” Eph. 1:22, 23, “One is your Master, the Christ; and all you are brethren.” Matt. 23:8, “Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” 1 Cor. 12:12. What is the Church then? The Church is the body of Christ. We who truly believe in Jesus Christ belong to Him so truly and really as the hands and feet and the other members belong to a human body. Christ is the Head and we are his members. And if we all are members of the body of Christ then we have to belong to each other also as truly and really as the members of a human body belong to each other. Since the Church, this marvelous institution is here on earth and made up of human beings we can talk about the tasks and functions which God expects from the Church and her government. In this article let us say a few words about the birth of the Church. The tenth day after the ascension of Jesus, the day of Pentecost, is regarded as the birth of the Church. On that day the disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit and began to preach about Jesus to the people of Jerusalem. As the Bible says, about 3000 people became conscious of their sinfulness, they realized the mercy of God toward the sinful man and the great blessings of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. They repented their sins and were baptized by the apostles. These new baptized believers of Christ stayed together in a fellowship. This became the first Christian congregation. We can say, therefore, that the Church was brought into being by God the Holy Spirit who, through the preaching of the apostles, created faith in the hearts of those first Christians and held them together in a real and true fellowship with Jesus and each other. In our future article we shall discuss further questions pertaining to the Church. Stephen Kovács ROMAN CATHOLIC CALL TO PRAYER FOR WEEK OF UNITY “From January 18 to 25 the Week of Universal Prayer for the Unity of all Christians will remind us that all baptized people, now divided among themselves, are called to be one.” Literature issued by the Roman Catholic priest, Father P. Michalon, as director of the world-wide movement continuing the work of the late Abbé Paul Couturier of Lyon, France, underlines the tragedy of Christian division in issuing a call to prayer for 1958 in these terms. “If you were asked ‘What is a Protestant, or a Roman Catholic, or an Orthodox, or an Anglican?’ you would most probably be inclined to point to whatever displeased you, or, at any rate, was a root of dissension,” the appeal goes on. “But you do not know them! How then can you value and love them? That is one of our worst sins: the silent acceptance of the greatest divorce in Christian history! Is our charity so withered that Christ’s prayer, on the eve of Holy Thursday, no longer moves us? ‘Father that they may be one’.” The suggestions for prayer have been grouped under the general intention of “the unity of all Christians as Christ has willed it, and by the means He has chosen.” People are asked to pray on successive days for the unity of all Christians, suffering as a result of separation among Christians, for the sanctification of Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Protestants, and Missionary churches; and for the unity of all mankind in the love and truth of Christ. ALIEN ADDRESS REPORT PROGRAM If you are an alien in the United States, you must report your address to the Government every January. The Government has made it easy for you to meet this important requirement. Go to the nearest Post Office or Immigration Service Office to obtain an address report card — Form 1-53. If you have children under 14 years of age, you can fill out the card for them. Each member of the family must report, or have reported for him, his present address. After filling out the card, return it to the clerk. Do not mail the card. If you are sick or disabled, a friend or relative can obtain the card for you and return it to the clerk after you have filled it out. (Common Council.)
