Magyar Egyház, 1959 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1959-01-01 / 1. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 15 NEWS EAST GERMAN TEACHERS FLEE TO WEST (Berlin)—During the first eight months of 1958 2,171 teachers and 22 college lecturers fled to Western Germany from the German Democratic Republic. Cited as one of the main reasons, reports say, is the increasing pressure being exerted on teachers in Eastern Germany by the Communist Party. Press and official pronouncements constantly emphasize that education must be directed towards scientific atheism and that there can be no compromise between Marxism and religion. A current slogan in East Germany, according to reports, says that teachers must be “either Marxists or churchgoers”. To help in the struggle with “unprogressive or uncooperative tendencies in the sphere of religion’” the German teachers’ paper lists an anthology of writings by Marx and Lenin called “Secrets of Religion”. The paper comments: “In every branch of education there are many opportunities to overcome obsolete religious conception, to trace their origin and to show the pupils that they are due to class distinctions”. Reports also say that a campaign is under way to influence pupils and adds that more and more students also are leaving Eastern Germany. EPS. Geneva k k k RUSSIA Up to one hundred letters of thanks come daily from German internees and prisoners of war still in the USSR to acknowledge the sending of parcels from the Evangelical Church’s organization that supervises the work in Munich. * * * POLAND At a conference of exiled East German evangelical Christians held at Königsfeld in the Black Forest it was stated that serious setbacks had been encountered since World War II in the former German provinces now governed by Poland, where census figures show that Protestants have shrunk to about one percent of the population. * * * RUSSIA The American film “The Ten Commandments” cannot be shown in the Soviet Union, according to information received from Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association in Washington. It was one of ten films offered by representatives of the American film industry to the USSR. No reason was given for the refusal to accept it. * * * GERMANY The Roman Catholic Church in Munich has promised full support in practical arrangements for the Ninth German Evangelical Kirchentag, to be held in Munich from August 12 to 16, 1959. Local Catholics are offering housing for participants. The Kirchentag’s organisers have promised similar support for the Munich Eucharistic Congress planned for 1960. URUGUAY, South America After a four year struggle, it has been possible to show the American-made film, “Martin Luther”, in Montevideo, Uruguay. Reports say it was well received both by the public and most of the critics. During the next few months it is planned to show the film in Buenos Aires, Santiago, Guatemala City and Mexico City. k k k NORWAY Representatives of the Mohammedan Mission to Scandinavia have selected a site in Oslo for a mosque, the first to be built in Scandinavia. “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness” is the title of a new American film, based on the biography of Gladys Alward, an English missionary. Miss Alward (played by Ingrid Bergmann) had the conviction that God called her to be a missionary in China. However, the English missionary society working in China did not accept the little educated girl; working as a parlour maid, she did not seem to be qualified for such a work. The courage of her faith and the conviction of her call helped her work very hard, save the money and set out to China. Her journey took her through the whole of Europe, Russia and Siberia, and this during the late 1930’s in midst of the Russian-Chinese border fights. In North China, where she settled, we see her work, the people whom she won for Christ through her love and sacrifice for them. Her life there was hard and at times too heroic to seem possible, especially during the Japanese war, neverthless it was all true. The picture itself is genuinely artistic and has a deep, religious significance. In the midst of all our concern with our service to God and our weekness to do it, this film is a good corrective to remind us “Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it.” Spectator MEETING OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EVANGELISM The Board of Managers of the Central Department of Evangelism of the National Council of Churches met on Wednesday, December 10, 1958 in the Moor Hall of the Madison Avenue Baptist Church House in New York City. The meeting was attended by 50 members of the different denominations. Our Hungarian Reformed Church of America was represent by the Rev. Paul Ferenczy, Chairman of Evangelism. Besides the usual procedure of the meeting, the following constructive reports were presented: a. Christian Approach to the Jews b. A Christian Ministry in the National Parks c. Educational Evangelism d. University Christian Missions e. Spiritual Life f. Literature Committee g. Conference on Evangelism h. Pentecost i. Passenger Ships Chaplaincy Service. The next meeting of the Board of Managers will be held on May 6, 1959.
