Magyar Egyház, 1962 (41. évfolyam, 2-12. szám)

1962-03-01 / 3. szám

10

MAGYAR EGYHÁZ

Aladar Komjathy’s Report On New Delhi:

III. ONE DAY IN NEW DELHI:

THE THIRD ASSEMBLY HEARD BISHOP BEKY

November 20th, 1961.

It was quite dark as I woke from my sleep yet I felt that it was already early morning. “I have to hurry for the press conference” I said to myself. I got up, dressed and ran down to the main flor lobby of the Maiden’s Hotel.

“I have to get a taxi to Vyghan Bhavan”— The policeman, whom I must have got out of his sleep showed me his watch and pointed towards the door. It was not yet 3:00 A.M. in the morning and no sign of sunrise. The neatly dressed night clerk appeared and smilingly asked me: “Why are you in such a hurry this morning?”.

Shall I tell this good Sikh the true reason of my excitement? Would he know about the Russian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Nikodim and the statement Bishop Beky was going to make about? Fortunately, he dropped the subject and offered me an early breakfast—at 3:00 A.M.

Since our arrival it was the first time I had the time to realize certain facts: Three o’clock Monday morning in India, means three o’clock Sunday afternoon in Roebling, New Jersey. “How was church today?” — and I tried to remember the hymns I have selected, thought of the choir, the people and every small detail. How did my son behave himself in Sunday School? Questions of this kind were in my mind while I had breakfast in the lobby where a couple of bearded and barefooted nightservants of the hotel were soundly sleeping on the floor. Thinking of beloved ones eight thousand miles away is a prelude to prayer. And God wonderfully answered that prayer, fears, doubts and weakneses were gone. As the dawn overcame the darkness of night I went out for a walk. How many times in the past I had a similar experience? Budapest, Vienna, Paris — at the great turning points of my life I had such a watch for a hopeful dawn. After long sleepless nights, meditations and prayers, watching the rising city, people rushing to work, offices and schools, bicycles, small cars, buses — and in New Delhi cows, monkeys and snakecharmers, made me aware of God’s presence in the life of man, gave courage, strength and hope. For me Monday, November 20th, 1961 began.

Ten minutes before the opening of the session of the day the press conference ended. I went to the main door waiting for Bishop Beky’s arrival. The last bus from Maiden Hotel came in: he was not on it. I have to give him an important document before the assembly! Delegates were seated in the ground floor of the assembly hall, press on the third floor. With my green press badge I could not enter the delegates entrance to reach his desk. The final announcement

for opening was made when a God-sent Presbyterian U.S. delegate came around and he took it with him. My problem was solved and at last I was able to look for a place in the press section.

The Assembly had to vote on the admission of new member churches. Ballots were given to the ushers before any statements could be made. Every church had one vote. The attention of the world press focused upon the Russian Orthodox Church. Who will have the courage to say something about the discouraging symptoms of Soviet pressure and domination?

First, the bishop of the American Russians spoke. A short statement, both in English and Russian. “Because of certain circumstances.” the Church of American Russians will abstain. Everyone expected a lengthy statement about the persecutions suffered but the last moment it was decided to make this short statement. Then two speakers, followed in favor of admission. It was good to hear the announcement: “Now I call upon Bishop Zoltán Beky of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America.” Bishop Beky read our statement in a powerful way, giving emphasis to almost every word, the assembly listened to the voice of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America. I switched my earphones to German translation: a very precise translation of a somewhat sophisticated high tenor voice. Then to French: a dramatic version of a female voice which was not a literal translation of the statement like the German was but the way it was given resembled the forceful style of Bishop Beky. I don’t know about the Russian translation but one of the Russians must have liked it very much. After Bishop Beky ended his statement this Russian left his seat and walked over to our bishop and kissed him.

“Would you give me a copy of this fine Christian statement?” — a prominent American church leader wrote in a note sent to Bishop Beky while the meeting was still in session. In the press room I was typing it over and over again: they took it right from the typewriter. The wire services, radio stations, leading newspapers stormed us for more. Less than an hour later the press department of the World Council mimeographed it. For courtesy’s sake the statements favoring the admission were mimeographed on the same paper. But nobody wanted to have those. “Can you get me a copy of your bishop’s statement?” — was asked many many times. In the following night West German radio stations. Australian television, South Indian newspapers, Dutch and British national radio networks, Finnish dailies carried the news of the statement made by Bishop Dr. Zoltán Beky, of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America. The next morning, a prominent international church leader met me in the cafeteria. “Your church is certainly in the news.” And looking carefully around he added in a low tone “At least someone had the courage to tell it ... ”