Magyar Egyház, 1967 (46. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1967-10-01 / 10. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 9 “News From Hungary,” the press service compiled by Free Europe Inc. has recently published the report on the arrest of the churchmen mentioned in the above letter. The letter, dispatched on September 7, has not been made public until now. No answer to the letter was received by the time Magyar Egyház went to press on October 27. * The arrested church leaders have been identified as follows: Rev. Bálint Kovács. Formerly, pastor of a large congregation of the Reformed Church in the city of Kecskemét, for the last 8 years pastor of Józsefváros Reformed Church in Budapest. Before 1945. active in KIE (YMCA), for some time its travelling secretary. He was an evangelist, especially among the youth. Since his coming to Budapest his congregation has been revitalized, having a considerable youth group. Number of confirmed at his church 120-140. (At the Debrecen “Great Church” — Bishop Bartha’s parish, 14, at Calvin Square Reformed Church, largest Protestant church in Budapest, 16, this year). Never involved in political activities. Held at Fö utca prison since early August. Dénes Batiz, M.D. Elder at the Budapest Barosstér Reformed Church. Formerly active leader in Christian youth work (KIE — Boys Scouts). Prisoner of war in Russia for years. Never involved in political activities. Led Bible study group for youth under the auspices of his congregation. Arrested on the Hungarian border, returning from a tour in Poland, on August 11, 1967. While abroad with his wife, a house search was held in his apartment for almost two days. Several large bags of books, periodicals, and taped Bible studies were taken away. The charge according to the warrant for arrest: “Well-founded suspicion of conspiracy for the reorganization of the KIE.” Later added to this: “Conspiracy against the official church government.” “Anglo-American connections.” János Bugárszky. Active elder at the Szilágyi Dezső tér Reformed Church in Budapest. Formerly active in KIE and Scouts Movement. (The Sept. 7 letter stated his first name erroneously “Mátyás” the Editor.) THE LAST NIGHT A radio play by LÁSZLÓ CS. SZABÓ Translated by ISTVÁN SZIARTO (The first part of this radio play was printed on page 10-11 of the last issue of the Magyar Egyház) Xanthippe: You seemed to emphasize “Judean”? What difference does it make where he was from? Peter: Well, the old Jewish proverb says: “Go north for wealth; go south for wisdom”. Go north to Galilee if you want to meet kind, sincere and temperamental men; go to Judea if you want to meet arrogant, hard-hearted and deliberately spiteful men. This is the truth. They have nothing but their parched desert, their ruined cities and their sacrilegious tax-loot in the Temple of Jerusalem. Only one of our group was a Judean and he was the one who betrayed Him. Flavius Clemens: Then why didn’t you stay in friendly Galilee? Why did you go up to Jerusalem for the Passover? Peter: There was plenty of danger in Galilee, too. We always held a boat ready for Him in case He had to escape to the other shore to elude the deputies of Herod Antipas. Yes, danger encompassed us even on His native soil. You will recall, in the beginning be went from town to town, teaching in the synagogues, hopefully spreading the Gospel. When hatred began to simmer, he was banned from the temples. He mixed with the people. Carpenters, fishermen, peasants, masons, merchants, tax-collectors and widows were his hearers. In the meantime He chose a few trustworthy, dedicated, honest men to pass on His ideas. Why do you suppose He did it? He realized that the care of five or six countries would fall to each disciple. And so it did. I got as far as the Black Sea; the others to Syria, Cyprus, Arabia, India, Persia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Rome. . . and who knows where the journeys of Paul led him! Had the Lord lived longer you probably could have seen the healer of the halt, the lame and the blind, at one of your own gateways. Xanthippe: I would have given my wealth to have had Him touch me! Peter: That would have been too much. He only accepted bread for the morrow. Flavius Clemens: But what if we live till His return? Here in Rome. Or in Asia. Linus: Not likely. Peter: Highly improbable. For a long time I, too, sincerely believed that He would return shortly. We all believed it and hopefully prepared for it. In vain did the young urge me to relate His life in detail; in vain did they beg me to dictate His sayings to those versed in Greek. I kept putting it off. If He didn’t put anything in writing why should I? Anyway, He was to return soon. The young people already think of Him in a different way. I finally gave in and had Mark, the son of Mary of Jerusalem, take notes while everything was still fresh in my mind. Flavius Clemens: That poor sick man with the crippled fingers? I met him once in the catacombs. Peter: Yes, that’s he. And now I’m glad it’s done. The young people were right. Linus: And now the centuries await the Lord! Xanthippe: What are you talking about? Peter: Even the milleniums! He did not come merely to serve Galilee, nor to live only for our generation. Flavius Clemens: But that is how He lived. You yourself once said so. Peter: Apparently so. His father was a mason and a carpenter and so was He. I can really say that He knew His trade. There is a wall in Capernaum that he built around a vineyard which belonged to a relative. That wall can withstand the meanest flood. Indeed He told us: lift the stone and you will find me there; split the wood and there too you will find me. He loved our town with its fish market, its brine-vats. He enjoyed attending weddings, where He seemed to most enjoy talking to the halt and the lame who had their litters brought to the gateways. Indeed, this is what the people misinterpreted. (Distant servants’ voices.) First servant: Five! Second servant: Four! First servant: Ten! Second servant: Eight!
