Magyar Egyház, 1969 (48. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1969-11-01 / 11. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 15 Banquet Guests. with almost 200 original signatures, and a xeroxed copy was given to the visiting bishops from Hungary in 1967), dated February 12th, 1922, requesting complete independence from any denomination here in the United States, or in Hungary. Thus it is obvious ihat as early as 1920, the idea of a denomination as we know it to be “Hungarian Reformed Church in America” today, was actively practiced in Duquesne. We did not have to join this denomination at a later date, as a matter of fact, for four years before the denomination was formed here, in Duquesne, we were the “független” denomination. The church council had also sent an appeal to all congregations who did not accept the “Lancaster Agreement” I not to be confused with the Tiffin Agreement) to meet for the purpose of “organizing an independent church body.” This appeal was dated May 1st, 1921. The final analysis of documentation will he the task of professional church historians, hut the members of the Duquesne congregation always were and always will he proud of the fact that when God called them through the church, her pastors, and their consciences to fulfill their duties, they responded without hesitation. The October 12th, 1969 mortgage burning was at least the third such act in Duquesne. Through the unselfish donation of the owners of the ashes of the first two burnings we now are the proud owners of three small containers of the ashes of mortgage papers. The Planning Committee has decided to keep these ashes of mortgage papers. The Planning Committee has decided to keep these ashes in our narthex on display in a glass case. By the way, we intend to provide space for several more containers, to he used in the future. The first step toward tlie burning of the recent mortgage began in 1953 when the Congregational Meeting unanimously accepted the plans and recommendations of the Building Committee and authorized it to start the building. A special meeting voted to obtain a mortgage in the amount of $100,000 from the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America. The ground for the new church was broken on Sunday, March 8th, 1953, the cornerstone was laid in May and the building was completed in February 1954. The dedication was held on March 28th, 1954. The cost of the entire project amounted to $170,000. The members of the Duquesne congregation are hard working, honest Hungarian Reformed Christians. They built this church from the sweat of their brows and through hard sacrificing. No financial help was received from any outside source, every penny was donated by people of our own faith. God has blessed us with right attitudes and with the willingness and the means of working together. The mortgage burning ceremonies consisted of two distinct activities. First, the Rt. Rev. Dezső Abraham, bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America, spoke to the congregation and guests in the debt-free sanctuary, emphasizing the importance of the virtues of the past, the realities of the present, and the hopes of the future under the guidance and providence of Almighty God. He spoke of the 45 year history of our denomination with emphasis on its birth place, Duquesne. The Very Rev. Tibor Toth, dean of the Western Classis of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America spoke of the relevance of the church in today’s society. The Rt. Rev. Louis Nagy from the McKeesport sister church, who also represented the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, and Rev. Kalman Adorján from the Youngstown sister church assisted the local pastor, Rev. Louis Illés, in the liturgy. Second, our banquet was well attended with over 500 guests present. The Hon. Albert Fiok, judge at the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County spoke to the guests in Hungarian and Prof. dr. Joseph Nemeth from Bowling Green University addressed them in English. Both speakers emphasized the role of today’s youth in society and pointed out the importance of the church in the future of our nation, our nationality, and our faith. It was heart-warming to hear these well qualified men assure the audience that the church, even though it is a human institution, inspired by divine guidance, still is one of the strongholds of the future. To this effect they wished God’s blessing upon the Duquesne church’s future success. Then the mortgage paper (its xeroxed copy) was burned. The Planning Committee is at work again on future dreams, and to see to it that these dreams will come true again; local hanks have already announced their interest in offering financial help, and the congregation continues to look to the future of the i
