Magyar Egyház, 1973 (52. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1973-02-01 / 2. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11 “LOST SHEEP”, OR “A STRONG FOLD”? A group of adventuresome young people, and their advisors gathered in the meeting room of the Bethlen Home, Ligonier, Pa. “early” in the morning on December 27, last year (1972). As I greeted them, since I knew them all personally — the bishops Abraham and Beretz, and the Federation’s president, bishop dr. Beky, and my close friend and counterpart in the Calvin Synod, Les Medgyessi, and the other ministers, as they arrived, Aaron Elek, Kalman Adorján, “Mrs. D.” (Elizabeth Dud ich) and the youth, all eleven of them, I begun to understand how dr. Kissinger must feel before some of the meetings he must attend: apprehensive, to say the least. Fortunately, this feeling did not last long. The superintendent of the Home, former bishop Louis Nagy, and the National Secretary of the Federation, Rt. Rev. Arpad George assisted the above mentioned group to feel at home immediately, and the meeting developed into a family reunion — of some sort. Both parties, the Calvin Synod and the Hungarian Reformed Church in America — i.e. their youth groups came to get to know each other, and to bring back to their individual organizations a plan of how to get closer to each other, if it be possible at all. At certain points I was thinking of those fathers, who ate the sour grapes so that these young people would have their teeth set on edge. (Jeremiah 31:29) But God’s mysterious ways found a solution, again. We give too little credit to our youth, yet they came through with a good solution for a sore subject and problem. What the fathers could not even discuss decently for almost 50 years, these young people attempted and partly solved in one day. After telling each other all about their own camps and organizations, they discussed the advantages and disadvantages of a joint conference. The final decision of the day was that each group will send 10-15 young people to the other camp as participants, not just observers. These camps will be held August 12-18 for the Calvin Conference, and during the Labor Day weekend for the BYF. “This exchange will enable the participants to further discuss plans and possibilities of a combined camp at 2 separate places, for separate ages, jointly planned for 1974”. As always, the warm atmosphere of the Bethlen Home, the delicious luncheon served by the Orphanage staff under the direction of Mrs. Urban, hostess at the Orphanage, and a visit to the Old Folks’ Home made our youth feel even more at home. We have come a long way in one day, the meeting was opened by bishops Beretz’s prayer, and closed by bishop Abraham’s benediction, and was jointly moderated by Rev. Medgyessy and Rev. Illés. It was a joint venture, and we learned that we CAN do things together, for we are not strangers, but cousins, or even brothers. What the future will bring, we can’t predict, but whatever it will be, we know that alone we are “lost sheep”, together we may form a strong fold! Louis Illés SCOURGE ME, MY LORD Thou didst abase and drive and hurt me, Lord; Thy many scourges whistled in the wind; Thou didst know why. Thy little servant must have greatly sinned. Sinful I was, alas; I stole Thy songs; I kissed Thy women, gulped Thy wine at urge, I merit this, Thy tear-soaked, acid-sharp, and salty scourge. Thou spunst a scourge for me from every sin; My drops of sickly blood would often fall. But Thy kiss-scourge Is the most grievous one among them all. My Lord, use Thou this scourge on me the last; After great sins let me great blows receive; And scourge her too For ivhom my lashed and wicked heart I leave. (Ady-Nyerges)
