Magyar Egyház, 1975 (54. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1975-10-01 / 10. szám
10 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ responsible both for the physical and spiritual development of their children. The whole future of the children depends on what they see and hear from their parents. WHAT SHOULD CHILDREN SEE AND HEAR FROM THEIR PARENTS? a. They should see that their parents are devoted to each other, they help each other and they are happy together. b. Children right in their early age should hear from their parents that there is God, a loving heavenly Father, who tells the children through the teachings of the parents what is good and what is ßad, what the children are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to do. c. Children should see that their parents are happy to go to church every Sunday and then, of course, the children will be more than anxious to go with them. d. Parents are supposed to awaken the desire in their children to go to Sunday School and the catechism class, by talking to them about the beautiful things they will learn about God and Jesus Christ. e. Children should see that their parents conduct an honest, moral life. Children never should hear from their parents, for example, how to make money without honest work, or how to cheat others. Children never should hear that their parents degrade or ridicule anyone or any group of people. They should see that their parents regard all men as children of God. They should see that their parents are helpful toward all and that they live in peace with everybody. f. Children should see that their parents are good citizens of the country. They respect the civil authorities, they obey the law and they are interested in electing the right persons (church-going genuine Christian men and women) to be entrusted leaders of the community. If children see this in the lives of their parents, then it will be natural for them to respect and obey not only their fathers and mothers, but also their teachers and their rightful superiors and the law. ARE THERE SUCH TRUE CHRISTIAN FAMILIES IN AMERICA, TODAY? Definitely there are. If it were not so, America would not exist today. AS LONG AS YOUR CHURCH, THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH, remains faithful to God and accepts the Bible as the only true norm of human conduct, it should proclaim again and again that true Christian families will secure the future of America. István Kovács “Those of Whom the World Was Not Worthy. . . .** Hungarians were always a proud, freedom-loving people. Their love of freedom originated from the days of nomadic migration previous to their settlement in present day Hungary. Hungarian history reflected this moral quality through the centuries previous to Reformation. The “Golden Bull,” similar to the Magna Carta of the West, increased civil liberties. Religious freedom was declared at Torda in the year 1568. It is small wonder that Reformation spread through Hungary like wild-fire. Within years a clear majority of Hungarians joined the movement of the Reformation, which became fully Hungarian in its form and substance. Unfortunately, Counter-Reformation took its toll in Hungary, as it did in other European countries. The years 1671-1681 became known as the ten years of mourning, or baptism by blood. After a prelude of torture, when some pastors were rolled in canvas, soaked in sulphur, and put to torch, when their wives were beheaded, when entire congregations were massacred as they were worshipping in the sanctuary (this all in the name of Christianity), all Hungarian Protestant ministers and teachers were summoned on March 5, 1674 to appear before the court of Pozsony. Fortunately the Turks did not let those who lived in their territory appear. The remainder, over 400 of them, were sentenced to death. This sentence was commuted if they signed a declaration of conversion. First 89 refused to give in, but after torture 41 of them were forced to march through Austria to Trieste, where they were taken by ship to Naples and those 30 that remained were sold as galley slaves. Knowledge of the fate of these Hungarian ministers eventually reached foreign Protestant powers, and after long deliberations and paying back their purchase price, the Dutch Admiral, DeRuyter was instructed to free them from their chains. Words of deep emotion were exchanged between prisoners and liberator. . . . By the terms of the agreement of liberation the former galley slaves could not go home, but Switzerland, Holland and England gladly offered them asylum. A grateful Hungarian Reformed Church erected many memorials in honor of these ministers, in Debrecen, and other cities of Hungary. A marble plaque honors their names in the entrance of the headquarters of the Synod in Budapest with these words: “Those of Whom This World Was not Worthy...”
