Magyar Egyház, 1976 (55. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1976-01-01 / 1-2. szám

MAGYAR EGYHÁZ

7

they couldn't talk or shout when they were lashed by their beastly masters. They were forced to row in rhythm. They rowed 15 hours. They were fed in a trough, like animals. The sun scorched them, and the wind and storm heat upon them. During the war, they could not shield themselves against the enemies' artillery. The chains were never taken off them. They had to sit in their own filth, (human waste) and there was an unbearable odor around them which only added to their suffering. The other slaves with them were real murderers and criminals.

These ministers never gave up their faith in their God. Their faith kept them alive and helped them to tolerate unspeakable suffering. Their relatives and they themselves began to beg the English, Swiss, Dutch, and German Protestants to liberate them from their coffin of the living dead.

It is true that God never leaves his own alone and never forsakes them. There were two brothers, George and Phillip Weltz, from Switzerland, and a doctor from Venice, Nicholas Zaffius, who moved every stone and tried to liberate these unfortunate ministers.

On February 11, 1676, 300 years ago Admiral Michael Dc-Ruyter, the Commander of the Dutch Navy went to Naples and liberated them.

The Hungarian ministers came from the ship singing the 116th Psalms:

I love the Lord, the fount of life and grace;

He hears my voice, my cry and supplication,

Inclines His ear, gives strength and consolation;

In life, in death, my heart will seek His face.

and after this, these Psalms:

ALV. Psalm: And therefore, though the earth remove, We will not be afraid. . . .

CXXIV. Psalm: If that the Lord had not our right maintained, If that the Lord had not with us remained, When cruel men against us rose to strive, We surely had been swallowed up alive.

CXXV. Psalm: Depend on God alone, Like Zion’s mount abiding, Shall ne’er be overthrown, Like Zion’s city bounded, By guarding mountains broad, His people are surrounded Forever by their God.

When he saw the Hungarian galley slaves, De- Ruyter’s eyes filled with tears and he said, “I have many battles to my credit against all kinds of enemies, hut this is my finest victory in that I have been permitted to set free Christ’s innocent servants from unbearable burdens.” When the galley slaves tried to thank him, he said that it was not he they should thank hut God because God had protected them. Then Stephen Harsanyi, a minister from Rimaszombat replied: “Yes, but we should also give thanks to the instruments that God uses.” De-Ruyter bought them clothing, and then took them to Venice, because he had to fight against the French. Only 26 of the original 30 had survived this 9-month galley slavery.

From Venice, they went to Switzerland, Holland, England, or Germany because they were not allowed to return to Hungary until after 1681.Wherever they went, they were received with great Christian love. They were shown wonderful hospitality. These Protestant people were very proud of their Reformed brethren who undertook galley slavery for their precious faith. They were celebrated like triumphant army leaders.

Of course, they were terribly homesick for their families and their congregations. After the National Assembly held in Sopron in 1681, they returned to their homes. The galley slave ministers kept their faith. In doing this, they kept their churches and the Hungarian nation.

In the county where I was a minister, in 20 churches there are marble plaques for the 20 galley slaves who preached throughout three centuries to the people where they served or where they were taken as galley slaves. Every Sunday, these marble plaques preach to the people: “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Five of them died in the suffering because of their faith. Their lives and their families were not as important to them as their faith. They put everything on the altar for their precious faith. Hungarian Protestantism, through her galley slave ministers, became known to the Western Protestant brethren. They kept their faith, and through this faith they kept their churches and their nation. We have received a precious and invaluable heritage from them.

Can we tolerate a little suffering and trials for our faith? Do you realize that your faith is the faith of the galley slave ministers? Be grateful to God that to your ancestors was given such martyrs as the galley slave ministers, who at the price of their lives kept their faith and bequeathed this precious heritage to you. So, “everyone who acknowledges me before man, I also acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before man, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” The galley slave ministers publicly confessed that they belonged to Christ. We believe that Christ confessed before his Father that these Hungarian ministers were his faithful servants, worthy of the crown of life.