Magyar Egyház, 1979 (58. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1979-04-01 / 4. szám
8 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ ALL of our behaviour Í8 a part of our attitude. We cannot change our behaviour depending on the person we are encountering. The legend states, that St. Francis retraced his steps when he avoided a leper once, and discovered that he was avoiding Christ Himself. The Good Samaritan not only brought the victim of ancient mugging to the inn, but paid for his care, even in advance! May God grant You the privilege of active, sacrificial love in Your heart! Be it only a smile, or a hand reaching out in a friendly attitude, or a generous offering in Your church, or giving a helping hand ... yes, giving,... because You have received SO MUCH, so much love, the greatest love in the universe, the love of God! PLEA TO ALL PRESBYTERS The annual Conference of the Presbyter’s Association is being planned for the Labor Day weekend. It will be held on September 2 and 3, at Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Attendance has been declining and yet there is a great need for the Presbyters to meet at least once a year. The purpose of the meeting is to unite the Hungarian Reformed Presbyters of America in one organization in order to strengthen the feeling of fraternal unity; to face the common problems with a united front, striving to find solutions and plan united actions at the annual conferences. Additional information will be published as plans are finalized. Please plan to attend. Edmund Vig President The American Hungarian Reformed Presbyter’s Association Brief News HUNGARY The Doctors’ College, the team of theologians of of the Reformed Church in Hungary, held its plenary session at Debrecen. The meeting dealt with the subject of the WARC centenary consultation: “The glory of God and the future of man”. Adjoining to the consultation, the first public meeting of the Synodal Council took place, connected with a thanksgiving ceremony for the completion of the reconstruction works of the Reformed College at Debrecen. BEHAVIOR IN THE CHURCH “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth”.—1 Timothy 3:14-15. We see what holiness and perfection Paul required in all those that had any public charge in the church of God; we see also how he concluded that those who behaved themselves well and faithfully in office, “purchased to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Jesus Christ,” When there is good order in the church, and the children of God do their duty faithfuly, it is not an honor to them; and men think them worthy of reverence. This is not to puff them up, and make them proud, but that they may be more and more enabled to serve God; and that men may more willingly hear them, and receive counsel and advice from them: this is the meaning of Paul. Those that do not their duty as they ought have their mouths stopped; they can do nothing with the people, but are worthily mocked; although they are bold, yet they have no gravity; therefore their doctrine cannot be received. Those that are called to offices in the church of God must strive so much the more to do well, and endeavor to serve God, and the people of God, faithfully. But now-a-days, the wicked seem to bear the sway, before whom, the world, as it were trembles. Thus we see that things are much out of order among us. Where is our liberty at the present day? Not in the faith, but in all wickedness; among those that are hardened and past all shame. We see good men oppressed, who dare not speak in their own defence. If a man reprove sin, and go about to redress matters, and set them in order, he is beset on all sides by the wicked. We see not many that trouble themselves to maintain a good cause, for every man betrayeth the truth. We suffer things to go as evil as they can; these are the days spoken of by the prophet Isaiah; righteousness and justice are hunted out from among us; and there is no man that hath zeal enough to set himself against wickedness. It may well seem that we have conspired to foster wickedness, and bring it to full maturity. The wrath of God is kindled against us; all things are out of order. Those that walk as becometh Christians, and labor to serve God purely, are marked out as enemies, and men seek to trample them under foot. On the other hand, we see the wicked do what they list; they act as wild beasts; yet men stand in fear of them; and this liberty that is given them maketh
