Fraternity-Testvériség, 1960 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1960-08-01 / 8. szám
8 FRATERNITY book received a wide circulation, not only within the country, but also abroad. But the result of its being read abroad was that Protestants in other lands learned of the fate of their coreligionists and took up the cudgels on behalf of their Hungarian brethren. What the book did in fact do was to show up the Austro-Hungarian Empire in a very bad light in comparison with the enlightened and tolerant position taken, for example, by the Prussian Empire to the north. Some of the Protestant States even sought to make diplomatic representations to the Pope on behalf of the Hungarian Protestant Churches. He, of course, did nothing, since he could not even appear to be a protector of the Protestant cause. But the representations at the court at Vienna of the diplomats of the northern Protestant countries at least secured the confiscation of the remaining stocks of Biro’s book; the book itself, however, could not be recalled from every Jesuit college and priestly training seminary in the land, and so little of consequence was attained by these representations, well-meaning as they were. Joseph IPs Edict of Toleration No sooner had Joseph II come to the throne, however, than the condition of the Protestant Churches changed considerably for the better. He was an enlightened ruler, who sincerely sought the best for every group within his Empire. In October, 1781, he issued what has since been called his Edict of T oleration. The following represents some of the clauses in this Edict. By its terms Protestant worship was no longer to be confined within the articulated towns, but the two Protestant Churches could now build churches and schools wheresoever they wished, provided that at least one hundred families in any one area desired a church and could support it financially from their own resources. Church buildings, on the other hand, were not to have towers, nor were they to be used to hold church bells. Protestants might hold any office in the State with-
