Fraternity-Testvériség, 1970 (48. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1970-10-01 / 10-12. szám
Donald A. Vespremi: AWARD WINNING ESSAY Little Things - The Success of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America Millions of people watched and listened as one of the most historic events in the history of the human race was taking place. At this particular moment the center of attention was directed upon the movements of one ordinary man from an unheard-of town in Ohio— Neil Armstrong. As the young astronaut made that historic footprint 250,000 miles from home, his words rang out, “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” As we look back on the events of man's first moon landing, we can easily ask ourselves, “How could that one, seemingly insignificant footprint be so important as to change the world around us.” The answer is simple. That insignificant footprint was only the beginning of a new age. This is the way all great things happen. Many small seeds are sown from which large, ripe plants are harvested. It is the little things that form the foundation of something that grows strong, durable, and capable of weathering the storms of time. Here lies the secret of the success of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America. They started small. In 1896, a small group of concerned Hungarians assembled for the purpose of helping each other in times of sickness and death. Little did they realize that they would someday be the largest Hungarian Reformed fraternal life insurance company boasting a membership of over 35,000 members! Yes, after 74 years the Hungarian Reformed Federation was big enough to handle the insurance needs of anyone— but something stood out even more. Unlike most organizations, this growth did not hinder the true feeling of fraternalism and Christian brotherhood which so characterized its humble beginning. In fact, as the Federation grew, so did its religious, social, fraternal, and charitable contributions. In the eyes of the Federation, the people were first. As a member of the Federation for almost 23 years, I have seen this to be true. The tendency of most organizations today is to make an individual into a number then forget about him. Our Federation is just the opposite. There are many fine achievements that the Federation can be proud of but there are also many little things that so often go unnoticed by most neonle. 18 The motto of the Federation is, “If God is with us, who can be against us?” I have heard it or read it many times. The Federation makes no apologies concerning their faith in God. They consider Him first and foremost in every phase of their work. I have never been to or heard of any Federation meeting where the name of God was not praised in word or song. Prayer is first on every agenda. Their representatives are continually visiting, speaking, and enjoying fellowship with many congregations across the country. The Federation welcomes the opportunity to participate in conferences and special occasions conducted by the Church; through its representatives, who quite often take leading roles in these church functions, the Federation endeavors to strengthen the spiritual life of its members. When the United States Supreme Court released its decision concerning prayer in public schools, two of the executive members of the Federation let their opposition be known. Dr. Zoltán Beky’s remarks were printed in the Congressional Record while László Eszenyi wrote a challenging editorial on the subject in the official organ of the Federation, the Fraternity. Also, it should be known that the Hungarian Reformed Federation does not bury its treasure. It has graciously granted hundreds of financial loans that have built many churches and social buildings. On occasion the Federation has helped many congregations from losing their church properties through the granting of these loans. At the present time, large financial gifts have been donated to the youth of both the Calvin Synod (United Church of Christ) and the Hungarian Reformed Church in order that they may realistically look toward the building of their own youth camp. Every year the Federation contributes toward the expenses of various young people’s camps and conferences. The Federation has always had an optimistic outlook on youth. Throughout the years, numerous scholarships have been awarded to those youth who truly want to better themselves through education. At one time, educational tours of Hungary were conducted to acquaint young Hungarians with the land of their origin and to instill a more wholesome respect for the heritage of their forebears. At different times Bloomfield College, Elmhurst College, and Rutgers University have also received student aid from the Federation. Many organizations are presently becoming concerned about youth while the Hungarian Reformed Federation has shown their concern for many years. Twelve years ago, its national secretary designated the year 1958 as “Youth Year” and made the following statement in behalf of the Federation: The time for wishing and waiting has passed as far as our youth is concerned. The time for action
