Fraternity-Testvériség, 1987 (65. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1987-01-01 / 1. szám
FRATERNITY Page 9 In April on Easter Sunday I came to Washington. A desk had been rented in a lawyer’s office in the Columbian Building on Fifth Street. I stayed at the YWCA in their transient dormitory on E Street just a block from the Columbian Building and also very close to the Insurance Department on Pennsylvania Avenue and John Marshall Place. By appointment I met with Mr. Marshall, then Commissioner of the Insurance Department. I had the Treasurer’s books with r Since I could not stay at the YWCA indefinitely, it was decided that I look for an apartment and set up the office of the Federation in the apartment. I found an efficiency at 2002 P Street, N.W. This truly was the first office of the Federation. The Board kept on paying the $25.00 that they paid for the desk at the Columbian Building, and I paid the rest as my living quarters. It was to this office that the Commissioner would come every month to check our books. The convention met in 1935 and voted to officially set up its offices in Washington, DC on January 1, 1936. Our new offices were in the Chandler Building (1427 I Street, N.W.) on the ninth floor. From Toledo, Ohio came Stephen Molnár, Valentine Boldogh, and Elizabeth Komaromy. From Youngstown, Ohio, came the Rev. George E. Borshy Kerekes, and from Cleveland, Ohio, Emery Király and the Rev. Edmond Vasvary. In March, the Board of Directors decided to recall Betti Balazs since the office load was too overwhelming. The first Hungarian Reformed service with Hungarian hymns and prayer was held in the Chandler Building office. There were only men at this meeting, for women had not yet been appointed to the Board. Therefore, I was the only female at this meeting. Our first full Hungarian Reformed service was held at Grace Reformed Church on the corner of 15th and O Streets. All Hungarians living in Washington and its surroundings were invited to this service. Many came: Catholics, Jews, and, of course, Protestant Reformed people. The church is a historic building; its corner stone was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt. Since most of the people who worked for the Federation and attended that first church service are now gone, I felt greatly blessed to be able to be at the service on November 23, 1986. The next move of the office was to 1726 Pennsylvania Avenue, one block from the White House. The Federation bought this building. We were on the second floor, for the downstairs first floor was rented to a military organization. Many Hungarians came to this building and often were escorted around the city. By then there were many more workers in the office. In 1943 I retired from this office to get married. It was interesting to see that the Federation moved to 18th and P Streets again. Church services continued in the Ball Room of this historic building. My husband, who was not Hungarian, would often attend services with me. Then the move was to New Mexico Avenue, and from there to Rockville. I wondered how that move could be made without the loss of our charter. Finally, the Federation is back in its rightful place, in the capital of the United States. May the Lord continue to prosper its work among the Hungarian brethren in this adopted country of ours. Recorded and submitted by Elizabeth Komaromy Stant lyilt rendeld. MeUynél fogva a’ haza minden lelkészeinek ezennel meg- hagyatik : hogy ezen rendelet vételétől kezdve a' reánk következő uj év ünnepéig bézárőlag, minden isteni tisztelet napján : a1 haza szabadsági harczában elesett lelkes hű honfiak emlékének a’ cathólikusoknál 's görög hitueknél. szent mise áldozatot szolgáltatni. a' többi felekezetüeknél pedig isteni tiszteletet tartani el ne mulasszák, ’s ez alkalommal inindanyiszor a' néphez intézett itt következő proclamatiőt a’ szószékről a' népnek magyarázva felolvassák, ’s a’ népet a' haza iránti tántorithatlau hűségre lelkesítvén abban a’ szabadságérzetet lelkesítsék, ’s előtte inegfogha- tóvá tegyék : mikép a' legszebb polgári erény a’ haza szabadságát védeni, mert a‘ szabadság a’ népek legfőbb kincse, nyugalma, élete, melly nélkül az élet nem egyébb, mint egy terhes s olga- ság, — szóval a lelkészek hivatásuk, ’s egyszersmind legszentebb polgári kötelességük szerint oda hassanak : hogy híveiknek lelkében a’ szabadság szerit vágyát tetőpontra fokozva, azt eze- rekben egy törekvéssé olvasszák, miszerint legyenek méltók az ifjú szabadságra ’s kikerülhessék — hogy a’ sirhalmaikon f elnö - vendő fűszálak utódaik átka szellemében lengjenek. Ha találkoznék a' honlelkészei között e' rendeletet, azon szellemben, mellyet tartalmaz, foganatosítani vonakodó, a'haza ellenségének fog tekintetni. Kelt Budapesten december 22én 1848. A’ honvédelmi bizottmány elnöke Kossuth Lajos.
