The Eighth Tribe, 1978 (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1978-12-01 / 12. szám
December, 1978 THE EIGHTH TRIBE Page 7 Our entire American Hungarian community was deeply shocked by the sad news that the Rt. Rev. Bishop Dr. Zoltán Béky died on Sunday, November 26, 1978. The news-media described him as a “prominent church leader,” “first Hungarian Bishop in America," “leader of the American-Hungarian community." Bishop Béky was the President of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America from 1965 to March 31, 1977. Bishop Béky was horn in 19(13 in the town of Ilernádszcntandrás, county of Abauj, Hungary. After completing his studies at the Sárospatak College and Seminary in Hungary, lie received a scholarship from the New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 1927. lie continued his theological studies as a graduate student in New Brunswick, New Jersey and in the Divinity School of Philadelphia, Pa. He became the pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church, Trenton, New Jersey in 1928. He served the congregation with great distinction for thirty-seven years. During his ministry in Trenton, the Hungarian Reformed School building was built in 1930. He was a well-known and beloved leader not only of the Hungarian community in Trenton, but well known and highly respected by the entire city and the state of New Jersey. Between 1938 and 1954 he served as the dean of the Eastern Classis, between 1954 and 1958 as the archdean of the Free Magyar Reformed Church. In February, 1958 he was elected the first Bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America. During his tenure Bishop Béky led his denomination into the world-wide fellowship of the World Council of Churches and the Presbyterian World Alliance. He was a delegate to many important ecumenical and international church assemblies: New Delhi, India in 1961; Frankfurt, Germany in 1964; and Nairobi, Kenya in 1975. He was invited to open the U. S. Congress in 1966, 1968, and 1973. He received the George Washington Award in 1969 for his “distinctive service as distinguished pastor and churchman, eminent humanitarian and civic leader, lecturer and writer.” Our heartfelt sympathies and prayers are with the bereaved family. Bishop Béky is survived by his loving widow, Margaret Zombory Béky, two daughters Mrs. Walter Parker (Mackó) and Mrs. Hugh Lynch (Bébi), six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, a sister in Hungary and his two sons-in-law. A memorial service was held on November 29 in Washington, D.C. The funeral service was held on November 30th in the Hungarian Reformed Church, Trenton, New Jersey. At the Memorial Service in Washington the memorial meditations were said by the Rev. Dr. Lowell Russell Ditzen, Director Emeritus of the National Presbyterian Center in English and by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Szabó, President Emeritus of Calvin Synod in Hungarian. The eulogy was offered by the Rev. Dr. Aladar Komjáthy, pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church, Montreal Canada. Professor Dr. Tibor Chikes led the congregation in prayer. Farewell remarks were made by the Rt. Rev. Arpad George, President of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of Ameriea; Very Rev. Dr. László Irányi, 0. Sch. Provincial of the Piarist Fathers in the United States as the Associate President of the American Hungarian Federation; John Taba, President of the Washington Chapters of the American Hungarian Federation and the Transylvania World Federation. At the Funeral Service held in Trenton 12 ministers and three laymen officiated. The Hungarian sermon w'as said by the Rt. Rev. Ix>uis Nagy and the English by Bishop Dezső Ábrahám, Rt. Rev. Árpád George, President of the Hungarian Reformed Federation presented his farewel remarks in Hungarian. The presence of 30 protestant ministers and 8 catholic priests made the funeral service an ecumenical event. ☆ ☆ Right Reverend Doctor Bishop _______ZOLTÁN BÉKY__________
