Amerikai Magyar Reformátusok Lapja, 1934 (35. évfolyam, 1-36. szám)
1934-02-24 / 8. szám
8 AMERIKAI MAGYAR REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA YOUNG PEOPLE’S FINANCIAL SUPPORT. The above question, undoubtedly sounds new and strange to many young people of our Magyar churches. Some may think it ridiculous and ask: “It it not enough that our parents pay their membership fees?” My answer is no! We Magyars have the quaint old custom of reconning our church membership according to families, forgetting the fact that each confirmed individual automatically is received into members and pledges a wholehearted support to his church. Often we hear and read that our Magyar churches are going through a period transformation ... we are becoming Americanized. Many young people leave the native Magyar church because of its antiquated customs in ritual and church worship. Many of our Magyar ministers are getting “wise to s'hemselves” and are slowly introducing certain american systems so that they may cater to some of the younger generations and so that they make the future of that church secure. But the contributory problem has thus far stayed in the background. Why? Let us examine an excuse presented. At the age of twelve or thirteen we must rely upon our parents for support. That is accepted. Yet at the age just mentioned you are dependent upon them for spending money for candy, theaters and other personal amusements! How about taking the church into consideration and share port of that with the church? Religion asks for stcrifice. Could you not save a nickel a week ? If your church has accepted the envelope system place your nickel in there and watch your contribution grow. I am 'hoping that some day we will see the time when all confirmed members from their teens up will be active contributing members. This system is working nicely in church but it has not yet become a 100%. Then the prbolem arises as to how much we shall give. Another* detriment our church must get rid of is the limitation in giving. Stating it more clearly, some churches designate their at $12 and others more or less. People often feel that when they reach that amount they have done their duty. As to the amount and the system we should use on giving I’ll relate an incident told by a missionary I heard recently. At a missionary meeting held among the negroes at Jamaica these three resolutions were agred upon: — 1. We will all give something. 2. We will all give as God has enabled us. 3. We will all give willingly. So soon as the meeting was over, a leading negro took his seat at the table, with pen and ink, to put down what each came to give. Many came forward and gave, some more and some less. Amongsta those that came was a rich old negro, almost as rich as all the others put together, and threw down upon the table a smail silver coin. “Take dat back again,” said the negro that received the money. “Dat not be according to de second resolution.” The rich old man accordingly took it up, and hobbled back again to his seat in a rage. One after anöther came forward, and as almost all gave more than himself he was fairly ashamed of himself, and again threw down a piece of money on the table, saying, — “Dare take dat!” It was a valuable piece of gold, but it was given so ill-temperedly that the negro answered again, — “No! dat won’t do yet. lit may be according to de first and second resolutions, but not according to de last;” and he was obliged to take up his coin again. Still angry at himself and all the rest, he sat- along time, till nearly all had gone, and then came up to the table, with a smile on his face, and very willingly gave a large sum to the treasury. c=sv-----ir=inr=ir=ir=a*> IRODALMI DÉLUTÁN A R. L. JAVÁRA. A New Yorki 69. utcai egyházban működő C. E. Társaságok Takaró Magda vezetése alatt e hó 25-én “irodalmi délutánt” rendeznek. Jól esik nekünk, hogy azt a szolgálatot, amelyet lapunk az Ifjúság körében végez s amelyet a múlt évi országos C. E. közgyűlés is oly szépen méltatott, sőt anyagilag is támogatott: a new yorki Ifjúság ezen az utón is igyekszik viszonozni. ö=SIl=]B[=][3!=]t2=0 HUSZONÖT LELKÉSZ jelentette már be e sorok írásáig, tehát Február 19-ig a Lelkészegyesületi gyűlésen való megjelenését s ami még meglepőbb, ezeknek túlnyomó része a jóval távolabb lakó nyugati lelkészek közül való. Nyilvánvaló pedig, hogy a keleti lelkészek jóval nagyobb arányban lesznek ott, mint a nyugatiak. Bennünket igen kellemesen lepett meg a jelentkezők aránylagosan nagy száma. A nagy távolságok, a téli időszak, az egyetemes nyomorúság miatt bizony nem mertünk ennyit remélni. Annál örvendetesebb azonban, ha mennél jobban csalódunk. A jelek szerint a Lelkészegyesület lancas- tcri gyűlése egyike lesz a legnépesebb gyűléseknek.
