Reformátusok Lapja, 1970 (70. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1970-08-01 / 8-9. szám
10 REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA Calvin Synod Meeting, Ligonier, Pa., April, 1970 REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA 70th ANNIVERSARY The Reformátusok Lapja was organized by three ministers: Elek Csu- toros of Cleveland, Zoltán Kuthy of New York and Pal Konyha of Pittsburgh. The first issued was published in Cleveland on August 15, 1900. During the past seventy years, the Paper has been edited by fifteen ministers: Zoltán Kuthy, Elek Csuto- ros, Alexander Kalassay, Stephen Harsanyi, Michael Toth, Julius M. Hanko, Dr. Géza Takaró, Edmund Vasvary, Samuel Horvath, Dr. Julius Melegh, Arpad Bernath, Dr. Alexander Toth, Dr. László Harangi, Dr. Stephen Szabó, and the present editor, Francis Vitéz. The Paper was published weekly from 1900—1934, bimonthly, from 1935—1958, and monthly since 1959. From 1900—1963, the Paper appeared only in Hungarian, from 1963—1968 it was partly English, and since 1968, the Paper is half Hungarian and half English. The Calvin Synod has proclaimed the year commencing August 15, the year of Anniversary. The Synod is calling upon all the congregations to lend their support for the Paper, not only through various observances, but financially. An Anniversary Issue is planned for publication with greetings of the different churches and organizations. Churches are being asked to support the Paper by placing subscriptions for all members. It is of utmost interest to note that our Reformátusok Lapja is the oldest Hungarian Reformed Church paper in the world, including Hungary itself. With the continued spiritual and financial support of our Hungarian congregations, we hope to reach not only our 70th Anniversary, but our 100th also. This Paper speaks to you about the heroes and history of our Mother Church, the life and faith of our Hungarian immigration, the history of our churches, but utmost in importance is relating our pure Reformed Faith, a sacred trust and heritage to be left to the coming generations. Francis Vitéz HUNGARIANS IN AMERICA Part 1—Eastern Section Count Széchényi said: “To the sea Hungarians!” Perhaps if he had known that ten percent of the Hungarian nation would take to the seas, he would not have said it. Over a thousand years ago, a quarter of a million Hungarians settled in the Carpathian basin, but since the close of the last century, a million and a half left the country. The main direction of the Hungarian emigration was to America. Around the year 1000, Tyrker left Hungary to travel with Leif Ericsson, István Budai Parmenius (1583) the first missionary to America, Daniel Sovenyfalvi (1627), Janos Kelp (1694), Izsák Nándor Sarossy (1695) all traveled to America. Later the Hungarian Jesuits came followed by Hungarian men who took part in the War of Independence. Lajos Kossuth and his followers came after 1848, and many became famous heroes of the Civil War. With Kossuth came his chaplain, Gedeon Acs. Acs gathered the Hungarian protestants together and held worship services for them, but he was unable to organize a congregation. His work was continued by Ferenc Kecskeméti. In the last decade of the past century, Hungarians settled in Cleveland and Pittburgh. Gusztáv jurányi organized the first Hungarian Reformed Church in Cleveland on May 3, 1891. On the Eastern coast, Jurányi organized another church in Trenton, New Jersey in 1894. Following this initial church, around fifty churches were organized on the Eastern coast. The first Hungarian Reformed Classis was organized in Trenton on October 7, 1904 under the auspices of the Reformed Church in Hungary. This Classis is still a vital part of Hungarian-American churches and is the oldest Hungarian Reformed Church organization after the mother church. There are a total of forty-five Hungarian congregations on the eastern coast. In spite of continuous migration, a great majority of the Hungarian Reformed Church membership lives in the eastern section of America in a triangle of Trenton, New Jersey, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Wallingford, Connecticut. Francis Vitéz
