Calvin Synod Herald, 1976 (76. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1976-01-01 / 1-2. szám

6

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD

ancient East, as in Israel, the “putting off shoes” had a very pecular juridical, and in the same time much deeper religious sense than this cultical interpretation. He — who has put off his shoes before the council of elders as witness, abandoned his law-case and his claim. We have a good comment of it in the Book of Ruth “plucked off his shoe” before the elders of the community. It was a testimony that he renounced his right and does not set up a claim to Ruth and to her inheritance. So the meaning of this expression: “Put off thy shoes” in our text is this: Moses, thou canst be my servant, but not with such a life; not with wicked, even killing desires. Moses, thou wilt be my servant, but not with bloody hands and earthly plans. Thou hast to be the leader of my people, but first thou must deny thy selfish will, thine individual aim, thy worldly intentions which bind thee to the dust and hinder thee in the service of my glory and in the work for my everlasting Kingdom. Moses, I am the Lord, thy God, if thou want to be faithful to me, thou hast to give up thy whole life for me and ... for my chosen people.

Dear fellow-servants, we must never forget that before God, no human being is able to stand with demands. When and where the sovereign Lord of all had chosen a man for Himself, for doing His plan, for accomplishing His sacrosaint will: then and there every other will, all human feelings, thoughts, claims and goals must first be annihilated. The only behavior which a chosen man can have is obedience without any condition. These words: “Put off thy shoes” comprehend the same sense expressed by our blessed Redeemer: “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Mark 8:34).

And let us not forget that God’s Revelation is given us “sub specie aeternitatis,” under the viewpoint of eternity. The hour-glass of our lives will slowly be emptied. Our sojourn in this passing world comes every day closer to its end. One thing is sure. You and I were sent here with a blessed commission determined by our gracious God. He thought just of you and me when He said: “Put off thy shoes, for the place, whereon thou standest, is holy ground.” Yes, every Church organized and built by our heroic and faithful Hungarian people with praying love and self-sacrificing life is a sanctuary for the souls living around: for the past, for the present, and for the future generation. She is a fortress of the creating and saving Word of God; a light-tower showing the right way to all of us in these cloudy days and dark nights of our age. A city is She, erected on the rock of eternity, on the living Word: Jesus Christ. She is a signet of the magnificent past and sacred pledge of a glorious future.

It is indisputable that hungry and thirsty souls — looking for spiritual values and truth — are praying for us as their helping friends. They wish to have responsible advisors, scholarly pastors, unselfish servants in us who fight with uncompromising heart for our ancient heritage, stand intrepidly among mortal dangers and remain on the posts faithful unto death.

Knowing this, we cannot feed our lives for the service of the idols of this wicked world. We cannot open our souls for unclean joys and thoughts. We cannot make our hearts empty for inhuman feelings and false ideals. Positively, saying, we have to give up the searching of our own glory, the service of our own greatness and self-centered life. — Doing this we will abundantly be blessed by our sovereign Lord, who says to all His servants: “Put off thy shoes, for the place, whereon thou standest, is holy ground.”

Dr. Joseph Arvai-Zsiros

The Pension Boards

To: National and Conference Executives

Re: Social Security

From: Wm. Kincaid Newman

From time to time the question is raised as to whether ministers should participate in the Social Security program.

Discussion is now largely academic, since the law requires that all ministers be enrolled. The only exception is for ministers having conscientious objections. This exception does not permit a minister to “opt out” as a matter of business judgment. A minister can be excused only if there is a bona fide conscientious objection with regard to being included in such a plan which can be established to the satisfaction of Internal Revenue.

The following factors should be noted:

1. For any industrial nation, a Social Security plan is essential. Practically all developed countries and many developing countries have such plans. It is essential to their success that the maximum percentage of the population be protected by them.

2. The United Church of Christ has always favored the establishment and improvement of such plans as essential to the welfare of most of our citizens.

3. Even if it were not to his or her particular advantage to be covered by Social Security, a minister ought to enroll and support it as a matter of duty to the country and particularly to its less advantaged citizens. A minister who seeks special privileges as a means of avoiding his or her obligations, does a disservice to other ministers and to our churches.

4. One of the chief purposes of Social Security is to provide a system in which a person can have coverage at every stage of his or her career while being employed by a series of employers. While pension plans generally are being improved, most benefits are planned to be supplemental to Social Security. Many organizations do not have pension plans at all and others have plans with limited vesting in the early years and in which few benefits are acquired by those who do not remain a substantial number of years in a particular job. Social Security covers persons employed