Calvin Synod Herald, 1983 (83. évfolyam, 2-4. szám)
1983-08-01 / 4. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD — 3 — REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA A LETTER TO DR. AVERY POST Dear Avery: In the travail of my soul I have decided to ask your help on behalf of a friend of mine who has suffered so much in Romania that we can no longer remain silentl His name is Ferenc Visky. We studied together in the Reformed Seminary of Debrecen, Hungary. The Lord made us one in the Spirit and worked together in the renewal movement of the Reformed Church in Hungary. After World War II, I came to America, while he accepted a pastorate in Romania (Hegyközpályi). Because he remained faithful to his call, he had to bear a fourfold cross: Hungarian in a chauvinist Romania, Reformed in an Orthodox ocean, non-Communist in Communist society, Evangelical Christian in a government-controlled Reformed Church. As a result he was sentenced to a 18-22 year imprisonment in the early 60 ’s and his wife with seven children was deported to a camp at the Danube delta. After six and a half years, he received amnesty and the family was reunited in Hegyköpályi, but under strict ecclesiastical and secret police supervision. When I raised the issue with his bishop (Rt. Rev. Dr. László Papp of Nagyvárad), I learned that the Rev. Visky remained “persona non grata” regardless of innocence, rehabilitation, etc. Now I learned that he was forced to resign. On June 24, four secret policemen searched his home for foreign currency, jewelry, and books published outside of rontania. Currency and jewelry were not found, but books were discovered, and that is illegal. On July 1 he had to move out of the parsonage, so he packed everything. And the Securitate (secret police)appeared again, confiscated all his books and notes (about 300 pieces) in order to prepare his new trial. While the formal charges may concentrate on the “Western,” “evangelical” literature, the real reason is to stop and discredit his ministry among youth and “believers” as he is considered to be the key person along these lines. Since other persons have also been subjected to similar “search process”, it seems to me that the real purpose of these new measures is to quench the flames of the Gospel at all cost among the Hungarian Reformed people of Romania. What can be done? What should we do? My friends who secretly visited the Rev. Ferenc Visky ask us to raise our voice in the strongest possible way not because of the brutal human rights violations only, but primarily because our Christian solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Romania may enhance the work of the Lord in that country. I am fully aware of the delicate nature of this issue. If you raise it in Vancouver openly, Bishop Papp or someone else from Romania will be ready to defend the “unparallelled freedom of religion” in Romania and go back as a hero to continue their henchman’s work. (See the attached article which was written in Romania by those who know the situation!) If we do not raise the issue at all, our brothers and sisters in Romania and Hungary will feel that we betray them or at least leave them alone in their struggle. “His Rhodus, his salta...” May the Lord lead you! If nothing else, at least I correct with this letter an erroneous impression of our denomination that the religious and political situation in Romania is improving (see April A.D. 1983, p.16). Although in Montreal last February the Caribbean and North American Area Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches accepted a resolution in regard to the worsening situation in Romania, evidently David Stone does not know a thing about it; otherwise that would have been included in their GS14 resolution on human rights, and he would have made an effort to visit Romania on his recent tour in this area. I have tried to offer our information in any way I could (e. g. to Mr. Ziebel on the East —West relations), but sometimes I feel frustrated in our own denomination and almost forced to seek friends outside of our own fellowship... For this reason, I hope you understand if I shall mail copies of this letter to a few persons who, in the past, helped us in our struggle for freedom and dignity everywhere. Yours in His service, JOHN BUTOSI The Calvin Synod Conference Fairport Harbor, Ohio After nine years of service at Fairport Harbor the Rev.Paul Kantor and his family will leave for Columbus, Ohio. Before he came to Fairport he served in Buffalo, N.Y. for over ten years. Pastor Kantor was elected by the Columbus Hungarian Reformed UCC on July 24th, where he will begin his ministry at the end of August. Kantor came to Norwalk, CT in 1957 with his parents and his brother from Hungary, where he has completed his seconday education in the field of machinery and metallurgy at the Kohó és Gépipari Technikum of ózd. He also received training in the fields of electronics and welding. In America Kantor attended Bloomfield College and Seminary, Montclair State College In New Jersey, and Biblical Seminary, Colgate Rochester Divinity School and Canisius College in New York State. During his studies he received a B.A., B.D. and M.Div. degrees. He was also certified to teach in the State of Ohio, which he never used due to his full time service in the Christian ministry. Following a combined service a reception was given by the Fairport Harbor congregation on August 22nd during which the memers bid farewell to Pastor Kantor and his family. Columbus, Ohio After five years of hard work the Rev. Stephan L. Nagy said farewell to his Columbus congregation on July 31st. Following a service of Communion a dinner was given to honor both him and his wife, Bethel. Members of the Columbus congregation feel that it was under Rev. Nagy’s time that the church was turned around from a “dying” organization into an active one. “He turned us around,” stated Mrs. Elinor K. Bordy in a telephone interview. The farewell dinner was held in the social hall of St. John United Church of Christ. It was attended by 228 people. All the organizations of the Columbus Hungarian Reformed UCC showered the Rev. Stephan and his wife with gifts. In behalf of the congregation a grandfather clock, valued over $1,000.00, was presented in the form of the gift certificate. Since that time the clock was delivered to the parsonage and on August 6th safely moved to University Heights where the Nagys will reside while serving the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Cleveland. Rev. Nagy already held his first service in Cleveland on August 7th, where the Lord’s Supper for New Bread was administered by him during both services.
