Calvin Synod Herald, 1990 (90. évfolyam, 2-6. szám)
1990-03-01 / 2. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD - REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA — 6 -MAGYAR EGYHÁZ - MAGYAR CHURCH An All-Important Letter of our History April 6, 1947 My Dear Young Brother! I am indeed extremely happy that I was able to meet you in Budapest before you left for America. The new endeavor to bring our American Hungarian churches into a united church, as the plan discloses, filled my soul with great excitement. Oh, how I wish it could become a reality! As I myself studied the Plan with true discernement a few things came to my mind. Let me convey my thought to you in these few lines. The first thing I would like to bring to your attention is the question of citizenship. I remember well the time, when Károly Vincze was so bitterly upset by being bypassed because of his American citizenship. I do not know the details of the case of his dispensing with, but I did see his agony over the fact that a minister of Hungarian birth with self-sacrifycing service in America should be discriminated against because of being an American citizen. It would not hurt if you would discuss this with our leaders here before you leave. There are many among our Hungarian ministers in America, who would like to return to Hungary to serve. My own judgement in the matter is that these ministers, or at least most of them, could be great blessing to us here at home. No doubt in my mind that many of them are masters of congregational leadership. Their knowledge of the English language is also a plus, which is badly needed here. I could bring a number of things to your mind, but this very one — by all means — will be the foremost in your discussions with the church leaders overseas. If you could take something definite with you regarding this matter it would greatly increase the chance of success for your mission. My personal conviction is that it would not harm but it would bring gain to both the Nation and the Church to have ministers with American citizenship serving our congregations here at home. Who else could bring a better relationship between the two nations than these ministers? Furthermore, since the United States willingly permits ministers with Hungarian citizenship to work in their congregations in America without hinderance, why should Hungary refuse to do the same? Regarding this issue there is a friendly Agreement in existence between the two nations. Unfortunately very few people know about its existence here at home. It was signed in Washington during Szécsényi’s ambassedorship. You can easily aquire a copy of it in Washington. Knowing much to well the sentimentality of our American Hungarians, with the fullness of my personal experiences among them, may I give you a very sound advice at this time: in all your doings with them and among them exercise the combined nature of ‘the snake’s shrewdness and the dove’s gentleness’! Thanks to God for the fact that the Invitation for your mission came from them. That in itself is the evident proof that your mission is not an undue interference from the Church of Hungary into their affairs, but a respond from the Mother-Church for a needed assistance at their own request. If you will never cease to emphasize this fact in all your encounters with them and the denominational heads your mission surely will turn out to be the utmost success. In my eyes it is also very clear that for you it will be an inalienable command to remain always and alone the representative of the Mother-Church as you will be busying yourself among their different factions. Any different attitude from that would just create an antithesis, which is — by all means — undesirable in that athmosphere. While you will be facing so many differing and individualistic ambitions there among them keep this advice permanently and firmly before your eyes. Such behavior will definitely result in favourable acceptance not only on the part of the clergy but also From: Rev. Endre Sebestyén from Debreczen To: Dr. Stephen Szabó to Budapest Rev. Endre Sebestyén Organizer of Free Magyar Ref. Church in America on the part of the laity. In the past lot of discord was caused by the attitude of strictly formulated onesidedness. This is now a different Age, maybe the time is here to realize that result can only be produced by widened universality. Take with you a copy of my recent article from the ‘Világszemle’ and make them aquainted with it. I am proud and happy for the opportunity to write it and write it the way it is done. Though during the remaining part of my life I do not wish to be participant of any action of churchpolitics any longer, but this much I would like to declare: the independent (‘független’) church-group should feel some satisfaction if it proves itself to be path, which led to a final settlement of church union. This is how I view it myself at the present and it is not even new with me. Some traces of this view of mine you will discover when you will be over there. This notion played a great and decisive part in the formation of my decision to give up the pastoral work among the American Hungarians. In my time over there, when the union movement got underway, I myself was definitely convinced to be ready not only to take but also to give: one faction cannot only take and not to give, all factions have to do both. (Continued on Page 8)
