Evangélikus Élet, 1956 (21. évfolyam, 1-44. szám)

1956-07-29 / 31. szám

OUR TESTIMONY AND THE CENTRAL FUND Part of „What every Lutheran should know about our Church” a booklet of 60 pages written by Rev. Károly Griinvalszky, general secretary Testimony of our Church In our country the people of the Lutheran Church totaling 425,156 souls, live their church life in 323 congregations. This testifies that in the witness of Jesus Christ we want to work together with the Holy Spirit of Go I, who from the beginning has been creating congregations where the Gospel has been preached. Weakness of our Testimony What is the state with our congre­gations. Who is providing our pas tors and assistant pastors of the parishes with suitable salaries for their work, the Church or the state ? According to the statistics of 1954 the salary of a Lutheran pastor in Hungary amounts to 1,440.— forints monthly, whereof the state-subven­tion is 650.— forints, that means 45% of the salary in average. Naturally this means a different percentage in j each parish, on the one hand the actual j salaries of the ministers differ, they ' are either higher or lower than the ■ average 1.440.— forints on the other hand the monthly sums of the state subvention are also different fluctuat- I ing between 457.— forints and 762.— forints. Each of our parishes are faced with a serious problem, they have to get ready to make up for the state subvention from their own income, because according to the Agreement reached in 1948 between our church and the state, the state subvention is to cease gradually within 20 years. What shall ice do ? From the 20 years for which the Agreement of 1948 assured the sub­vention with a diminution of 25% every five year, the first five years during which the state was paying the subvention to a 100% have already passed. From the 1st of January 1954 we entered the second five years period in which the state pays the subvention with a diminution of 25%. This means that the state pays yearly 1.367.398 forints less Alberta: Two Congregations Rich in Faith And Generosity Our Guests From Abroad Addre^ the Congregations Not long ago Senior János Válint’s 61 birthday was celebrated by his congregation, but in spirit he is per­haps the youngest senior of our church. He is an optimist and always hopeful, bright and tireless. The services in this 2900 members congregation are held in two langua­ges in Hungarian and Slovak. The attendance of services and holy communion has been rising in recent years. About forty or fifty people come to­gether for Bible study-groups every Sunday evening and they discuss together one or another Psalm. On the other Bible-circle the number of attendants amounts to one hundred. 850 families of the congregation bear willingly the expenses of their congregation. Year by year they give about 30.000 forints as their volun­tary contribution to the purposes of their congregation and beside that they presented 1600 forints to the Parish Aid Action. They renovated their church without outer help for a cost totaling more than one hundred thousand forints and they spared more than 30.000 forints by giving the work of their two hands. One of the members of the church-council gave 2000 forints anonimous donation. The altarpiece painted by Masa Feszty, the new pulpit and light co­loured walls gave quite a new look to the church. New pews are still to be made. The youth takes part in congrega­tional life. The members of the youth Bible study-group perchased a new cloth for the altar costing 3.000 fo­rints. The congregation of Irsa and Al­berti live now in one village. As the former two villages were built toge­ther a few years ago, and have now a joint administration too. The two congregations live in fraternal peace in two different parts of the same village. They help one another in faith and srength. Rev. Mihály Roszik, pastor of Al­berti is a young man. He has been serv­ing in the congregation only for a short time, but under this time they renovated the outside of their church in 1954 and the inside in 1955 for a total cost of 115.000 forints, and they built a mortuary with an investment of 50.000 forints an to this the con­gregation added a further 18.000 fo­rints in work. The local Council at Alberti gave another 6.800 forints. The services in Alberti also are held both in Hungarian and Slovak and the number of attendents is always several hund­reds. Sunday evening Bible study classes are also attended by 200 — 300 people. In winter special Bible study-groups are held for men where the Small Chatechism is studied. At youth Bible I study-groups attended by 50 — 60, after reading the Bible passage personal problems are discussed. Sunday- schools are held in three groups with a total attendents of 100 children. About 170 have been subscribed fori religious instruction in the school, more than last year like at Irsa. The pastor visits the members of his congregation every year. Senior Valint owing to his duty senior lias to share this work with his assistant- pastor. Nevertheless the members of his congregation recognize his love and hearty repay it. These two congregations are ac­tive in the deeds of charity. They jointly maintain an aged-home at Alberti where 23 aged and infirm people find home. In this home they are also plan­ning a renovation and a water-supply to recently dug well. The pastoral work done in prayer and responsibility before God has born blessed fruits in both congrega­tions a living faith and acting love for the church. God has kept his pro­mise : the Word has brought life. Rev. László Zay subvention to our church. This being the 25% of the total state subvention. Of the 1.367.938 forints there are today 871.490 forints less which affect the yearly subvention of 3.485.960 forints for the ministers total salaries. It is our most urgent task to provide for the covering of this sum. Because by the end of the year 1956 the centrally administered fund from which our church had replaced the 871.490 forints missing from the ministers state-subvention will be completely exhausted. Our task is therefore to collect from the members of the congregations these 871.490 forints in 1956. For we feel we have to pay our pastors the full ammount of their state-subvention in the year 1957 too. To reach this purpose the General Council of the Church first of all decided that every parish should try to economize in such a way, that the 25% of the one yearly state-subven­tion of her own ministers should be at the disposal at the end of the year. We take it naturally that every congregation firstly will be willing to sacrifice and contribute to the need of her own pastors. Especially if she understands thus the place of the state in paying her own minister, she not only cares for the living of her present pastor but also assures her own subsistence as a congregation with her own parish-office. For ac­cording to our church-laws it is the first duty of each congregation to provide for her own minister. But the General Council of Church has also reckoned with the possibility, that there would be congregations wholly or partly unable to provide for the 25% of their minister’s state- subvention. Therefore the General Council of Church made a second dicision too, which calls on every con­gregation to contribute to a Central Fund in order to provide the supply for part lacking in the state—subven­tion. Because the Council of the Church takes it for granted that each congregation endeavours to pro­vide for the lacking percents of her own pastors, so takes it natural, that all our congregations should join in creating a Central Fund in order to support congregations which in con­sequence of the diminution of the state subvention became needy. For in this respect we also consider it true what the Apostle Paul said in another respect that on the one hand „every man shall bear his own burden” and on the other hand „bear ye one another s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ”. But our congregations onlv can take the steps necessary in 1956 on a way of selfpreservation if their mem­bers support them more urgently by their church contributions and dona­tions. The last and the decisive question Are you prepared to undertake the testimony of Jesus Christ even when it means material obligation to you? This is the last and decisive question put to you. God, the church, and most immediately your congregation are awaiting your answer. Sixty of guests will address our congregations in connection with the session of the Central Committee of WCC in Hungary, July 29 and August 5. In Lutheran churches the follow­ing churchmen will preach : July 29 one of the opening services will be held in the Budapest Deák tér church. Part of the service before the altar will be taken by Bishop László Dezséry D. D., Rt. Rev. Dr. F. C. Fry of New York, the president of the ULCA, the president of the CC of WCC, and Dr. Marc Boegner, leader of protestants in France will address the congregation. In the second part of this service Dean Miklós Pálfy in the name of the Lutheran Theological Academy at Budapest will confer the honorary doctors dip­loma of Theology to dr. F. C. Fry and Dr. Fuglsang Damgaard, the Archbish­op of Denmark. — At the same time the other two opening services will be held at Calvin tér church (Reform­ed) and Nap utca church (Baptist). This day also Rt. Rev. H. K. Sherill, Bishop of the Episcopal Church in XI. — New Man — Chapter 6, 1—11. IN THE FIFTH CHAPTER Apostle Paul started to go to the shining peaks of Christian faith : „since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God“. Although the peak is still far away and every turn­ing presents a new view so beautiful nevertheless every new ramp is tiring. At the same time a lot of hindrances and objections are to be overcome. The road upwards is uneven and leads through depths. GRACE IS STRONGER than sin and in the life of the justified one grace rules here after. That was the end of the apostle’s train of thought in the fifth chapter. But immediately here is an other objection : what does this mean in reality and in practice ? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound ? Such an objection is not unknown to us. We have come across it in the third chapter verse 8 „why not do evil that good may come ? as some people slanderously charge us with saying”. We died to sin — in this short, strange, fearful sentence has Paul summarised the first thesis of the Christian new life. He does not wish to use another poorer picture for the total absolute break. He who died has died for the life sorrounding him. Sun shines, wind blows, — flowers are sweet smelling, birds arc singing as before —• but not for him. Sinsorrounds the Christian, tempts him torments, tortures, catches him in a mesh, tries to throttle him but has no power over him. ALL THESE are realities. This dying to sin is a process. Even if it sounds strangely this dying is life which began once and this beginning was the baptism. The old way for baptism shows it as an illustration : the man to be baptised was immersed in water. This immersion meant death to sin. The man who was baptised is drawn by God’s hand in baptism. Baptism is His mysterious and power­ful act. With baptism something takes a beginning : fight against sin in which America at Debrecen, Bishop Dib'eli president of the VELKID a! Dr. L. Pope dean of the Americ Congregationalist Church v preach. ' August 5, in the Budapest Deák church Rt. Rev. Fuglsang DamgaaJ the Archbishop of Denmark a* Pastor Deschner (America), in Bui vár church Bishop Noth (of Germal and Dr. Herntrich (of Germanv), ■ the Fasor church Bishop MUM (of Transsylvania) and Rt. Rev. /■ Bishop of Chichester, in Kelenföl church Bishop Johansson (of Sweden] in Zugló church Bishop Cullberg (o Sweden) and Pastor Weber, — ii Kőbánya church Prof. Nikolaincl (of Finland), in Angyalföld churcl Prof. Niemczyk (of Poland), at Vecsél Bishop Lilje President of the LWF and Pastor Mobbs (of Switzerland] in connection with the anniversary of their church received from the WCC after WW. II. at Irsa Bishof Schuch (American Lutheran) and Rev. Maxvell of the American Epis copal Church will preach. we cannot remain idle as Luthei expresses it in the Small Cathechism „The old Adam in us would by daily sorrow and repentance be drowned with all sins and evil lusts”. And in the new life we must walk, tha! means to take certain steps in newness of life. But we shall revert back to this later. THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to which the apostle wants to call oui attention is that all of these are valid for us only in Jesus Christ. It apperars as the beginning and end of this passage „we have been baptized into Christ Jesus (verse 3) . . . and” you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (verse 11). It means a Christian is alone, no more. His new life is in the very fact that Christ is ceaselessly with him. He unites him into the death of His cross and by this He separates him from sin. He lifts hirr up into the glory of His resurrection Thus we become free and are no longei enslaved to sin, and \ve can live to God in the fellowship of Christ. A scholar of exegesis reminds us that great painters in the past often painted a fearful face behind their own when making their self-portrait: the death’s skeleton looking over theii shoulders. The picture of a Christiai is only then perfect and objectivt if there is someone standing behinc him or beside him : not death bu Christ. Only with Him and in Hin can we be separeted from sin. Only with Him, only in Christ can we leac a new life to God. The apostle sends his message ,,so you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Chrisi Jesus”. „Consider” means here : be Heve. The powerful deed of Goc begun in our baptism can be graspec onlv bv faith. By faith we can be ont with Christ our Lord, with his deatl and resurrection. The new life may bt realised only by faith : We are nol alone, Christ is with us, ho lives witl us and so we also can live in him anc by him. Rev. Gyula Groc THE LETTER OF l'ALL TO THE ROMANS jCTe is presented to us by our poets as the ideal hero- td character. Imre Madách in his “Tragedy of Man” speaks only of one name from the Hungarian history and that is his. Our historians state that he was an extraordinary man indeed, strong, pure, disciplined, faithful, thoughtful, farlooking, and just. He was a pedagogical example of all that what we call a historical Hungarian character. We have a portrait of him by Masolino da Pani- cale which we may ponder upon. This is a picture of a man with ideal features, a profile with a Greek nose, bright eyes, high forehead, a strong chin, a neat and simple but not a pert moustache. Truly, we could not picture the man otherwise, called by Bonfini “the only man” that man who saved not only his own country but also the whole of Europe for Christianity. Karl Marx when evaluating the efforts of the Middle Ages acknowledges Hunyadi as a signboard of his age. This was known also by his contemporaries, Hungarians as well as foreigners. No wonder why the Turks called him “the terror of the earth” and “the lightning of hosts”, the sultan’s scribe named him “the only fear of the Turks”. He was a patriot, a son of this country, who five hundred years ago found the meaning of life with the Hungarians. He was John Hunyadi the military genius and leader of nation, for whom the bells have been tolling in the Christian world the last five hundred years. He was the son of a soldier and was trained as a soldier. He owed his success to his ability and not to intrigue, not fortune and ivealth, that belonged to others who hated, feared and despised him, be­cause he was not the son of an oligarch but just a simple nobleman. Hunyadi took no notice of them. There was great calmness in his heart and he feared neither them nor the Turks. The oligarchs were afraid because they all thought of their own fortune but Hunyadi thought of the people, of the glory and integrity of his country, this is why he was so- assured and calm although he obtained a huge land-estate. He owned 28 castles, 57 towns, over 1000 villages and his landproperty was more than 4 million cadastral yokes. An enormous wealth, was even in the feudal age. Only kings owned such properties. Neither could it be said he obtained it by force. During the reign of King Albert he was a waivode (administrative chief of Transsylvania,) and lord lieutenant of Ternes, he was man of confidence to King Ulászló I. and the permanent leader of campaigns against Turks. At the age of 28 he marries the daughter of lord lieutenant László Szilágyi, Elizabeth. His choice was worthy of him both in character and ability. We have authentic knowledge that he knew no Latin. “ llliteratus existens” was what the priest wrote of him in a certificate when he was governor,on the occasion of correcting a donation. It is he who prepares a national kingdom. In 1446 when he was elected governor of Hungary he makes an oath consisting of one sentence and this sentence included the following lines : “You shall keep all of the laws, wich were enacted with power and perfection for the increase of the country It was read to him this way because his straight­forward and strong heart wished it so. He hated too many words. His statue on horseback will be unveiled at Pécs at the occasion of his anniver­sary, (This statue is a work of Pál Pátzay) that his statue may look down upon us his descen­dants where the most Turkish relics have remain­ed on the once Turkish occupied territories. His personal interest was identified with ihat of the people. Therefore the people rallied around him. He was an excellent politician, became he clearly and definitly recognised the position of his country and gave a serious consideration to the Turkish Sultan’s statement: “As there.is ope God in Heaven there should be one monarch on earth”. He had his own means of communication and he knew that the Turks waged a pirate-war, a butchery not merely a military conflict or a combat of chivalry. At that time it became apparent for what object he had amassed fortune, for the war against the Turks. He maintained an up-to-date army on his own money. John Hunyadi felt it his duty to support the nation with his whole wealth in answer to the people’s trust in him. Thus preserving Hungary, the battlement of Europe saved the whole continent because its con­quest would had meant the conquest of Europe. I have seen the Hunyadi drama written by Lajos Hollos Corvin, it is like history coming to life. In 1443 during the great winter campaign he chased the Turks as far as Sofia who by that time were greedily eying the frontiers of Hungary. Hunyadi had to turn back from his expedition of conquest only on account of cold and pestilence. In the summer of 1444 he advanced as far as the Black Sea but suffered a severe defeat at Várna. King Ulászló I. died also on the battlefield, who imprudently forced Hunyadi into this expedition. At this time the Turks conquer Constantinople and the most talented Sultan, the modernizer of the Turkish army launches his vast divisions against Hungary. The Sultan is aware that if the suc­ceeds in conquering Hungary his road by the Danube is free as far as Paris. Now the internal enemies, the Garais and Cilleis turned to Hunyadi for help. In the summer of 1456 the Sultan starts a siege at Nándorfehérvár (i. e. Beograd today) the outpost of Hungary in those days. Hunyadi had to defend it. 200 Turkish battleships closed the Danube above Zimony. On Jwne 4, Mohamed II. opens fire with his famous artillary against the castle. Nándorfehérvár was defended by Hunyadi’s brother-in-law Mihály Szilágyi with 7000 men. Hunyadi reached the castle on the 14th of July. His 200 boats managed to fight through tin Turkish fleet, and he got to the besieged castle This was his first victory. The Sultan wat raging, kept on a continuous onslaught against tlu battlements. He ordered a general onslaught on thi 21st of July and he himself commanded hit armies. He succeeded in entering the castle bu Hunyadi threw them back. Next day Hunyadi attacked, he rushed out with his army south­wards, he captured the Turkish artilleries ana turned the guns against the Turks. Mohamed II fled to Sofia as fast as he could, where he wantea to commit suicide in his shame. The Sultan’s whole camp fell into the hands of the Hungarians This was the great victory for which the Pope ordered the bells to be rung at noon all over tht world. Since then the bells at noon sound fo> Hunyadi and for sacrificing courage of out nation. Hunyadi could not chase the Turks farther because he fell victim to pestilence short after his victory. He died and was burried at Gyulafehérvár near Vajdahunyad which hi strenghtened from a small castle into a large fortress. John Hunyadi’s victory was a histo­rical one. Up to the battle at Mohács the Turks were unable to make any conquest against us. Hunyadi’s prophecy grew true : Hungary be­came the defending battlement of the Western world. Although the Turks penetrated jar into our country they were never able to conquer it as a whole. The Hungarians proved to be too much for them. The standard set up by Hunyadi i. e. the people’s defence of their country saved France and England for the world. It tvas possible to Rembrandt and Descartes, Shakespeare and Bacon, the Italian musics, the French poetry to flourish because of the living battlement of the Hungarian nation which withstood the onslaughts for two hundred years. The bells remind the world of this on the 500 ‘years aniversary of Hunyadi’s victory. I Rezső Szalatnui dr. JOHN HUNYADI

Next

/
  • Elrendezés
  • Igazítás
  • Forgatás
Oldalképek
Tartalom