Hungarian Church Press, 1957 (9. évfolyam, 14-15. szám)

1957-11-30 / 14. szám

HGHP XI,.50,1957, Vol. IX/l4

r 15 -171

construction of ilie Reformed Church in Hungary a national executive committee has been created; The executive committee expresses, first of ell, the conviction that it regards, even today, Bishop Dr. László Ravasz as the lawful Fresident of the Gen er cl Synod and General Convent of the Reformed Church in Hungary, as it was only under political pressure that he was forced to resign". The statement then announced the resignation of several church functionaries, or addressed the notice to them ~ including me - that their resignations were desirable.,

Yihy is it necessary to revive now this declaration ? It is necessary to speak of this declaration because it contained the statement that "even today", November, 1956, the "lawful President" of the Reformed Church in Hungary was not the man elected by the majority of the congregations, in J&48, v/ho was then welcomed at the door of the Calvin Square Reformed Church by tie resigned and retire ing bishop and installed into his office by the convocation of the Assembly of the Danubian Church District, but the only lawful occupant of the office was the man who, "under political pressure was forced to resign"; Had this been true, then my predecessor, in his last report as bishop had told an ’untruth - an act which neither I nor any one of us would attribute to him» In his last report as bishop he spoke as follows:

"I have had very inportant reasons to make this decision. In the first place, I am completing this year the 41st year of r<y service as regular pastor, with my service as assistant minister, the 45th year of my ministry., So no sheat is wanting from the stock. The siege of Budapest and the physical and spiritual trials of the subsequent years have worn down my health, and rry heart needs rest. With the vast changes of cur time our church faces new and immensely difficult tasks wiiich call for much greater energies than I can command."

"If I add that, in this change of generations and even of historio periods, in the array of a world-transforming revolution, the men whose roots lie in the past become gradually isolated end, even in the best case, become revered reminders of the past, witiiout power to radiate hope and promise through their service: then it becomes even clearer to me that it is better to sa.y my farewell a few months earlier than a year later0 So I have reached the decision that, at the end of my 27th and last report, I ^ end er my resignation and ask the Convocation of the Assembly of the Church District to give my request for being put on the retired list a favourable consideration"»

And now I ask: how did the "unlawful" successor acquire the office of the Danubian bishop end the presidential chair of the General Synod and General Convent ? Again, I am under the obligation of reviving some important facts of the bishcpJs election in 1948, At that time László Ravasz sent to me the following letter: -Budapest, 30th of April, 19480

"My dear Friend,

It is my intention to withdraw not only from the presidency of the General Synod and General Convent but also from my office as bishop of the Danubian Church District#

I am fully aware of the critical situation that goes together with this withdrawal.» I shoul'd like to perform to our synod the important service of easing the way out. Having considered and assessed all aspects of the problem, applying