Magyar Egyház, 1958 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1958-02-01 / 2. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 13 trade which will make his work easier and happier. Sensible young people will do the same, trying to learn adult ways from good living and happy adults, who are successful, instead of from those who are themselves always in the middle of trouble or on the brink of it, and getting nowhere fast. Intelligent youth will seek to follow an intelligent example. So the solution to juvenile delinquency lies in two places. There must be really mature adults who, instead of crying about youth run wild, will themselves stop their own foolishness and set a truly adult example. And there must be intelligent youth, who have the common sense to look for a good lead and as good apprentices follow it. There cannot, however, be the one without the other if the problem will be solved. It is only as Christians, younger or older adults, begin to live the good life that delinquency at every age level will stop. And it is only then that the future with all its opportunities, lying in the hands of youth, will be one to which the Christian people of this nation can look forward to hopefully. A PRAYER FOR ADULTS Almighty God, who setting a pattern for us as a good Father, and who loving thy children dost give them every good gift needful for them; grant to us who serve in thy stead the grace to know thy way, the same love of our children to give them in like manner every good gift, and the courage to set a good example for them to follow in their development into mature adults; for we ask it in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen. A PRAYER FOR YOUTH O Lord, born of the flesh to be for us the example of a worthy son, in Jesus Christ; as we grow in stature, like the boy Jesus may we also grow in thy favor; as we enter the threshhold of adult life, grant that we might reasonably follow thy way in our living; and as we prepare ourselves for the privileges of adults, lead us to the knowledge that the responsibility for our actions is no longer our parents’ but our own; that our new freedom may not be abused to the hurt of others and ourselves, but may be wisely used as befits thy Christian people, to thy everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Guide. Amen. NEWS HUNGARY Bishop Albert Bereczky has replied to a letter sent by the moderatorial board of the Reformed Alliance in Germany. In his reply to the letter, which had urged pastors and elders of the Reformed Church in Hungary to elect officers who would resist political interference in the church’s work, the Bishop objects to the German message as “unwarranted interference in the constitution of the Hungarian Church.” E.P.S. CZECHO-SLOVAKIA At a national ecumenical conference, held recently in Prague, it was proposed to organize a “world Christian Congress where responsible representatives of Christianity might decisively condemn war in the interests of present and future generations, might condemn all armaments, all weapons of mass destruction of any kind, and pronounce seriously on the need for peace to today’s disturbed world.” The North American Area Council World Alliance of Reformed Churches HELD ITS yearly conference January 21-23 at Pocano Manor, Pa. Six and a half million Presbyterian and Reformed Christians were represented by 108 official delegates out of 11 various churches. No official representatives of the Hungarian Presbyterian Conference, or official delegates of the Hungarian Synod of the E & R church were present. The only official delegates representing the American Hungarian Churches were the ones from the Free Magyar Reformed Church in America. It was good to see other Hungarian bom clergymen who serve American churches now. A special recognition was given to the Rev. William Babinsky, Pastor of the Reformed Church in America in Ridgewood, N. J., when he was elected to be one of the Vice-Presidents of the North American Area. Reports were heard from all churches and news of the considerable gains in the denominations were received with joy. Let us quote here a short paragraph from Archdean Zoltán Béky’s report: “I take this opportunity to express, not only our appreciation but the heartiest thanks and deep-felt gratitude of all Hungarian people, to the Presbyterian Church, USA, which through its Resettlement Committee did the most for the refugees, and also to the other churches which helped to find new homes and life opportunities to the thousands of Hungarian refugees.” Among others the following important declaration was accepted upon recommendation of the Commission on Civil and Religious Liberty. The North American Area Council of the World Alliance of Reformed and Presbyterian Churches rejoices that it has been possible to maintain the ties of fellowship with sister Communions such as the Reformed Church of Hungary and the various Churches of the Reformed tradition of Czechoslovakia. The most recent evidences of this continuing bond have been the attendance of Hungarian churchmen at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Alliance at Stony Point, New York, and the visit a few weeks ago of Dr. John A. Mackay, President of the Alliance, in Hungary. We earnestly hope that the governments of all nations will recognize the desirability of making possible such fellowship and interchange of visits between Christians. Only in such ways can the Christian Church continue to give tangible expression to its witness to the reality of a world brotherhood independent of and transcending the fluctuations in political relationships and diplomatic negotiations. Specifically, in anticipation of the 18th General Council of the World Alliance to be held in Campinas. Brazil, July 27 to August 6, 1959, the North American Area Council extends a cordial invitation to delegates from the Reformed Churches of Hungary, Czechoslovakia . and of aany other countries with which our contacts have been limited in recent years, to plan to pay a fraternal visit either before or after the meeting at Campinas, Brazil, to their sister Churches on the North American Continent. It expresses at the same time the hope that the governments of all countries in both east and west will encourage and permit these delegates to plan such fraternal visits. We believe that in this way the cause of Christian Fellowship and the peace of the world will be enhanced. D.A.
