Magyar Egyház, 1959 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1959-08-01 / 8-9. szám
14 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ Are You A Hitch-Hiking Christian? Do you come to church when you “feel like it” and leave without sharing in the leadership and the activities? That’s what we call a “hitch-hiking” Christian. Remember, for every “free ride” you get at church, someone has prepared the way for you. Someone has contributed time and talents that you might worship and have fellowship. What part are YOU taking in the ongoing work of the church? Are you doing your share or even a little more? Or do you say you’re “too busy” and accept that free ride? There is a place for you—planning, working, leading, teaching, singing. Won’t you do your share of the driving? * * * WORLD-FAMOUS HUNGARIAN MUSICIAN DIED Ede Zathureczky, Hungarian violinist died in America at the age of 56. His outstanding musical talents were recognized already when he was very young. He was a pupil and successor of Jenő Hubay. He was chosen by Béla Bartók to perform several Bartók’s compositions at their world-performance. For 14 years Zathureczky was president and professor of Ferenc Liszt Music Academy in Budapest. After the revolution of 1956 he retired and succeeded in leaving Hungary. He came to the United States as visiting professor and taught violin at the University of Indiana. He died in voluntary exile, a great artist and a great Hungarian. East and West alike considered him as one of the greatest violinists and teachers of our time. — A. ROLAND ELLIOTT Dr. A. Roland Elliott, director of Immigration Services of Church World Service since 1949, died in his sleep on July 1st at his summer home in Marlboro, New Hampshire. A few hours before his death we greeted him at a dinner in New York City, marking the opening of the World Refugee Year. The news of his death reached us the next morning. Mr. Elliott’s leadership was responsible largely for the resettlement of 106,000 refugees in the United States since 1949 through Protestant and Orthodox churches. He became Secretary of the Displaced Persons Committee of Church World Service in 1948 and directed its program in Munich, Germany, in 1949-1950. He coordinated the emergency program for resettling Hungarian refugees through the cooperating churches in the United States following the Hungarian uprising in October 1956. Mr. Elliott was born on March 6th, 1895. He attended the University of Illinois, did graduate work at the University of Colorado and Teachers College in New York City, and Westminster College in Cambridge, England. AUSTRALIA Australian Protestants have criticised the stateapproved plans of a Roman Catholic order to raise money for new school facilities through a lottery in which the first prize will be a suburban hotel valued at $400,000. The Rev. Dr. Malcolm MacKay, a former secretary of the Australian Council for the World Council of Churches, said the raffle betrayed “little conception of fundamental Christian ethics”. * * * SWITZERLAND Jews who have become Christians have not “ceased to be Jews but remain an integral part of their people”, according to a statement issued by the Executive Committee of International Hebrew Christian Alliance at a recent meeting in Switzerland. “Every member of the alliance regards himself as a Jew, loving the nation from which he is proud to have sprung and pledged to its service. In particular Hebrew Christians in Israel declare themselves loyal in every way to the state in which they live and to which they belong”.--------------o-------------MEET JOHN CALVIN This Was John Calvin, by Thea B. Van Halsema, pub. by Zondervan Publishing House, 1959, price $2.95. John Calvin is known to many of us only by name. We know that the Reformer was one of the great men of history, whose keen mind helped to shape the thinking of the modern world. However, were we to ask, Do you know John Calvin? most of us would have to admit that we really know very little about the man and his daily life — his growing up, his family, his private trials and triumphs. To many of us John Calvin remains a great mystery. To make John Calvin come alive was the goal Thea B. Van Halsema set out to attain when she began writing this book. And she has succeeded in a most admirable way, bringing imagination as well as research to bear upon the subject and drawing a pen picture of Calvin that is at once appealing and honest, a story that can be read with enjoyment and appreciation by young and old alike. For those who would like to learn more about the history of the founder of the Reformed faith, for those who enjoy drama, for those who would like to read about the fights between our church and the Pope, and for those who wish exciting yet profitable reading, this book will offer countless hours of interesting reading. Mrs. Van Halsema’s book is highly recommended by J. H. Kromminga, President of the Calvin Seminary. We can well agree with him in saying that “readers from high school age and upward who wish an authentic, interesting introduction to John Calvin could not do better than to read this book.” Gabor Csordás Zsolt Harsanyi
