Magyar Egyház, 1964 (43. évfolyam, 3-9. szám)
1964-10-01 / 8. szám
10 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ was the only rule of faith and life to the reformers. They boldly declared that human laws, traditions, ecclesiastical councils, and even the Pope himself can err, and they placed the Bible above all these. The church of God will live on the Scriptures, they said. Calvin not only preached and taught the Bible, but he lived it, and tried to enforce its laws upon the city of Geneva which became a model community. The Bible became the center of the divine worship service; when the churches were purged from the relics, statues and other idols, they placed the pulpit and preaching right in the center of the church. This Bible was the most treasured heritage our ancestors brought with them when they came and built churches in America. Much of our national strength can be derived from the faithful pilgrims and puritan ancestors who built our country upon this Word of God. This Scripture and the love to perpetuate the teaching of God, was the secret power which enabled our Hungarian people to erect over 100 churches in the United States of America. This Bible is preached in our churches, it is taught in our Sunday and Bible Schools, and is read and studied in our homes. The question is: do you regard this book above all earthly treasures? Do you read it and attend worship services to hear it preached at every occasion? Do you live by its precepts? The idea that Calvin lives is true wherever Bible-reading and Bible-loving Christians dwell. Calvin lives today in the psalms, hymns and praises. Not only Calvin but most of the reformers were strong in advocating more singing by the people, instead of the Latin recitation of the mass and the antiphonal chanting of the priests and chorus. One has to attend a Hungarian language service of our Reformed Church in any city here or abroad, and will be readily convinced that there is positive evidence for the love of the old Geneva Psalter and the hymns. In 1537, when Calvin introduced his Articles Concerning the Organization of the Church and of Worship at Geneva, the congregational singing was an important part of his plan. He translated some of the psalms and suggested the choirs to assist in the service of praise. It was quite a forward step in those days, when the people remained passive in the mass. The singing of the psalms and hyms brought more activity into the service. We must examine our church and ourselves: do we love our Psalter? Do we sing whole-heartedly? What are we doing that this living practice could be transplanted into the heart of the succeeding generations? Do our Sunday School teachers prepare our children for church membership by singing the well loved, time-tested psalms? Calvinism lives today because its major contribution to church life has a definite and special form of government. The Holy Scripture does not specifically recommend any one type of church government. Yet, in accordance with the Scriptures Calvin worked out a system of church government and one of the secrets of the spread of the Calvinistic reformation undoubtedly was its organization. It is built up of the people from below upward to the highest church authorities; thus, congregations in an area are joined together in a classis and the delegates of those form the synod, above which is the General Assembly. The leaders of the congregations, the pastors, elders, teachers and deacons are elected to their offices in contrast to the Roman Catholic idea of appointing priests to churches. Truly, the Calvinist churches believed in a democratic way of life where clergy and layman together faced the responsibilities. Offices were filled for a stated period of time, often the laymen outnumbered the clergy. This system of church government made an impression upon the minds of individuals who formed and shaped the national life of many countries after these democratic ideas. It is evident from the lively church of the Reformed people that John Calvin lives as long as the synodal - presbyterian system of church government is practiced. Wherever in the world Hungarian Reformed people settled down they organized their churches along these lines -— here in America too. During the present II. Vatican Council of the Roman Catholic Church, one of the most advertised changes into the right direction was that lay people will have more responsibilities in the future. Yes, if church council members, elders, and other leaders of the congregations can gather together in conferences and show their interest in working to the glory of God then John Calvin is not dead; he lives on in the hearts of the believers. Today, we live in a modern world, filled with many crises. Calvin and Calvinism should play a more strategic and pivotal role. Modernism, liberalism, or secularism split the Christian Churches into camps. There are many who do not believe or care for the Church of Christ. This world is in need of a revival, the phenomenal character building power of Calvinism. Let the Bible be the center in the churches and homes; let the believers read and study the Word of God, and hear it preached; let the people sing out the psalms with their old familiar tunes, and let praises continually ascend before our Maker; and let a dynamic church government consisting of competent leadership and intelligent followers bear witness to Christ with zeal and dedication — and Calvinism will be a definite force in the world of tomorrow. MISSION SUNDAY TO ALL CONGREGATIONS Dear Brethren: November 8th will mark our Seventh Annual Mission Sunday in the Hungarian Reformed Church in America. Mission work is the life-giving center of all church work and service. The unity, the holiness, and the apostolic character of the Church Universal can be summarized in one sentence: bringing the joyful gospel of our Lord to a hopeless generation and a fearful world not really knowing that message. This means more intensified mission work than ever. An envelope to be used on this Sunday can be found in this issue of “Magyar Egyház”. Kindly give this envelope with your donation for our mission work to your church, or if it is impossible or inconvenient, send it to the treasurer of the Mission Fund, Mr. Albert St. Miklossy, 23 Evergreen Avenue, Fords, New Jersey (his name and address appears printed on the envelope). We ask all our elders, every Church Council as well as the Women Guils to give special consideration to the needs of our mission work. We prayerfully recommend it to your Christian concern and generosity. Stephen Szőke Chairman, Mission Board John Darnay Dr. Zoltán Beky Chief Elder Bishop
