Magyar Egyház, 1970 (49. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1970-05-01 / 5. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11 in most of our churches in the United States of America and elsewhere. This is the time when children after serious preparation and examination are officially received into the fellowship of the Christian church. The age limit long ago used to be 12 years, which is now 14 in most of our churches. Confirmation should be considered by all Christians as an important step, a real turning point in the life of their children. In many churches parents bring their children to the confirmation classes from 15-20 miles away, thus showing their loyalty and faithfulness to the church, where they themselves were baptized, confirmed and married. However, Christian instruction must not come to an end with confirmation but should continue on as long as a person lives. Young people should frequent the church regularly, participate in the activities of the congregation and grow into the future responsibilities of church leadership. Much depends upon parents to see to it that their children should be properly prepared for confirmation. If parents fulfill this obligation seriously, then their children will remain loyal and faithful members of the church and true disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. In most churches the examination of confirmation class pupils takes place on Ascension Day, and they participate in holy communion for the first time on Pentecost, the day commemorating the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and the formation of the first Christian congregation in Jerusalem. The other great Christian holidays are well known to everyone, and putting confirmation on Ascension Day and Pentecost elevates these holidays to their proper place. It would be desirable for all churches to schedule confirmation for this time of the year! WOMEN’S CONFERENCE IN ROKBLING Church Women United, comprising members of the various women’s organizations from our churches in the East, held a well attended and spirited annual conference in Roebling, N. J. on May 3rd. More than 120 women registered and after a brief opening service broke into two language groups to hear the main addresses by the Rt. Rev. Louis Nagy and Dr. Andrew Harsanyi—“Reformed-Protestant-Christian, What Do the Names Say?” Reassembled after discussion, the business meeting heard the various reports by Mrs. Rose Takach president, Mrs. Georgiana Harkel secretary and Mrs. Helen Nemish treasurer. It was noted with satisfaction that several churches have complied with last year’s appeal to assist the Hungarian Reformed Church in Montevideo. Mrs. Irene Kovács presented a chancel-vase to the Rt. Rev. Louis Nagy as a gift to the McKeesport church in memory of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Nagy. Elected for the 1970/71 term were the following: Mrs. Margaret Szilagyi (Perth Amboy) president, Miss Elza Petro (New York) vice-president, Mrs. Bertha Kantor (Carteret) and Mrs. Elsie Loke (Perth Amboy) secretaries, Mrs. Hetty Komjáthy (Trenton) treasurer and Mrs. Rose Takach (Roebling) chaplain. The new officers were sworn in by Dean Dr. Harsanyi. Following the conference a social hour of dinner and “sing-in” was enjoyed by all. Károly Erdős: THIS MAN JESUS (This paper was Professor Károly Erdős’ inaugural address as “Rector Magnificus” of the University of Debrecen, Hungary for the academic year 1945-46. Professor Erdős, now past 80, had been for several decades not only the scholarly New Testament teacher of Reformed seminarians but also their dedicated tutor. The English translation is by the Rev. Paul Ferenczy. There are over 130 direct quotations of Jesus’ words from the Gospels. The reader should find them in his Bible.) Throughout the history of mankind, there have been very few men who have brought themselves to face the problems of human nature, so that by their struggle they could make man’s social life better and more noble. Among the few who have done so and the most well-known of them is Jesus: the man—Jesus. 1900 years have passed by since his sojourn upon the earth. Since that time thousands have shared in the benefits of his teachings which they have heard through those who were with him and through those who wrote about him. And so it would be proper and fitting, on the basis of what has been written of him, to give an impartial outline of his teachings and of his life which was lived according to those words. I His teachings posessed power, for he did not teach as the scribes. That which gave power to his words was that he gave guidance and direction for every-day life. And yet, he did not measure the events and concerns of daily life simply by earthly standards. But as he stood by the roads that branch off into many directions in a man’s life, he always saw and made it seen, that the road of the soul, leads upward and cannot be barred before any man. A) Concerning the World of Man Jesus never taught against the existing law and order. He knew very well that this would lead to disunity and destruction. This is why he pointed out to his followers, and to his enemies, that whatever nation, city or house is divided against itself, it will be brought into desolation. In Palestine, he declared to the existing order of the hierarchy that he did not come to destroy the law of the prophets.
