Magyar Egyház, 1977 (56. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1977-08-01 / 8-9. szám
8 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ day, year after year becoming more and more unified in thought and spirit with each other, with Him, and in His service. This will not be easy—at least it has not been an easy task to date. Preaching the Gospel takes of us the best that we have and all that we have. The lesson is this: Trust God and get to work! I am certain that it never occurred to Paul, or to any of his churches, that it was his job, not theirs, to spread the word in their city. Each one of them, upon entering the fellowship, became an ardent messenger of it to friends and neighbors. Each time one of us brings a friend or a neighbor to church, or speaks a word of welcome in the church to newcomers in our neighborhood, we are standing in the New Testament tradition. We, and the church, and our friends are all strengthened by it. This may seem a simple instance of how God is seeking to unite all things in Him, but the church has grown to greatness through it. Let us, then, be about our work—inspired and strengthened by the great vision of God uniting all things in Jesus Christ, placing them in their true perspective, enabling them to find their purpose and their meaning in His purpose and will. This is the Gospel we have received; the Gospel we believe; the Gospel it is our duty, our destiny, and our privilege to take to the ends of the earth—beginning in our own hearts, our own church, and our own community. ☆ ☆ REV. EDMUND VASVARY 1888 -1977 Psalm 90:10 and 12—“The days of our years are three score years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off — and we fly away -— So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom”. * * * We have again been asked to halt in our daily chores and tasks to share our time with others — who have fallen upon grief and met with tragedy. In a sense this has a salutary effect upon our lives — it makes us think — it makes us forget ourselves. We need to be taken away from our own immediate interest to be reminded that there are people living on the other side of the hill. We have gathered today to recall the career of one of our most brilliant ministers — Popular — well and widely known — gifted and now sorely lamented. His death is our loss. His life should be our lesson. There has been but one Vasvary — minister — author —: preacher with the gift of eloquence — Theologian — Historian —- writer. The mold was broken when he was cast. He came to America after the first world war. He held pastorates in Pennsylvania and in Cleveland, Ohio before coming to Washington as an officer of the Hungarian Reformed Federation. I knew him first when I was yet a student and he was a pastor in Cleveland, Ohio. From the first, we became very good friends. I could always count on him to produce authenticated intimate data on people and historical events. Among the traits and qualities that I have mentioned I must definitely emphasize his capacity as a writer. He was the author of many books. He wrote thousands of articles for magazines and for years wrote a syndicated column for several newspapers. The Rev. Vasvary came from a trained and devout family. He was a scholar with a fertile mind and endowed with a photostatic memory. He believed that life is a trust for a definite achievement. And that it was his to live it — and to show his estimate of a man’s mission by the deep furrows that he has to cut, by the precious seed which he scattered. And there was wrapt up in this remarkable thoroughness: in his early home life, all through his college life and afterward as a pastor and preacher it was his to give his best powers to that which he undertook, while he gathered from the resources which our civilization has given. During the last 30 years he spent most of his time doing research at the National Library of Congress. He put these resources
