Fraternity-Testvériség, 1961 (39. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1961-08-01 / 8. szám

FRATERNITY

15

HISTORY

OF THE

HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH

By

IMRE REVESZ, Th. D.

Translated by

GEORGE A. F. KNIGHT

V

FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE FIRST WORLD WAR

1849—1914 (Continuation)

On January 22nd, influential clerical and lay representatives of the four Reformed and Lutheran Church Districts arrived at Vienna to deliver the great petition. The Viennese people were all agog to see just how they would be received. Popular opinion was with them, but popular opinion was not able to help them. The Emperor refused even to meet the envoys, though the more enlightened of his ministers would have been glad if some compromise position could have been reached. But the journey by these churchmen was completely without result; their visit to Vienna got them nowhere at all, and so they returned to Hungary more determined than ever to carry on the struggle to its conclusion. Yet no sooner were they home than an order was issued demanding of all ministers and congregations the full implement of the Patent. Local authorities consequently informed all ministers that the Patent must be read out from the pulpit the following Sunday as the first step in fulfilling the regulations. But before the Sunday came Emeric Révész, with the connivance of the other ministers of the Vienna deputation, duplicated and sent out a