Fraternity-Testvériség, 1966 (44. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1966-05-01 / 5. szám
4 FRATERNITY no wonder that this is our motto: “If God be for us, who can be against us.” Today, we cannot visualize how- difficult it was for our brethren, who came to our shores 70 years ago. They were a tiny island in a strange land, speaking a strange language. Almost instinctively their first thought was to organize a church. That they did. What beautiful and magnificent churches have been erected throughout the years. It is reasonable to believe that they organized societies for self preservation and self protection. They wanted to provide for their loved ones when they were gone. They wanted to furthermore enhance the bond of friendship among those who were of the same heritage. The friendship which was established was motivated by the spirit of God. Ralph Waldo Emerson put it most beautifully when he said: “The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship. It is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship. My friends have come unsought. The great God gave them to me.” Carlyle and a friend of his one day ascended a little mountain overlooking the village. Towering above the other little homes in the village was the village church, and Carlyle said to his friend: “You know, my friend, if it weren’t for that church, you and I would have never met.” Here on the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America most of us can bear testimony to this fact. If it weren’t for our churches and the Hungarian Refomned Federation of America, which opened the doors to friendship, we would have never met. You remember that Cain, after he had killed his brother Abel, as he is confronted by God who asks him: “Where is thy brother?” said: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” A resounding affirmative has been pronounced by the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America throughout the years: “We are not our brother’s keepers, but we are our brother’s brother!” This conveys a deeper sense of responsibility than anything else. Here the cords and ties of fraternalism were established. We are all brothers, because together we worship one God. So “F” stands for “Faith”, “Friendship” and “Fraternalism”. Every time you and I listen to a man by the name of Criswell, who appears frequently on television, who is supposed to be endowed with prophetic qualities concerning the future, and every time he says: “I predict that all of you will spend the
