Fraternity-Testvériség, 1993 (71. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1993-07-01 / 3. szám
Page 6 TESTVÉRISÉG THE TRENTON MEETING For Biblical scholars, it is a very familiar expression: “Demythologizing.” A famous German New Testament scholar Rudolf Bultmann coined this phrase, which was made quite popular by the other famous ex-patriate German theologian Paul Tillich. For us, simple people it is one of those words which makes us to shake our heads if we have to attempt to spell it. Regardless of the spelling, a kind of demythologizing is overdue what the history of the Hungarian Reformed Federation is concerned. The organizing meeting of the American Hungarian Reformed Classis was called to the Trenton church for the already agreed date July 4th and the following days. It was supposed to be in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. Why the change of venue? There was trouble in the local church. Big trouble. Just as in Pittsburgh, the Mount Carmel church was organized by lay people without a minister. In the very same manner: Slovaks and Hungarians, Lutherans and Reformed. But the Slovaks were in majority. The Slovak Lutherans succeeded to obtain their own minister who conducted services for all three groups for a while. By three groups I mean Slovak Lutherans, Slovak Reformed and Hungarian Reformed. They built a church together. Then the Slovak Lutherans separated organization-wise from the Reformed people. There was to be a separate Lutheran and Reformed service in the same church building. The Reformed people asked the Board of Home Missions of the Reformed Church to secure the services of a Reformed minister. Rev. Ferenczy wrote to Sárospatak and professor Radácsi recommended Alexander Kalassay for the Mount Carmel pastorate. But he refused to learn Slovak and hold services in Slovak, who after all were in the majority. The problem was somewhat overcome by the diplomatic efforts of Rev. Ferenczy who rushed to hold Slovak services in Mount Carmel as many times as he could leave his very busy Pittsburgh ministry. But the tension was still too much and the place was changed to Trenton, New Jersey. The official letter was written by Rev. Ferenczy in behalf and with the support of the Board of Home Missions. All “missionaries” were expected to be present and each organized congregation was asked to send one officially elected lay delegate. The minutes of the consistory of Pittsburgh of June 14, 1896 states: The church treasury will pay for the travel expenses of the lay delegate and also the amount of the lost wages. Hospitality will be extended by the local church. The lay delegates were elected by the consistory. These stipulations were carried out by Pittsburgh, Trenton, and New York. We have documentary evidence of that fact. The South Norwalk church did not send a lay delegate, but the “yoked charge” Bridgeport did. Cleveland did not send a lay delegate! My guess is that trouble was already brewing between the minister and the congregation. Mount Carmel did send a lay delegate, but how he was elected is not known. The importance of these details indicate one important fact: it was a church meeting. Local consistories elected one of their elders, it was approved and supported by the Board of Home Missions of the Reformed Church in the United States. “to strengthen the cause of the Hungarian mission, to unite the members of our denomination in one fraternal body; to serve the interests of our fellow believers, and to secure the future of their families...” Another “demythologizing” detail: The Hungarian language history of the American-Hungarians by Géza Kende claims that at the Pittsburgh meeting Alex Kalassay proposed the idea of the federation. Pure speculation and fable. It was Rev. Ferenczy. Rev. Kalassay barely spent a half year in the United States, he did not have yet the experience and the knowledge of the mushrooming fraternal societies of all the immigrant groups; he had his troubles adjusting to the difficult Slovak-Hungarian situation. The fact remains, he played an important part in the history of our Federation in later years, but the idea of a nation-wide fraternal organization as an auxiliary of the Hungarian Reformed Classis in America was Rev. Ferenczy’s. Who attended the Trenton meeting? There were six ministers. Ferenczy, Harsányi, Jurányi, Demeter, Kalassay, Dókus. The elected lay delegates were as follows: Emil Nyitray, a prominent businessman of the longest stay in America among the delegates. He represented the New York church. Pál Szabó from Bridgeport, Pál Füzy of Pittsburgh, István Czimbalmos of Trenton, and István Pásztor of Mount Carmel. I know that several members of the Trenton church were also present. Andrew Duch, the father of the famous Trenton lawyer and mayor of the capital city of the state of New Jersey, the only American-Hungarian who reached that position.
