The Eighth Tribe, 1979 (6. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1979-12-01 / 12. szám
I THE EIGHTH TRIBE Page 3 December, 1979 CHRISTMAS 1979 — THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1980 The Christmas Season and a New Year are upon us. Let us look back and see what, if anything, was accomplished in the past year. Let us look to the future and see what is expected from us. The 1980 Bethlen Naptár lists many glorious accomplishments in the Hungarian Reformed churches. It reports a combined wealth of the 70-80 churches of many millions of dollars. It shows savings accounts amounting to many hundred thousands of dollars. Our Fraternal Societies will show continued improvement in their wealth. So we might take it for granted that all is well and we are accomplishing many things. But let us take a closer look! The sale of the Bethlen Home Orphange building was finalized and lost completely for the American Hungarians. Our churches belonging to the major Protestant bodies are slowly fading away. In the Calvin Synod the West Side Hungarian Reformed Church of Cleveland, Ohio dedicated their new church. In the Hungarian Reformed Churches in America the Ontario, California church has almost completed its new building, and the young congregation of Phoenix, Arizona is planning to build their first church. A new congregation was also formed in Toronto, Ont. Canada. The Calvin Synod with 39 congregations, our largest church body, publishes the ‘Reformátusok Lapja - Calvin Herald’ at limited times and with a circulation of only 1,500 coplies. Almost five thousand families worshiping at these churches do not receive anything concerning their religious or Hungarian heritage. Neither do the families who belong to the other Protestant churches. The ‘Magyar Church - Magyar Egyház’ published by the Hungarian Reformed Church in America also has a limited publication, this paper received by only a little over 3,000 families. Our Catholic brethren do not have an English publication for the new generation born in this country. The Eighth Tribe, even with all of our efforts, has not shown the substantial increases that were expected. The same situation exists with the Eighth Tribe Foundation. The Presbyter’s Association’s Resolution (made at the Labor Day conference) stated that the Eighth Tribe should go to all members of the Hungarian Reformed Churches: this has never materialized. The Transylvanian Quarterly which was supposed to have the backing of all the members of the Transylvania Societies and the people who originated from Transylvania, receives the support of only a very small number of people. It seems we want everything, unless it involves a financial sacrifice. 1979 was the Colonel Michael Kováts de Fabricy Bicentennial Year. A very important year of remembrance for the American Hungarians of all generations. All the efforts of Dr. Andrew T. Udvardy and a few others was almost in vain. Only a few cities of large Hungarian population had any celebration. Cleveland, Ohio, with the largest Hungarian population in the U.S., had no seperate celebration at all. So we might say that the year of 1979 ended in failure in many respects. Now let us look toward the future: toward a New Year—1980; and a new Decade. In 1980, we shall commemorate the 400th year of the birth and the 350th year of death of the greatest Prince of Transylvania, unofficial King of Hungary, King of Poland, Gábor Bethlen. This man won the respect of both faiths of the Hungarian people. The article on Bethlen, calling upon the American Hungarians to observe this milestone, appeared in the Catholic Hungarians Sunday, before it appeared in the Eighth Tribe or was even mentioned in the religious papers. This shows that we have a common heritage, which overlaps our religious affiliation. With unanimous agreement among the American Hungarians the year of 1980 was declared “Gábor Bethlen Year.” Many people, from both Synods of the Hungarian Reformed Churches, have asked me to try to join the two religious papers with the Eighth Tribe in one single publication. The time is rapidly approaching for us to face the fact that seperately the three publications cannot make it. We know that the two religious papers will not join into one, but merging with the Eighth Tribe we might find a common ground. They can continue their identity as the Transylvanian Quarterly does. The only thing we need is understanding and peace among us. We have many responsibilities: Toward our families, our churches, our country (U.S.) and to our Hungarian Brethren whose human rights were violated and taken away. Through our Catholic and Protestant churches in the United States and Canada we can reach over 30,000 families, and through them, many more. We can have a 32 page or 48 page magazine, or have a twice monthly publication, if we have enough subscribers. Supporting the Eighth Tribe Foundation should be the first responsibility of every American Hungarian. As we enter into the New Year—into a New Decade, let us individually search our souls, and ask whether or not we want to support this magazine, and the Eighth Tribe Foundation. For our subscribers in Canada and other foreign countries the subscription will be $12.00. Please use International Money Orders or Bank Checks payable in U.S. Funds. No personal checks, please. We ask only two things from every family of Hungarian background: Subscribe yearly to the Eighth Tribe at Ten dollars per year and send in your donation to the Eighth Tribe Foundation. %%%XXXXXXXXXXXX%XXX%%XXXX)(XXXXXXX%XXXXX% T
