Boros György (szerk.): Értesítő a Nemzetközi Unitárius Conferencziáról (Kolozsvár, 1897)
A Nemzetközi Unitárius Konferenczián tartott beszédek és felolvasások - Beszédek és felolvasások
167 suit of the struggle is not to be made apperent in a few years ; but the idea has already, on the course of century, made such a progress as to leave us in no doubt about its future. In .the midst, then, of this great transformation which is looked upon by a good many people, who keep calling cases of infidelity to witnes, as a danger to religion the question as to what the mission of a minister should be, is quite up-to-date. We need not now dwell upon the measure of truth each side may posses in the struggle. But we have no reason what ever to conceal that our sympathy goes with the rights of humanity, which demand freedom in all directions. And the Church, allied with the temporal power, has rarely been a friend to freedom Intolerance of some degree has made itself felt in such an alliance even of the Protestant Churches. And it cannot possibly be otherwise, as soon as the aim at domineering has been taken; for the stronger side will always grow weak on such a measure as the weak waxes strong. This to avert, then, is a life-interest with her. The idea of a State religion, on the other hand, is a menace to the Church’s freedom and independence; for the State is very often urging her to serve interest foreign to her own, and consequently the cult of purely religious ideas shrinks into the background. The separation, therefore, between Church and State need not cause us any anxiety. And it is from this point of view that we raise our demands with regard to the function of a minister. The importance from an ecclesiastical point of view of a minister’s post, is no less today, than it has ever been. Only perfectly to fill it, is more difficult today, than formerly; for the minister of today has not only to supply the needs of spiritual life, but also to prevent the undeniable decay of
