Presbyterian Cleric Comments On Trial of Cardinal

Chronicle (Levin), 15 February 1949, Page 4

Presbyterian Cleric Comments On Trial of Cardinal

."Historically, in the Presbyterian jChurch> tnough it has- never been • the respo-nsibi-ity of the ministry to i make up the mind of the membership, it has been the responsibility 'of uhe ministry to get and present all available facts on confused public issues. Sucn an issue at the moment is the trial Of Cardinal ■ Mindszenty? Prince Primate of the Roman' G-atholic Church in Hung- , ary," ^aid Rev. A. Salmond, preachhlg.in 0t. Andrew's Presbyteriap. i Church, Levin, on .Sunday. ^ r Two statements that had appeared in the Press required careful i examination, he added. The first (Was that the "Calvinist" Church of Hungary had d'eclared that it dis'sociated itself -from the stand taken by Cardinal Mindszenty, and the second was that the Cardinal was fighting a battle for Christian civilisation against Communism. In Hungai'y, 55 per cent. of the population were Roman Catholics, 13 per cent. were Refoi'med Church (Presbyterian), 8 per cent. were Lutheraft and quarter of a million were Jews. The Reformed Church lieid that the State was a divine institution as much as the Church • was in its own sphere. No forffi of human government was wholiy evil and no form was wholly good. The Reformed Church cou d never be a political party. In New Zealand the Presbyterian Church taught loyalty to King and country expressing itself in careful ovbedience of the law, continued the speakef. . Cardinal Mindszenty, on his own confession, had- sought to reestabdsh the monarchy. That was treading on dangerous ground. Up until 1945, Hungary was \a land of vast estates. Two great land owners had been Count Estherhazy and the Roman Catholic Church. The first post-war Provisional Government of Hungary had in it many members of the small holders party, President Tildy — president up to last August —had been a minister of the Reformed Cnurch. The sweeping land reforms that were carried through cut up the big estates and enfranchised the peasapts. Until June, 1948, there were few schools in Hungary that were not denominational. State schools had existed in the larger towns. The nationaJisation of Church schools was carried through and only a few schoois were left in Churcn control. "The Reformed Church, true to its doctrine of the State, has not sought to depy the State the right of action in what it regards are pjlitical matters. Cardinal Mindszenty has been in strong opposition. The Reformed Church has been taking a strong stand against the encroacnment of Communism upon the conscience of the indivfdual and the rights of free speech and association but the Reformed Church does not intend to fall into the party line of either Moscow or of Rorae. The Reformed Church, seeks Jto be faith,ful to its calling."