History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

DEC 7 1914

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Division BX9460
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Professor Francis Balogh,

AT DEBRECZEN, HUNGARY

History of the Reformed
Church of Hungary

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DEC 7 1914

FRANCIS BALOGH

Professor of Church History at the Theological Seminary at Debreczen,

Hungary. Condensed Translation by Rev. Louis Nanassy

of youngstown, o.

[Reprinted from the Reformed Church Review, July, 1906,
and April 1907]

HISTOKY OF THE EEFORMED CHURCH
OF HUNGARY.

BY FRANCIS BALOGH,

Professor of Church History in the Theological Seminabt at

Debreczen, Hungary. Condensed Translation by the

Rev. Louis Nan assy.

§ 1. The Division of the History of the Hungarian Reformed

Church.

This history is to be divided into two parts :

(a) The reception and victory of the Reformation from the
beginning until the fall of the dynasty of Prince Rakoczy
(1517-1660).

(6) The suffering state of the Church and the gradual re-
lease of the same from the fall of the dynasty of Rakoczy until
the present time (1660-1906).

PART FIRST.

I. The Beginning of the Reformation.

§ 2. The First (Lutheran) Traces of the Reformation at
Buda; the First Measures Against It.

The ninety-five Theses of Luther caused an echo at Buda,
capital of Hungary. Margrave Brandenburg, the uncle and
military instructor of King Louis II., showed sympathy with
the new ideas ; in like manner the German lords, belonging to
the royal court, among whom was Pempflinger, with his daugh-
ter Catharine, courtlady to the queen. Even Mary, the young
queen, looked on with favor, when Luther arose against the
abuses, and she winked at the scourging of the pope and cardi-
nals by her preacher, Cordatus. But when he was accused by

1

2 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

the internuncio, the queen was compelled to dismiss him from
office. Cordatus then went to Luther and from Wittenberg
sent John, his commissioner, to Hungary in order to spread
the writings of Luther. The Hungarians captured and
burned him at the stake, together with his books.

In spite of this dreadful event Cordatus returned to Buda in
1525, having confidence in the protection of the royal court,
and with Kreislinger, priest of Buda, began openly to proclaim
the Gospel. But both were captured and lodged in jail.
Although through the influence of the court Cordatus was set
at liberty, he had to leave Hungary forever.

Heiikel, the learned courtpreacher, who was called to fill the
place of Cordatus, also sympathized with the Reformation, but
sowed the seeds of the Gospel more cautiously than his pre-
decessor. He accompanied the queen to the imperial Diet of
Augsburg, in 1530, and there preached the spirit of the Gospel.
But Mary, by the request of Charles V., her uncle, had to dis-
charge her favorite priest. Ferdinand, her other uncle, also
endeavored to draw her away from the Reformation. But the
queen in her soul remained faithful to Luther, who being in-
formed of her attachment to the Reformation, forwarded to
her the translation of four psalms and a song in order to con-
sole her, after the fatal fall of her husband, Louis II.

Under the influence of Queen Mary and Margrave Branden-
burg the Reformation spread rapidly among the burghers of
Buda. The council of the city, as early as 1552, called
Speratus to be minister. He had been driven out of Vienna
on account of his evangelical teachings. In the high schools
scholars brought from abroad — like Grynajus, a friend of
Melanchthon and Windschemius — taught the principles of the
Reformation to the youth.

It was but natural that the heads of the Roman clergy arose
immediately and most vehemently against the Reformation,
which menaced their church to its foundation. They even
aroused the nobility, representing the bulk of the nation, headed
by Verhoczi, the famous la^vyer and supreme royal judge. He

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 3

objected on grounds of patriotism to the Reformation of Ger-
man origin, and set himself against the German courtiers es-
pousing it. As the delegate of the king he was present at the
noted Diet of Worms (1521). He invited Luther to his table
and disputed ardently with him. He printed Monk Am-
broise's work written against the doctrines of Luther. He
wrote the preface to the same, in which he called upon Louis
11. , as fitting a valorous king, to exterminate the " Lutheran
contagion " from his dominion. The Diet of Buda in 1523,
being under the influence of Verboczi and Szapolyai, made a
law that the king as Catholic sovereign should punish all
Lutherans, their patrons and adherents, with decapitation and
confiscation. To the councils of the cities of Sopron and
Bartfa an ordinance was sent forbidding under j)enaltj the
reading of the books of Luther. Royal commissioners gath-
ered and burned the writings of Luther at Sopron. In con-
sequence of the resolution of Buda, Grynwus and Wind-
schemius were driven away from their chairs and became the
ornaments of schools in other lands (Grynseus at Basle, Wind-
schemius at Wittenberg).

The rage against the Reformation reached its highest point
at the riotous Diet of Rakos in 1525, the leader here being
Verboczi, the elected palatine. The fourth article passed here
ordered that every Lutheran be driven out of the country and
if any were found at any place, they might be captured and
burned not only by ecclesiastical, but also by laical persons.
For this law Pope Clement VII. honored the palatine with a
congratulatory letter. In consequence of the law passed at
Rakos the council of Buda burned one and Verboczi burned
eight Lutherans.

On account of these severe ordinances and cruel proceedings
the Reformation was indeed suppressed in the capital of
Hungary. In the beginning of the Turkish dominion the first
Protestant congregation and school were organized at Buda
and they existed till the recapture of the city (1686). With
the restitution of Christian supremacy they ceased again. Its

4 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

church building, which had been laid in ruins under the siege,
was surrendered to the monks by King Leopold. The Re- i
formed Church was not reorganized at the capital imtil 1796.

§ 3. The Extension of the Reformation from 1526 till 15Jf.l.

After the battle of Mohacs, in 1526, the nation could not
. agree as to the election of the new king and the country was
divided into two parts. Two kings were elected — the national
party elected John Szapolyai and the Hapsburg party Ferdi-
nand. Civil war broke out between the two parties and kings,
and amid the continual contest and struggle the Reformation
extended rapidly, because without outward oppression and
^'iolence the people could freely receive the long expected tnith
of the Gospel.

At first both kings issued severe ordinances against the
i Reformation. King John menaced the Lutherans with con-
fiscation. In consequence of his orders pastor Nikolai and
teacher Gregori suffered martyrdom at the stake for their faith
(1527).

The ordinances of King Ferdinand sounded more strongly ;
the monks leaving the cloisters and taking wife were to be put
in jail ; those who rejected the veneration of Mary the Virgin
to be sentenced to death, as well as the ministers who admin-
istered the communion in both kinds; the building, in which
it happened was to be razed. But when both kings perceived
/ that the Reformation was spreading without stoppage, as it
were the morning light, and that those nobles whom they
sorely needed to strengthen their royal power were becoming
converts to the purified religion : both failed to set themselves
energetically against the Reformation or to enforce the ordi-
nances. The kings were compelled to be patient and tolerant,
and so the magnates, nobles, cities and common people turned
over in crowds to the Protestant faith.

In the territory under Turkish dominion the individual was
allowed to follow his religious conviction. Even the Turks
were more favorable to the puritan Protestantism than to the

History of the Preformed Church of Hungary. 5

Roman Catholics, whom they were inclined to class as idolaters
on account of their attitude as to the pictures and saints.

It was of great importance to the quick expansion of the
Reformation that, especially after 1530, the Hungarian youth
— even older men too — turned in great numbers to the uni-
versity of Wittenberg, where by immediate contact with the
Reformers they received a new spirit and view of the world and
became in Hungary the bold preachers of the same. From
1552 till 1560 the number of Hungarian students who heard
the words of the Gospel at Wittenberg amounted to nearly
fifteen hundred. Armed with science and faith, aglow with
apostolic enthusiasm, with courage to endure as martyrs, these,
teaching in the national language, became the greatest of the
Hungarian reformers and conquered the hearts of the lower
and the upper classes for the Reformation.

§ 4. The First Patrons and Proclaimers of the Reformation.

The first patrons and proclaimers of the Reformation ap-
])eared after the battle of Mohacs, the period being favorable
for the Reformation. At first only indulgence and good will
were shown toward the purified faith. We know only of Mar-
grave Brandenburg as openly Lutheran. He organized an
evangelical church at Simand.

Thurzo, the state-treasurer, later supreme judge, in his
testament, laid a foundation for the Lutheran congregation of
Locse, as well as for the support of those young men going to
the University of Wittenberg. Perenyi, the powerful lord of
Sarospatak, directly asked the king not to disturb him as a
good Christian. Under his protection the Gospel was pro-
claimed by SiklSsi. At the same time the other enthusiastic
soldier of the Reformation, Kopdcsi, a Franciscan prior, came
upon the scene and reformed the dominion of Perenyi. This
lord established a school at Sarospatak (1531), of which the
first professor was Kopacsi. Gdlszecsi, reformer at Gyula,
wrote the first hymnal (1536), and edited a catechism at Cra-

6 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

cow (1538). His pupil was Patizi, whom Melanchthon recom-
mended to the protection of John Perenyi, lord-lieutenant of
Ugocsa. He was an excellent author of songs and books.
Ozorai, working in the county of Bekes, in his work on
" Christ and the Antichrist" (1535), was the first to throw
light in a literary way on the mind as to the essential differ-
ences existing between the Roman and the Protestant churches.

Beyond the Danube, Nddasdy, the palatine of the country,
was the most zealous and influential patron of the Reforma-
tion. He was the favorite counselor of King Ferdinand and
his delegate to the imperial Diet of Speier (1529). He
established a school at Ujsriget, for which Melanchthon
honored him with a laudatory letter.

To this school of Nadasdi was called Erdosi. This man of
evangelical spirit and great learning was the first to translate
the New Testament into Hungarian. His science was so well
reputed that he was appointed professor of the Hebrew langu-
age at the university of Vienna.

Eszehi, the founder of the school at Tolna, sowed the seeds
of the Reformation beyond the Danube. He was accused be-
fore the pasha of Buda, but, after having been well informed,
the pasha issued the famous order that the ministers be
allowed to preach the evangelical faith everywhere and to
everybody.

In the upper territory of Hungary, where the German
language was spoken, Lovcsdnyi, Quendel and Fischer spread
the Reformation. The reformers of Transylvania were
Heltai among the Hungarians and Honter among the Saxons.
The latter was called for his merits to be the Evangelist to
Transylvania.

In the country of King John, toward the end of his life, the
Reformation spread further and further. He was compelled
himself, when the pope did not support, but even excommuni-
cated him on account of his alliance with the Turks, and when
he was suspected with heresy, to take the longest step toward
the Reformation. The king himself provided a way of escape

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 7

for Szegedi, who was about to he dragged to the pile by Bishop
Prater, because at the first dispute held at Segesvar (1538),
he had asserted that the mass and the administration of the
communion in one kind are contrary to the Gospel.

§ 5. The Reformatory Career of Matthias Biro of Deva.

After the battle of Mohacs a favorable turn for the Protes-
tant cause was marked by the appearance of Biro, who was the
first Hungarian reformer with a general purpose. He was
bom at Deva and studied at Cracov/. On his return he be-
came monk. But the mechanical ceremonies did not answer
the world of his thought and feeling. Moved by the free
spirit, he took off his monastic gown and betook himself to the
University of Wittenberg in 1529. There he drank in the
words of Luther and Melanchthon, boasted of their confidence,
and imbibed the doctrines of the Reformation. Returning to
Hungary he devoted his life to the cause of the Reformation
and, like St. Paul, was willing to do and suffer everything for
the Gospel of Christ.

At first he labored at Buda and in its vicinity. He sum-
med up the evangelical doctrine in fifty-two articles, and
though these were read in manuscript only, they had great
influence in illuminating men's minds. His other pamphlet,
by which the Reformation was introduced, was on " The
Sleep of the Saints."

For his teaching King John captured the bold preacher and
put him in jail. But after having fortunately escaped, he
fled to Kassa, where the people welcomed him. Here too
persecution awaited him. The suffragan-bishop of Eger sent
his beadles by night and dragged him under escort to Vienna
in 1531. In vain the council of Kassa petitioned in his in-
terest. Bishop Faber, of Vienna, put him in fetters and set
him before an inquisitory court. Several times he was sum-
moned from prison and teased and terrified in order to lead
him from his conviction; but he scientifically defended his
standpoint and as a Hungarian citizen objected to the foreign

8 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

and partial judges. Once Faber let him depart to his prison
with these words : " I would bless thee if thou wert a Chris-
tian." Biro replied : " I do not want thy blessing : God blesses
me." Finally by the intercession of the people of Kassa, he
was released from the prison and went to the court of Lord
Mdasdy, in Sarvar (1533).

In this quiet refuge Biro composed his reply to Szegedy,
monk of Nagy\'^arad, who, commissioned by Bishop Faber, un-
dertook to refute the theses of Biro and prepared an apology
for the veneration of the saints. Biro printed his work at
Cracow in 1537. But previously, in order to cure a disease
of his eyes and stomach, with the aid of Kadasdy he went to
JyTiirnberg, where he spent the winter with a fellow-minister,
whose friendship he had formed at Wittenberg. By request
he wrote the story of his imprisonment at Vienna, and in order
to make it understood to foreigners he prepared in Latin his
reply to Szegedi. It was translated later into German. From
]!*Tiirnberg he visited Wittenberg a second time, and thence
took along a letter of Melanchthon addressed to ISTadasdy, in
which Melanchthon most warmly recommended him.

After his return to Hungary, because the bishop of Eger
intended to arrest him he fled abroad to Melanchthon. He,
wishing to help the persecuted Hungarian reformer, com-
mended him to Margrave Brandenburg, who lived at that time
near to Niirnberg. Not until 1543 could he return to
Hungary. He received ministerial office at Miskolcz but be-
fore the rage of the monks had to flee, and Dragfi took him
under his protection, beyond the Theis. Not long afterwards
(1545), Biro completed the course of life, which in his case
was full of adversities, but crowned with signal success. It is
not known with certainty where he died and where rest the
ashes of the great reformer.

§ 6. The Conditions from ISJfO till 1555.

In the territory of King Ferdinand the hierarchy arose
more strongly against the Reformation and demanded legal

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 9

measures. Several fanatic lords, growing bold, wreaked their
anger in horrible manner upon the proclaimers of the Gospel.
For instance, Lord-lieutenant Bebek pursued Fischer, the re-
former of Csetnek and having captured him cast him from the
precipitous promontory of a castle into the abyss.

But it was necessary to smite also the lords. First the
avenging rage turned toward Lord Perenyi. Accused of fed-
eration with the Turks, the king arrested and kept him in
prison until death. So the Eeformation was deprived of its
first pillar. The hierarchy, in order to check the protection of
the lords who patronized the Reformation, caused the king to
send orders to the captains that they should set themselves
against the proclaimers of the " heretic doctrines." Varadi,
archbishop of Esztergom, ordered the Protestant ministers to
be bound and dragged to Nagyszombat. When Charles V.
cut down the troops of the federation in Germany the people
turned yet more energetically against the purified doctrine.
The Diet of Pozsony in 1548 passed a law with the purpose of
bringing back the religion to the former state. It was ordered
by articles that " prelates might be elected from men adorned
with faith and knowledge, and who themselves should teach
the flock. They should commission deans, subdeans and other
persons whose duty was to teach the people; and to those, if
they were not sufficient, good preachers must be added." So
the attention of Ferdinand and of the country was turned by
the persecuted Protestantism to the cause of science and educa-
tion. In another order the states decided upon the eradication
of the heresy; according to the eleventh article the Anabap-
tists and Sacramentarians (so were called the followers of
Calvin) were to be driven away from the estates, and it was
not allowed to tolerate them within the limits of the country.

The Diet of 1550 repeated that the old religion was to be
restored and the heretics were to be persecuted. At the Diet
of Sopron in 1553 the Roman clergy would order that no
books be printed without their license, but jSTadasdi, the pala-
tine, prevented such a restriction of the liberty of the press.

10 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

Transylvania, the other district under Queen Isabella, pre-
sented a different picture. Her chief counselor, Bishop Mar-
tinuzzi, flew into a passion, when Heltai proclaimed the Gospel
among the Saxons, but their political aid being wanted, he did
not dare to disturb them any more. So the Saxons came to be
devoted to the Refonnation.

However, where political causes did not hinder, Martinuzzi
was aroused with full severity against the purified faith.
JToticing that in his diocese there were reforaiers, he issued
an edict at the Diet of Debreczen (1545), that the Eeformed
ministers must not be endured. The Diet commissioned him
and Petrovics to take them into custody. But it was impos-
sible to stop the Reformation by violent means. It got so
strong within a short time that the Diet of Torda in 1548 was
satisfied with an order that the ministers must not leave their
places.

§ 7, The Career of Sztdrai, the Reformer.

Michael Sztdrai was an educated monk who labored at
Sarospatak and later at Lasko. He translated the psalms into
Hungarian and with a sweet voice sang them before the people,
who not having heard them before, thronged in great numbers
to the singer. ^Vhile surrounded by a multitude he began to
explain in inflaming speeches that the mass, indulgence, cere-
monies, etc., were all human inventions and of no use. He
expounded the evangelical truths in a way so clear that his
hearers in large numbers left their priests and joined him.
His foes tried many times openly and secretly to get him out
of the way, but his loving followers protected " his smooth and
bald head."

In his triumphant reformatory tours he fought with the
Roman clergy for seven years; he penetrated to districts be-
yond the Drava and aroused so much enthusiasm that two
hundred congregations were organized within a short time.

After completing the tours he became pastor at Lasko. He
visited the congregations with the authority of a bishop, and

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 11

ordained ministers for the new churches. Sztarai not only as
a preacher, but also as a popular author propagated the j^rin-
ciples of the Eeformation. He wrote the life of Archbishop
Cranmer and of Bishop Athanasius. With his stage play,
" The Mirror of the True Priesthood " — consisting of three
acts — he broke a new literary way. He also had it performed.
He wrote another play on " The Marriages of the Priests."
Sztarai was one of the greatest and most generally influential
reformers in Hungary. His character was as impetuous and
aggressive as that of Luther, to whose doctrine on the Lord's
Supper he remained faithful until death. In other doctrines,
however, he did not exhibit absolute attachment to Luther.
Thus, especially through the influence of Kiss, the churches
organized by him became flourishing Reformed congregations.

§ 8. The Career of Stephen Kiss of Szeged, the Reformer.

In his character Kiss was like to the mild Melanchthon. He
was a professor, minister and literai-y author. This eminent
person of the Hungarian Reformation was born at Szeged in
1505. In mature years he acquired knowledge at the uni-
versities of Vienna and Cracow. He too was touched by the
breath of the free spirit and visited Wittenberg in his 37th
year, where he received the degree of doctor of theology
(1543).

After his return to Hungary Kiss began to labor at Csanad,
but the cruel lord of this town despoiled him of two hundred
books and drove him out of the city. So he set out for Gyula
and later to Czegled. As professor at the latter place he in-
troduced Melanchthon's theology into the school. Petrovics,
the chief captain of Temesvar, endeavored just at that time to
organize there a school of higher degree. With keen foresight
he invited Kiss to be a professor. In the town, as well as in the
vicinity, under the powerful protection of Petrovics and by the
zeal of Kiss, the cause of the Reformation received a great
impulse. But when tlie town went into the possession of King
Ferdinand, Kiss, together with the other ministers, was driven

12 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

awaj. He started a second time to move around. Tur re-
ceived him in its school as a professor. Then he went to
Bekes, but here he was despoiled of his money and books by
robbers among the German troops, and was compelled to flee.
Then he removed beyond the river Danube and became a pro-
fessor at Tolna, and later a minister at Lasko. From the
boundary limit Kiss went to Kalmancsa. But his enemies ac-
cused him before the pasha of going over to the territory of the
neighboring kingdom to preach. The pasha lodged him in
jail at Szolnok and scourged him. The whole vicinity was
affected by the undeserved fate of the reformer. A delegation
started in his interest to Buda in order to release him. But
they were able to gain no more than the concession that he was
allowed to work in his room bound in chains. A woman
traveling through Szolnok was affected in her soul when she
saw the learned reformer in this miserable position. She, on
her deathbed, in tears, wrung from her husband a promise
that he would release the reformer. The man made good his
word and Kiss was taken out of the prison.

But in order to avoid further trouble Kiss left Kalmancsa
and removed to Raczkeve, to his last ministerial station. In
this territory he governed nearly thirty-five congregations —
which bowed before his knowledge — with the authority of a
bishop and ordained ministers. He raised the school of this
town to success and fame. He called as his assistant Skaricza,
born in Raczkeve, and directed his education. He loved him
as his own child, and helped him to go abroad.

Kiss was the most learned among the Hungarian reform-
ers. He cultivated poetry also. His works were written in
Latin, were published after his death, and were read through-
out Europe. His work against the Unitarians, entitled " De
Trinitate " was edited by Beza at Geneva. This great suc-
cessor of Calvin called him a " champion worthy of eternal
memory." His best read work, " The Mirror of the Roman
Popes," was published by his son at the cost of the burghers of
Raczkeve. His largest theological book, " Loci Communes,"

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 13

saw daylight at Basle (1585). It reached five editions and
was translated into German. Skaricza, his successor, gath-
ered and edited his biography. He published also Kiss' pic-
ture, which he had drawn.

§ 9. The Organization of the Principality of Transylvania ;
the First Law Concerning Religious Liberty.

According to the jeering remarks of Archbishop Pdzmdny
the Hungarian Protestant Church was organized by two
Peters: Petrovics and Perenyi. Both were indeed powerful
pillars of the Reformation. Sad days came to the developing
Protestantism when Perenyi was imprisoned and Petrovics
was banished from the country. Transylvania especially suf-
fered very much from the conquering German troops. The
magistrates had to swear by calling on the names of the saints
and were obliged to persecute the followers of the reformed
faith.

Thus the persecuted Protestants cast a look toward Sigis-
mund John, the young son of King John, and urged the Turks
to restore his country. The Sultan replaced Perenyi in the
government of Temes. Perenyi waited for a favorable occa-
sion to start a movement in the interest of Sigismund John.
Indeed, at the Diet of Szaszsebes (1556), Sigismund was
elected prince of Transylvania. The diet declared against
the Roman king (Ferdinand). So the principality of Tran-
sylvania became independent and to Queen Isabella was in-
trusted the government till the full age of her son.

^Next year the Diet of Torda, urged by Perenyi, added
to the laws the noble decree that everybody might follow the
faith which seemed to him right, and that no party might
dare to show disrespect or violence while disputing with
another. This was the first law for religious liberty in Eu-
rope, which came into existence as the beautiful revelation of
the free Hungarian spirit. This law was the crowning ac-
complishment of Perenyi, the champion of liberty. He
passed away in the very same year.

14 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

II. The FoRMATioisr of the Reformatoby Movement.

§ 10. The Beforyimtion of the Cities of Behreczen
and Nagyvdrad.

Dehreczen was already in the sixteenth century the most
populous and imposing city of the Hungarian Lowland. It
governed itself and elected its priests and magistrates. King
John donated it to Valentine Torok, his favorite adherent.

After Torok had fallen into a Turkish prison, his wife,
Catherine Pempflinger, lived at Debreczen. Her good will
toward the Reformation is testified to by a contemporary his-
torian in calling her " the Lutheran lioness." Trusting in
her protection Valentine Kovdcs was the first to proclaim the
purified faith at Debreczen. But the Diet of Debreczen
(1545), moved by Bishop Martinuzzi, menaced the reformers
with arrest and Kovacs removed from the city.

The Reformation found its zealous patron in the son of
Valentine Torok. Under his protection the Reformation of
the city made rapid progress. Rev. Raddn and school prin-
cipal Dezsi, a man of poetical inclination, publicly joined the
Reformation in 1549. Radan prayed in this manner in
his hymn to the " True Judge " : " From the great idolatry
{i. e., the veneration of the pictures) deliver us, for thy
name's sake." The Franciscan monks who had a monastery
and school at Debreczen, on account of the unfavorable condi-
tions, left Debreczen and their school came into the possession
of the city. In the autumn of 1551 Sztarai also appeared at
Debreczen; he held a conference, and with the assuring letter
of the Turkish pasha of Buda called and invited young minis-
ters to the territory which had been under the Turkish do-
minion.

At the council of Beregszasz in 1552 held under the pro-
tection of Petrovics, appeared also Radan, the reformer of
Debreczen. At that time Lord Torok allowed the Protestants
to enter into the possession of the cathedral named after St.
xindrew (the principal church of to-day), where since that

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 15

time the Gospel has been proclaimed uninterruptedly. The
burghers from first to last accepted the corrected faith.

As the successor of the enthusiastic Radan, Kdlmdncsehi,
the favorite of Petrovics came to Debreczen. By him the
Reformation extended and developed in a definite Reformed
direction. Radan went to Beregszasz. But while preaching
there in the pulpit he was shot by a fanatical monk.

At Nagyvdrad the military bishop for a long time m.ade
impossible everything in the interest of the Reformation. He
drove out of the city Lippai, who had proclaimed here the
Gospel. But after the capture of the city by Varkocs, the
commander of Queen Isabella, the members of the chapter
emigrated to the territory of King Ferdinand. The state oc-
cupied the estates of the bishop and chapter, and the palace
of the bishop was remodeled to be the residence of the queen.

After the passing of the first law concerning religious liberty
the Protestant congregation was organized at once. The
monks removed from the city, the number of the Roman Catho-
lics decreased, and many of their priests were converted to the
Protestant faith. In the dominion of King John only eight
noble families remained faithful to the Roman Church.

Czegledi stood as first pastor at the head of the Protestant
Church of JSTagyvarad in 1557. By and by ISTagyvarad with
Debreczen became the metropolis of the Reformation of the
Lowland.

§ 11. The First Messengers of the Strict Reformed Doctrine.
Martin Santa Kdlmdncsehi.

The Institutio, the fundamental work of Calvin, in Hun-
gary, as everywhere else, produced a great effect upon the
mind. It caught Devai, too, and afterward he became the first
messenger of the Helvetic Reformation. For this reason he
parted from his chief protectors, Nadasdi and Perenyi, who
remained Lutherans. Devai was accused by Stoeckel before
Luther (1544), who answered that he was not the one from
whom Devai learned the doctrine on the Lord's Supper.

16 • Hhtory of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

On account of the death of Devai and the behavior of several
lords in protecting the Lutheran faith, the expansion of the
Reformed doctrine was rendered difficult. But it gradually
won men's souls. Fejertoi, court-secretary of King Ferdi-
nand, corresponding with Bullinger, wrote him in 1551 that in
spite of the oppression many of the Hungarians were verging
to the Helvetic view on the Lord's Supper.

At this juncture Kdlmdncsehi came upon the scene as the
pioneer of Calvinism. He had been a classmate of Devai at
Cracow. Some later hand, after his name in the register of
the university, noted the following : " He introduced the
first heresy of the Sacramentarians [it was the first sobriquet
of the Reformed] into Hungar}^" This very learned hu-
manist and canonist served as canon a i Gyulaf ehervar, but as a
judge, at the first disputation of Segesvar in 1538, spoke favor-
ably of the Reformation. Then he publicly joined Calvinism
and was president of the council held at Beregszasz (1552),
and was zealous for the administration of the Lord's Supper
from tables instead of altars. The council of Ovar in 1554
shows that many had become partisans of his view. Here
eighty-eight ministers were present; this council declared the
removal of pictures and altars to be the task of the magistracy.

Kalmancsehi was called from Beregszasz to Debreczen to fill
the place of Radan (1554). Here with his bold preaching he
gained the magistracy and took the altars, fonts and pictures
from the churches. This puritan innovation embarrassed the
protectors of the Reformation. Stoeckel inveighed severely
against Kalmancsehi and declared the adherents of the Re-
formed doctrine rebels against the country. In order to put a
stop to the extension of the Reformed faith, Lord Bathory con-
voked a new council at Erdod in 1555, where it was resolved in
form of decrees that the body and blood of Christ are really
present in the Lord's Supper ; the auricular confession is to be
continued ; and the proclaimers of the false doctrine should be
summoned before the court and lose their office.

In consequence of that decree the position of Kalmancsehi

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 17

in Debreczen became dangerous. Again he joined Petrovics,
his powerful protector, who at that time started to free Tran-
sylvania. So Kalmancsehi introduced the Keformed concep-
tion also at Kolozsvar in 1556, where it began to be called a
" Hungarian religion," in contrast with Lutheranism, which
was accepted generally by the Saxons of Transylvania.

The pioneers of the Lutherans of that age — as pastor David
and superintendent Hebler — entered the lists immediately
with tongue and pen against the doctrine of Kalmancsehi. In
one year the contrast grew so sharp between the two denomina-
tions, that moved by Petrovics, this hero of great influence, the
first national council was convolved at Kolozsvar in 1557 in
order to discuss and clear the contested questions. Kalman-
csehi could not be present because he was dangerously sick, and
the final decision was made without him. A confession, en-
titled " Consensus doctrinse," in which the doctrines of Luther
were adopted and declared to be right, was prepared by the
majority. And to seduce the Hungarians and Szeklers from
the Reformed faith David was the first who was elected super-
intendent over the Hungarians. This unfavorable turn for
Calvinism was furthered by the deaths of Petrovics and
Kalmancsehi.

The Roman Catholics as well as the Lutherans most severely
condemned the doctrines of Calvin. The provost of Arad in
his statement called the doctrine of the non-presence of the body
of Christ in the host as taught by Kalmancsehi a " horrid
monster." The Lutheran Hebler characteristically called his
pamphlet, written to refute Kalmancsehi, " Medicinal Herb
for Insanity."

§ 12. Foundation of the Reformed Church in the Territory of
Transylvania. — Melius.

The common agreement of the first national council held at
Kolozsvar in 1557 was sent to Melanchton for decision. Me-
lanchton in his letter approved of the conception of Luther.
Then the Diet of Gyulafehervar (1558) set itself openly
against the Reformed. By it the die was cast.

18 History of the Refonned Church of Hungary.

In this critical period, Peter Tuhdsz, — a man of strong char-
acter, great learning and matchless energy, — stood at the head
of Calvinism at Debreczen. His name first appears in the
register of the University of Wittenberg in 1556. Here he
changed his name into the Greek (Melius), and afterward
used both alternately. Debreczen called him to be its pastor
and won over a great many of the Hungarian learned class and
nobility for Calvinism, and even set David to thinking.

At the conference of Nargyvarad (1559) Melius, with
David and the pastor at that place, set down in writing the
first Reformed confession on the true meaning of the Lord's
Supper. According to this the faithful ones receive the Lord's
body and blood not with mouth but with heart ; i. e., spiritually.
David printed this writing in the same year, and it was ac-
cepted by the Szeklers of Transylvania at the council of
Vasarhely. Then Melius, with his fellow ministers Szegedi
and Czegledi, meeting several times, made ready the first Hun-
garian Reformed Confession in Latin (1561). Next year
Melius was elected bishop by the Transtibiscan Reformed
people.

The confession of Melius which is called the Confession
of Debreczen was accepted also by the Reformed elements in
the Valley of Eger. (Here is derived the name, confessio
agrivalensis.) The congregations along the river Theis ac-
cepted at the council of Tarczal (1562) the confession of
Beza in a shortened and modified form. After a year the
congregations of Transylvania acted likewise at the council
which occurred at Torda (1563). Thus came into existence
the Confession of Tarczal-Torda (Compendium doctrinse
christianse).

By the influence of Melius and David the magnates of
Transylvania joined the Reformed faith in great number, —
even the young king himself. This extension prompted the
Saxo-Lutherans, together with Superintendent Hebler, to lay
complaint against the church of Debreczen before four German
universities. Melius took up his pen and in two Latin replies
defended the Reformed doctrines.

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 19

In order to avoid the schism many conciliating councils were
held in Transylvania. The prince himself convoked the last
one, at Nagy-Enyed (1564). But, both parties failing to
yield, coexistence became impossible. The prince, after a
barren reconciliation, confirmed by law the liberty of the Re-
formed Church and appointed David to be minister to his
court and the first Reformed bishop of Transylvania. By it
the schism between the two Protestant Churches was made
final.

§ 13. The Organization of the Reformed Church in the Terri-
tory of the Hungarian Kingdom and in the Turkish
Dominion.

In the territory of the Upper Theis, Perenyi was the most
powerful protector of the Lutheran doctrine. But his severe
demeanor could not lead the Calvinists from their view.
The classmate of Melius, minister and dean of Goncz, con-
voked a council in 1566, which, agreeing with the council of
Tarczal, accepted the Confession of Beza and the Catechism of
Calvin and rejected the popish host, this " perverse bread."

After the death of Perenyi the vicinity of Sarospatak also
gained freedom from the oppression. Czegledi, the minister
and dean of Sarospatak convoked the council of Sarospatak in
1568, which adopted the Reformed system of faith.

The ministers of tlie two sister denominations were at last
together in the Transdanubian district The storm broke out
while Beythe was the superintendent under the influence of
the " Formula Concordise," made in rigid Lutheran spirit,
which caused in Hungary, as in Germany, discordance instead
of the purposed union.

In order to conciliate the followers of Luther and Calvin,
Lord Nddasdy convoked a conference at Csepreg (1591).
The dispute occurred especially between the rigid Lutheran
Skulteti and Beythe, the latter inclining toward Calvin.
When Beythe noticed that the others intended to judge him he
left the conference indignantly. Then the Lutheran Nadasdy

20 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

expressed his thanks to Skulteti, and after giving the victory
to the doctrines defended by Skulteti, ordered that the
" Formula Concordise " must be taught by the ministers in his
territory under penalty of losing their position. But the
schism did not become general.

The next year Pastor PatJmi of Papa published a small book
on the Lord's Supper and adopted in it the doctrine of Calvin,
upon which Beythe congratulated him. Skulteti, being ex-
cited by it, attacked Beythe passionately and refused to obey
him as his superintendent. But Beythe resigned his office,
and the Lutlierans organized themselves in 1598, taking the
" Formula Concordise " as the basis of their faith. Beythe re-
mained the superintendent of the Peformed element until
death (1612).

The "Formula Concordise " brought the sad consequence
that everybody who did not sign it was excluded from the
TT'iiiversity of Wittenberg. Later the Hungarian Reformed
youths went to the University of Heidelberg to increase their
knowledge.

In the Hungarian territory which had been under Turkish
dominion, the constructive minds of the Reformed Church
were Stephen Kiss and Skarica his pupil and successor. Su-
perintendent Veresmarti, agreeing with the latter, with his
participation held the council of Herczegszollos in 1576, where
about forty ministers were present.

§ 13. Disputes with the Unitarians.

The Hungarian Reformed Church had scarcely attained an
independent existence when a new peril menaced it. The anti-
trinitarian doctrine was infiltrated into Hungary, promulgated
especially by Blandrata, a physician to the court, a man of
Italian origin. He gained the wavering and unsettled David
and, acting with him, developed zeal in the interest of Uni-
tarianism.

But the Reformed also entered the lists with full force
asrainst the destructive movement. Professor Kdrolyi and

*6

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 21

Bishop Melius took up the great combat against David, "who
fought with transcending eloquence. At the council of Gyula-
fehervar (1566), where the prince also was present. Melius
won the victory. The prince conferred special honors upon
liim. But David continued fighting with tongue and pen.
Melius then convoked a council at Debreczen (1567), in which
ministers of seventeen Trans- and Cistibiscan classes were
present. Here the Second Helvetic Confession was adopted
and in contrast with the Unitarians they declared their views
with constant faith. The Short Confession of the Ministers
(Brevis confessio pastorum) was published in Latin and in
Hungarian.

The cohesion and organization of the Reformed manifested
at the council at Debreczen was needed so much the more be-
cause in the meantime the young prince also was won over to
Unitarianism. Joint debates were held at Gyulafehervar for
ten and at ivTagyvarad for six days and the young prince closed
the dispute with the declaration that in his country liberty
Avas to be prevalent in every respect. From that time the
Unitarians separated entirely from the Reformed and elected
David as their superintendent.

The ministers of the environs of Theis stood firm for the
doctrines of Calvin. Melius held another council at Csenger
in 1570 and invited also the pioneers of the Unitarians for a
decisive combat. But neither Blandrata nor David appeared.
The council prepared a confession which is a forcible expres-
sion of the doctrines of Calvin and at the same time a protesta-
tion against Unitarianism. The Confession of Csenger was
included also in the international collection of the Reformed
confessions.

The Unitarians got stronger and stronger. The Diet of
Marosvasarhely in 1571 declared the liberty of the Unitarian
religion. David did not stop with the Unitarian standpoint,
but went to the limit of Judaism, and for it died in jail. His
great rival, Bishop Melius died in 1572.
21

22 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

The Unitarians were fortunate in occupying space in the
Turkish territory as well as in the Transdanubian district.
But after a while their number decreased and they preserved
themselves only in Transylvania and this is true of them to this
time.

§ 14. Confessional Consolidation of the Hungarian Church.

Originally the Hungarian Protestant congregations — speak-
ing the Hungarian, German and Slovak languages — adopted
and followed the Confession of Augsburg, which was of great
authority. But in 1610 the " Formula Concordiae " was
adopted.

In spite of this extravagant Lutheran confession, on the one
hundredth anniversary of the Reformation the idea of uniting
the two denominations was discussed. The " Irenicum " of
Pareus was honored with a premium by Prince Bethlen and it
was translated into Hungarian by his pupil Samarjay in 1628.
But this ideal purpose was violently attacked by the Lutheran
Letenyei and thus the hope of union struck upon a reef.

The Reformed followed first the Variant Confession of
Augsburg. At tlie council of Debreczen (1567) the Second
Helvetic Confession, moved by Melius and his companions,
was adopted. The Reformed beyond the river Danube also
accepted it at the council of Komjath in 1623 and those along
the Danube in 1642. At last the national council at Szath-
marnemeti made it compulsory, and it became a common
symbol of the Hungarian Church.

The Catechism of Heidelberg was first adopted at the great
council of Debreczen (1567), which ordered that it be ex-
plained in the churches. The Reformed beyond the Danube
acted likewise. The national council occurred at Szatmar-
nemeti made it compulsory for three districts.

The first Hmigarian translation of the Catechism appeared
at Papa in 1577, tlie second one at Debreczen in 1604. In
1616 pastor Czene made a translation of the Second Helvetic
confession and it appeared at the cost of Lord-lieutenant
Rhedei; Princess Lordntfi edited the same in 1654.

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 23

III. The Reformation in a Struggle for Existence ;
ITS Victory.

§ 16, The Persecution of Protestantism in Hungary.

The aggressive campaign of the Roman prelates against the
Reformation began with Archbishop Oldh, who is called by
Roman Catholic authors the savior of the Hungarian Catholic
Church. At the council of Nagyszombat in 1560 he caused to
be instituted a Roman Catholic confession of faith. He set-
tled the Jesuits in Hungary (1561) and provided them with
the revenues of two provostships. He commissioned visitors
and gave them power to remove the Protestant pastors and
teachers who had not been ordained by a Roman Catholic
bishop. Many were summoned before the archbishop, and
others were set before an inquisitory court; for instance
Teacher Somogyi, who only after a long torture was released
from the prison.

Verancsics, the bishop of Eger and commander of the fort,
also set himself severely against the Protestants. He arrested
four ministers in his vicinity and released them only under
condition that they remove to a distance of one hundred miles
from the city. He called upon the Protestants of the garrison
to dismiss their past-ors, and when they failed to do so he ac-
cused them of being associated with the Turks. The royal
commissioners elicited the weakness of this charge. Huszdr,
the worthy and industrious reformer, also felt the persecuting
power of the prelates.

Bishops Draskovics and TeZegftZi manifested a great fervency
in defending the Roman Catholic faith. Telegdi pursued
especially Bornemisza, the reformer and superintendent of
Matyusfold. Telegdi was exceeded in oppressing Protestant-
ism by the powerful Draskovics, who as bishop and governor
of Croatia stifled the Reformation with iron hands. He not
only permanently settled the Jesuits, but secured the rich
provostship of Turocz for them. As the royal commissioner,
he ordered the common use of the Gregorian calendar and era.

24 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

The persecution reached its highest point at the time of
Archbishop For^ac/?^ who, being the apostate son of a Protestant
lord, with the bigotry of a convert waged war against the
Eeformation. On his advice King Rudolf appointed General
Barhiano the governor of Tipper Hungary. He occupied the
cathedral of Kassa, which had been for fifty years in the pos-
session of the Protestants, with a military force, and sur-
rendered it to the chapter of Eger. He drove the Protestant
ministers from the city and forbade the Protestant worship.
Those who set themselves against his order he imprisoned or
laid under a contribution, and occupied the estates in the pro-
testing city. In vain the delegates of Kassa applied to the
king; they were not given an audience. Inquisition was or-
dered under the leadership of the violent Szuhay, bishop of
Eger.

A similar policy was pursued by Provost Pethe. On the
ground of a commission received from the king he drove the
Protestant ministers out of the thirteen towns of the Zips. He
occupied the Protestant churches and suriendered them to the
Roman priests. Throughout the territory of the kingdom the
persecution against liberty of conscience was everywhere the
order of the day.

§ 17. The Persecution of Protestantism in Transylvania.

In Transylvania under the reigii of the Roman Catholic
Bdthoris there was a stronger reaction against the Reforma-
tion. The diet of 1579 consented to the settlement of the
Jesuits, and in 1581 they opened a high school at Kolozsvdr.

The Jesuits, getting strong in Hungary also, secretly laid
the scheme of uniting Transylvania with Hungary under the
Hapsburgs and of restoring the golden age of the Roman
Church on the ruins of Protestantism. This plan, which
menaced the independence of Transylvania, came to light, and
the Jesuits had to leave Transylvania. But soon they re-
turned, dressed in the disguise of canons, and were successful
in persuading Prince Sigismund to make alliance with King

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 25

Rudolph against the Turks. This step, too, was directed
against the independence of Transylvania. The prince stifled
the Protestant lords with slaughter. The lords, excited by the
bloodshed, complied with the desire of the prince and set aside
the former decrees against the Jesuits (1595). In the same
year Sigismund surrendered Transylvania to King Rudolph
and removed to the principality of Oppeln, which he received
in exchange for Transylvania.

The harshest period ensued for Transylvania and for the
Protestants. King Rudolph sent General Bdsta into Transyl-
vania as a plenipotentiary, and he, surrounded by the Jesuits,
and following their suggestions, became the hero of the period
which has been called after his name. Even the fanatical
king himself supported him in annihilating the Protestants.
" We do not desire anything more zealously," he wrote in his
letter to Basta, " than to extinguish the godless heresy from
the country and to strengthen the orthodox Catholic faith."
The Jesuits waited for the serenity of a golden age ; the Protes-
tants were secretly sighing for a saviour.

§ 18. Tlie First War for Religious Liberty. — BocsTcay.

Final destruction menaced the liberties of Hungary and
Transylvania. The foreign and mercenary troops of Basta
and Barbiano, by their spoliation, brought the people to beg-
gary. These troops even desecrated the resting places of the
dead.

The exasperation was increased in 1604 by the Diet of
Pozsony, which not only failed to alleviate the injuries of the
Evangelical lords, but inflicted new ones. "When twenty-one
articles were sent to the king for confirmation, he, in violation
of the plain provisions of the constitution, added the twenty-
second article. In his infamous article he declared that he
hoped to recognize a flourishing Roman Catholic faith as the
dominant religion also in Hungary, which was flooded by
heresies. Therefore he renewed the laws ordered by all his
predecessors against the Protestants. At the diet he marked

26 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

those who were disputing in religious matters as disquieting
and disturbing elements. With this article the insult to the
constitution reached its culminating point.

At this critical time arose the defender of religious and
political liberties in the person of Stephen Bocskay. He was
the captain and lord lieutenant of Bihar and was called upon
to stand at the head of a movement inaugurated by Hungarians
who had fled into the territory under Turkish dominion.
Bocskay accepted the call and within a short time conquered
the whole of Upper Hungary. He summoned a diet at
Szerencs (1605), where the religious liberties both of the
Eoman Catholics and Protestants were declared and with
enthusiasm Rocskay was elected prince of Hungary and Tran-
sylvania. The pasha of Buda, commissioned by the Sultan,
offered him a crown and a political alliance. But he refused.

Grand Duke Matthias, brother of King Rudolph, perceiving
that the interests of the dynasty were in peril, entered into
negotiation through his delegates with Bocskay. After a long
discussion the representatives of the parties came to an agree-
ment in Vienna. The terms of the treaty were signed on
June 23, 1606. It was the important Peace of Vienna, the
fundamental scource of the liberty of the Hungarian Prot-
estant Church. King Rudolph signed it unwillingly, and
only at the request of Matthias; but the king pieced out the
first article, concerning religion, with a clause according to
which " the estates are allowed to have religious liberty in
the royal and market towns, but without violence to the Roman
Catholic religion." The original point of agreement being
deprived of its essence by this clause, Bocskay sent it back
without his signature. Then Matthias declared that the
clause was not added because of unfriendly intention, and
pointed out that it would be the duty of the next diet to resolve
the difficulties.

In the same year Prince Bocskay convoked the diet at
Kassa. At that time he was already sick unto death, but per-
sonally opened the diet. In his address he said : " The liberty

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 27

of our faith, conscience and old laws is to be estimated higher
than gold." The estates accepted the terms of the agreement
with the following important reservations: (1) The liberty
of religion was to be extended to the villages also; (2) the
clause "without violence to; etc.," was to be set aside; (3)
the Jesuits were not allowed to live in the country, nor to have
estates.

The prince, together with the estates, signed these decrees
on December 22, 1606, and he died seven days later. He
was poisoned by his secretary, whom the excited multitude
massacred at the market of Kassa.

Bocskay was great in defeat as well as in success. The
former did not shake him ; the latter failed to carry him away.
He was an excellent soldier, a wise diplomat and humble
Christian. The achieving and securing of the religious
liberties of the Hungarian Protestant Church are connected
with his name.

After the death of Bocskay the king and those who were
about him used every effort to prevent the legitimation of the
agreement. The king appointed Forgdch, the most stubborn
enemy of Protestantism, to be archbishop of Esztergom, and
the pope hurried to excite him to greater action with the hat
of the cardinalate. " Better that Hungary perish than to
have religious liberty," he used to say. At that time Grand
Duke Matthias arose against his brother and compelled him to
resign. The Diet of Pozsony (1608) enacted into law the
first article of the peace of Vienna, and Matthias, who was
elected king of Hungary, assented to the important appendix
that the Protestants should be excepted from the supremacy
of the Roman Catholic bishops and be placed under their own
superintendents. In this article is the root of the Protestant
autonomy.

§ 19. The Strengthening of the Roman Catholic Party.

The prelates protested against inscribing into the laws the
Peace of Vienna, but Pope Paul V. went yet further in de-

28 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

daring bj a brevet that the prelates were not oblig-ed to hold
to the law of 1608.

After the death of Forgacs, the Jesuit Pdzmdny was ap-
pointed archbishop of Esztergom (1616). He was a son of
Reformed parents and had been converted to the Roman faith
in his thirteenth year. He was a pupil of Bellarmin and con-
sented with Khlesl, bishop of Vienna, in uttering the dictum
that " the divine power allows only one religion ; Christ can-
not have concord with Belial." Pazmany was a man of great
genius and of distinguished education. He began with zeal
the fanatical work of the Counter-Reformation. He issued
orders to occupy the Protestant churches. " Better that the
community perish, that the peasants leave it, than to let the
Protestants have the churches," Pazmany used to say fre-
quently. Directed by this principle, at the diet held in 1619
the Roman party succeeded in suppressing from the assuring
letter of the king the clause that religious liberty was allowed,
together with the use of the church buildings. According to
the dangerous explanation of Pazmany, the religious liberty
could not touch the right of the lords; therefore the Roman
Catholic lords were entitled to drive out the preachers of the
Gospel from the churches of the community and to put Roman
priests into them. This theory became a new curse of the
country.

The threat being dangerous the estates urged in vain to ex-
pel the Jesuits, who, however, remained, and their school at
Nagyszombat was frequented by five hundred pupils, among
them many Protestants. They lured and rewarded apostate
Protestants with honorable positions, estates and dignities. As
an author Pazmany reached a matchless effect with his polemic
work, entitled, " The Guide to Truth."

In the face of numerous and forcible conversions the Prot-
estants became desperate. During the thirty years' war
Ferdinand II. was crowned king of Hungary by Pazmany.
The young king had been a pupil of the Jesuits, and, imbued
with the greatest fanaticism, in his youth he made a pilgrimage

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 29

to Loretto, to Mary's miracle-performing picture. Here lie
made a vow confirmed with oath that he would extinguish
heresy from his country even with the peril of his own life.
This vow he reaffirmed at Rome before the pope. He averred
many times that he would be willing to end his life with the
sword if he could abolish the heresy with his own life and if
he could cause every subject to return into the Roman Catholic
fold. From his hereditary provinces in Austria he banished
the Protestants.

But he failed to manage Hungary so easily. In the begin-
ning of his reign he convoked a diet in 1619, where he called
on the states to take up arms for the suppression of the Bo-
hemian revolution, which in spite of him gained strength.
But the Protestants insisted upon the restoration of their
churches. The palatine, on account of the hard times, for-
bade discussion of religious injuries, and Pazmany expressed
himself as follows : " It were better that the country be given
up to wolves and foxes than to heretics." The space between
the two parties was not to be crossed over. The questions
could be settled only by resort to arms and after the spilling
of much blood.

§ 20. The Second War for Religious Liherty — Bethlen.

The oppressed Protestants applied to Gabriel Bethlen,
prince of Transylvania, who hurried with a deep religious
conviction and patriotic fervor to defend the religious and na-
tional liberties of the Hungarians. The Protestants of Upper
Hungary, nearly all the people, enthusiastically joined the
great movement whose motto was " the honor of God and the
liberty of the nation." The troops of Bethlen went quickly
forward. The town of Pozsony and the palatine did homage
to him, and the crown of the country went into his possession.
The diet convened in 1620 ordered religious liberty. Further,
it was added that the principal church should be in the pos-
sesion of that denomination to which the majority of the com-
munity belonged, and that defenders of religion should be
elected. The Jesuits were banished from the country.

30 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

In the meantime the war went on. The king, being in
straitened circumstances, at last entered into negotiation with
Bethlen. But agreement was impossible because Bethlen
wanted to include in the peace his Bohemian and Moravian
allies and the delegates of the king protested and went away.

The break being complete, Bethlen was elected king of Hun-
gary. He accepted the crown, but, knowing the instability of
fortune, with foresight he postponed the coronation. How-
ever, he confirmed the laws. A favorable turn now set in
for the Roman party. The Bohemians were defeated by the
troops of King Ferdinand II. at the siege of Weissenberg
(1621). Thus peace was concluded between Bethlen and
Ferdinand II., at Nikolshurg on December 31, 1621. The
terms of the peace of Vienna were confirmed. The country
did not gain new rights, but the old ones were maintained in
their integrity by Bethlen, who was acknowledged by Ferdi-
nand II. as " prince of the Holy Roman Empire." Later he
was compelled twice to take up arms to defend the constitution
and Protestantism.

Bethlen was great as a commander, — he was victorious
forty-four times, — righteous as a prince, and tolerant and
magnanimous as a man. He was tenacious of his Reformed
religion, — he read through the Bible twenty-six times, — but
did not persecute those following other creeds. In his country
the Roman Catholics, the Lutherans, the Unitarians, the
Anabaptists and the Jews enjoyed undisturbed religious
liberty. He respected the missionary and literary zeal of
the Jesuits also. He helped ten schools, founded a Reformed
college at Gyulafehervdr and called in scholars of great fame
from abroad.

Bethlen died in his forty-ninth year (1629). He endured
a long sickness with wonderful resignation and with an un-
movable trust in God. In his last hour, when he could not
talk, he noted down these biblical words : " If God be for us,
who can be against us ? Nobody ; certainly nobody."

History of the Refotined Church of Hungary. 31

§ 21. The Third War for Religious Liberty — RdJcoczi I.

After the death of Bethlen, Archbishop Pdznidny and
Palatine Eszterhazy continued the Counter-Reformation more
ardently than ever. Many lords, following their example,
renewed the persecution of the Protestants. The new king,
Ferdinand III., followed in the old steps. After the death of
Pazmany (1637) he appointed Losi to be archbishop. Losi
in turn donated estates to the Jesuits. He even surrendered
them the Protestant church of Nagyszombat.

Under such circumstances began the Diet of Pozsony in
1637. The Protestants desired relief, but the palatine flatly
declared that he could not give back the churches at all, and
the peasants were compelled to follow the religion of their
lord. Then the Protestant estates appealed to the king. The
royal reply declared this proceeding of the Protestants to be
unusual and illegal. Finally the royal document refused to
take cognizance of the religious injuries.

The discontented Hungarians hoped again for assistance
from Transylvania to improve their position. Here George
Rdkoczi I. sat on the throne of the princes. He was a worthy
successor of Bethlen, whom he held as his example. He was
a wise, energetic governor, a Reformed prince of matchless
zeal and of rare piety. His motto was : " N'on est currentis,
neque volentis, sed miserentis Dei" (Rom. 9: 16). As
Bethlen had done, he went with preachers and Bibles every-
where. He was the shelter and bulwark of his church.

After he had captured Upper Hungary and his troops,
united with those of Foi'stenson, the glorious Swedish com-
mander, had menaced the hereditary provinces in Austria, the
terrified Ferdinand III. showed himself inclined to conclude
a peace. Thus came into existence the Peace of Linz in 1645.

According to this peace, (1) everybody was to follow his
religious conviction freely and without impediment, and was
to have the use of the church buildings, bells and cemeteries ;
(2) religious liberty was to be extended also to the peasants,
whom the lords were not allowed to compel to observe other cere-

32 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

monies; (3) the Protestant ministers were not to be banished;
(4) the taking of the churches was to be stopped; (5) the
transgressors of the laws concerning religion were to be
punished. It was made the duty of the next diet to settle the
other questions and enact laws concerning religion. All this
happened at the Diet of Pozsonj in 1646. WTien the arch-
bishop protested against the articles, the king confirmed them
with a clause as follows : " The objection of the Roman clergy
and Roman Catholic laical persons will not be taken into con-
sideration, but will be invalid."

George Rakoezi I. died several days previous to the peace
of Westphalia. Hungarian Protestantism reached the cul-
mination of its political power during the reigns of Bethlen
and Rakoezi.

IV. Church Government.

§ 22. The Origin of the Ecclesiastical Districts.

The Reformed Church of Hungary at the present time is
divided into five ecclesiastical districts, each being headed by a
bishop (sometimes called superintendent). The history of the
origin of the districts may be stated briefly as follows :

1. Transtihiscan Distnct. — A beginning was made in 1554
by the council of Ovdr. Originally it included both Luther-
ans and Reformed. The strict Reformed district was or-
ganized in 1562 and Melius was its first bishop.

2. Transylvania District. — The first district in Transyl-
vania was organized in 1553. It was Lutheran and Saxon.
The first bishop of the Hungarian Lutherans was David in
1556. But after he was converted to Calvinism he resigned.
He became the first bishop of the separated Refonned district
in 1564. When he again changed his religion (1567) the Re-
formed remained for a while without a bishop, but from 1577
the Transylvania district became permanent, with which the
Hungarian Lutherans also were afterward identified.

3. Cistihiscan District. — Originally the congregations in
this territory did not elect a bishop, but organized into four

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 33

deaneries (classes) governed by deans, and the organization
was called " unio inter quattuor dioceses." In 1648 a per-
manent president was elected. But the united classes held
back from the episcopal government as late as 1735, when
Szentgybrgyi was the first bishop.

4. Cisdanubian District. — In this territory two superin-
tendencies existed formerly. About 1570 they were united
and Veresmarti was elected bishop.

5. Transdanuhian District. — This was formed from two
bishoprics: (1) The bishopric of Raba. Its first superin-
tendents governed the Lutherans and Eeformed. In 1612
Pathai was elected bishop of the separated Eeformed district
He was the first who organized consistories according to the
example of the churches of the Pfalz; (2) the bishopric of
Mdtyusfold. Here, too, the Lutherans and Reformed were
together. The Reformed district was organized in 1616, while
Czene was the bishop.

§ 23. The Preshyterial Movement.

In the beginning only the congregations of Upper Hungary
were attached to the polity of the Genevan Church. The
others were under episcopal reign.

The news of the fight in England against Episcopacy
reached Hungary and Szilvdsujfalvi, professor, later pastor
and dean of Nagyvdrad first arose against the polity of the
bishops (1608). He asserted that there was no need of
bishops; that the episcopal office led to hierarchy. On ac-
count of his views he was declared " a disturber and inno-
vator." The council of Nagyvdrad removed him from office
and on request of Bishop Hoddszi a jury consisting of eccle-
siastical and laical persons sentenced him to jail. He suffered
in prison till Prince Bethlen mitigated his sentence to exile.

But not long after, the preshyterial movement was aroused
again with full force. Its head was Tolnai. He went to
study at Franekera and here was the pupil of Amesius.
Thence, together with ten Hungarian students, he went over

34 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

to England, where the Scotch Presbyterians under the leader-
ship of Cromwell fought against the Roman Catholics and
Protestant Episcopalians. Tolnai and his companions formed
a union at London (1638), with the purpose of realizing the
presbyterial form of government in Hungary.

In the meantime under the influence of the foreign move-
ments, it was decided by the councils in Hungary that the
youth returning from abroad must talce an oath that they
would not introduce innovations in ceremonies, confessions and
government without the consent of a general council (1638).

After six years of study Tolnai returned from abroad and
held back from taking the oath. As professor and dean he
drew to himself a great party. At the council of Tokaj
(1646) he was accused and appealed his case to Prince Rakoczi
I., who convoked a national council at Szatmdmemeti on June
10, 1646, of which the president was Bishop Geleji of Transyl-
vania. Here Tolnai was found guilty and was removed from
office, together with his eight fellow ministers. Then thirty
decreees were passed in order to defend the authority and
rights of the episcopal polity. Further, Geleji was commis-
sioned to draw up ecclesiastical laws for the strengthening of
the church government. So came into existence the one hun-
dred canons of Geleji, which were inspired by the principles
of moderate episcopal government. Geleji acknowledged the
right of the presbyteries, but he did not hold that their organi-
zation would be apposite to the times. The prince and those
who were around him did not sympathize with Presbyterian-
ism, because the revolution of Cromwell beheaded King
Charles I. and abolished the kingship. The constitution of
the estates was also unfavorable to the democratic principles.
Presbyterianism was known in Hungary as the " English
spleen."

After the death of Tolnai, Medgyesi, minister of Sdrospaiak,
took up the flag of Presbyterianism. He edited a work on
'•' Elders governing the Church " (1650), defended the pres-
byterial government in contrast with the episcopal form, and

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 35

suggested the idea of double presidency (clerical and laical) to
counterbalance the hierarchy. But the councils removed two
pastors who had taken the side of Medgyesi, and by the civil
magistracy put them in jail (1655). The ministers recanted
and were set at liberty.

Thus Presbyterianism was practically suppressed in Hun-
gary. After the death of Prince George Rdhoczi II. under
the weight of the blows which fell upon the country and Protes-
tantism, the Eeformed Church had to struggle for its existence.
The internal controversies were dropped, that all might take
up the war against the common enemy. Thus the government
of the bishops was fortified.

II.

V. Schools.

§ 24. Foundation of the Reformed Colleges.

1. The College of Sdrospatah. — Its first foundation was
laid by Lord Perenyi in the sixteenth century. Later
Susannah Lordntfy and her husband, Prince George BdJcoczy
I., became its patrons and had raised it to the height of its
prosperity. After the death of Lorantfy (1660) the col-
lege was confiscated by the Roman Catholic Sofie Bdthory.
She drove out the professors and students, who took refuge
in the college of Debreczen and later in Transylvania. So
the celebrated Rakoczy-college during her time remained
quiescent.

2. The College of Pdpa. — It was established by the aid of
the city by Lord Tor ok in 1531. In 1660 the soldiers of the
Roman Catholic Count Eszterhdzi captured it, and it re-
mained in their possession for a long time.

3. The College of Debreczen. — This college was founded
by the son of a lord named Peter in 1312 and was under the
care of the Franciscan monks. Under the Tbroks it became
Protestant. Helped by the funds of many princes and spared

36

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 37

from external disturbances, it grew continually. In 1660
the college of Nagyvdrad was annexed to it.

4. The College of Gyulafehervdr-Nagyenyed. — In the
cloister of Gyvlafehervdr, left by the monks, Prince SigisvMwd
John organized a Protestant school in 1560. In 1622 Bethlen,
the great Reformed prince, raised it to a flourishing state. He
called in from abroad professors whose fame had spread over
Europe — such as Opitz, Kopisch, Alsted, Piscator, Bisterfeld,
Crispinus, Basir. In his will he remembered the school with
rich donations, by which the success of the college was secured
forever. In 1658 the school was burned by the Turks, and
by the ordinance of Prince A'pafi the college was transferred
to Nagyenyed, the center of his estates. Since 1662 the
Bethlen-college has continued here its glorious career,

VI. LiTBEATUEE.

§ 25. Printing Houses.

The first printing was done by the reformers. The min-
isters, lords and cities rivaled each other in establishing
printers. There were twenty-five establishments in Hungary
in the sixteenth century. By the help of printing the Protest-
ant authors created such a literature that even the history of
secular literature calls the sixteenth century a " Protestant
period."

§ 26. Bible Translations.

It was a merit of the Reformation that the Bible was made
a common book of the people. Of the reformers Erdosi was
the first who edited the New Testament in 1541. Heltai with
his three comrades intended to translate the whole Bible in
five volumes, but could edit only four volumes; the fifth did
not appear. Bishop Melius translated the New Testament
(1567) and some parts of the Old Testament.

The first complete Hungarian translation was published
through the efforts of Dean Edrolyi in 1590, with the aid of
Lords S. Bdthori and S. Rdkoczy. The tomb of Karolyi,

38 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

which was in the church, where he served, was disturbed by
the Jesuits in 1695.*

Albrecht Molndr, who was errand boy for Karolyi and the
printers, was predestined to continue the work of Karolyi.
By the aid of Maurice of Hesse, in 1608, he printed the Bible
in a smaller and more convenient form. It was accepted
with great joy, and after four years had to be reprinted in
Oppenheim, where Molnar lived at that time. He edited in
addition to the Bible the psalms, the Catechism of Heidelberg
and a few prayers.

In 1638 Prince Eakoczy I. called upon the experts to revise
the translation of Karolyi, and the reprinting of the same in
ten thousand copies was planned. The plan was carried out
by the aid of the prince, lords and congregations. After the
fall of the Rakoczy-dynasty the Bible was printed abroad.
Before 1660 the whole Bible was published eight times, and
the New Testament seven times in Hungary.

§ 27. Hymnals.

The first hymns were translations of the Latin songs, to-
gether with original pieces written by reformers and lords,
and some even by Prince Bethlen. The first hymnal was
edited by Reformer Gdlszecsi in 1538. The second was
printed by Reformer Hv^zdr in 1560.

They were superseded by the collection of Reformer Szegedi.
By 1590 it reached seven editions. Bishop Kovdcs of De-
breczen edited another collection in 1590, which in one hun-
dred and ten years reached thirty editions.

The most memorable hymnal was composed by A. Molnar.
Using the German translation of Lobwasser, he translated the
psalms with such a spirit and religious feeling that it is yet
the most precious spiritual bread of the Hungarian Reformed
people. With the aid of Frederick Y., elector of Pfalz, and

• At the third centennial commemoration of the printing of Kfirolyi'a
Bible the Hungarian Protestants, with great ceremony, unveiled a monu-
ment to his memory at Groncz, the place of his ministry.

18

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 39

Maurice, elector of Hesse, he edited it in Hernborn in 1607.
Maurice, being fascinated with the Hungarian language, Mol-
nar wrote for him a Hungarian grammar in 1610. Molnar
also translated into Hungarian the Institutes of Calvin. His
psalms reached by 1708 thirty-five editions.

The most illuminated and the largest hymnal, the " Old
Gradual," was edited by Prince Rakoczy in 1636. It was the
composition of Bishops Dayha and Geleji.

The splendid period of the Hungarian Reformed Church
was closed by the Bible printed in 1660 and by the " Old
Gradual." Not long afterward the victims of the mourning
decade sang in tears the psalms of Molnar.

§ 28. Historical, Dogmatic and Polemic Literature.

Church History, which needs a quiet investigation, found
only a few patrons in the feverish period of the Reformation.
Rev. Skaricza in 1585 vTrote the life of the Reformer Szegedi
under the title of " Vita Stephani Szegedini." Professor
Szildgyi related the history of the council of Szatmarnemeti
and the Tolnai-dispute on the form of Church government.
His " Series et Dispositio " did not appear in printed form.

The first dogmatic work was written by Reformer Biro
of Deva on " A Short Explanation of the Ten Commandments,
the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Seals of the Creed "
(1538). Its facsimile was edited by the Hungarian Academy
of Science in 1897.

Bishop Melius enriched the dogmatic literature with four-
teen works. His principal book is " The Foundation of the
Christian Doctrine " modelled after the work of Calvin.

Felegyhdzi also composed a dogmatic work : " Teaching of
the True Christian Religion." Bishop Gelei's principal work
is " The Secret of Sectrets," against the Unitarians. We find
also many catechisms written for children.

The leading author of polemic literature against the Roman
Catholics was Rev. Alvinczi of Kassa. His principal work
" Itinerarium Catholicum " could not be refuted by Arch-
bishop Pazmany.

40 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

PART SECOND.

I. The Relation Between State and Church.

§ 29. The Causes Which Led to the Extinction of the
Reformation in Hungary.

Till the middle of the seventeenth century Hungarian
Protestantism was a political power, saving the liberty of the
country, and it was thought that, under the shelter of treaties
and constitutional laws gained at a cost of much blood, a
period of peace and prosperity would set in. But the very
contrary happened. Protestantism became the victim of a
most horrible despotism, and it is a wonder that the country
also did not perish with it.

One of the causes which were instrumental in making the
period unfavorable for Protestantism was that the principality
of Transylvania, which was the confederate and principal
guard of Protestantism, lost its decisive power. Greorge
Rakoczy II. died in 1660 and his wife, converted to Roman-
ism, became a foe of the Protestants.

The other cause can be found in Leopold's accession to the
throne. Till his seventeenth year he had been educated by
the Jesuits to be a priest, and acknowledged the right of exist-
ence to Roman Catholicism only. So the clergy, which took
courage, and the Jesuits, who held the whole of Europe as in
an iron net, and the lords, who were directed by them, caused
the Reformation to plunge into mourning.

When the diet of Pozsony in 1662 was summoned the
Protestants, taking the opportunity, published their com-
plaints to the country. King Leopold answered that on ac-
count of political cases, the private cases (i. e., the religious
injuries) were to be omitted. When their sixth petition was
also refused they left the diet in a body. Thus the dove of
peace flew away.

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 41

§ 30. The Culminating Point in the Persecution. The
Mourning Decade.

The government trampled the laws under foot and caused
the darkest period, called the mourning decade. In order to
extinguish Protestantism a court (delegatum indicium extra-
ordinarium) was organized at Pozsony. It was opened in
1671 and continued for years to persecute the ministers. The
clergy and royal captains acted against the churches and
people. Provost Bdrsony took four thousand and Archbishop
Szelepcsenyi seven thousand souls into the Roman Church;
at the end of the decade they said openly : " There is no
Calvinistic magnate left in Hungary."

In its first session the court sentenced the members of the
Wesselenyirconspiracy, which was started by Roman Catholic
lords. The Jesuits thought that the time had come when the
Protestant ministers and teachers could be extinguished by
declaring their participation in the conspiracy. The minis-
ters of Pozsony and thirty-nine citizens were summoned and
sentenced to death on May 16, 1672. The ministers were
exiled and the citizens were released only at the intervention
of the Saxon elector.

The second citation took place on September 25, 1673, and
was greater in extent. Thirty-five ministers were called be-
fore the court and accused of inciting the people against the
king and of speaking of Roman Catholics as idolaters. Three
conditions were given for avoiding death: 1, exile from
Hungary; 2, resignation from the ministry; 3, abandonment
of their faith.

At the command of the king for the third time seven hun-
dred ministers were taken before the court, on March 5, 1674.
The sentence of death was promulgated on April 4th. Those
who wished to save their lives were compelled to sign one of
the three conditions.

42 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

§ 31. The Galley-slavery ; the Sympathy of Intelligent

Europe.

Ninety-four among those ministers and teachers who ap-
peared before the court of Pozsony in 1674 refused to sign
any reversal. They were imprisoned in six forts. Their
greatest tormentors were Bishop Kollonich and Jesuit Kellio.
Bound in heavy chains, and guarded by unsparing satellites,
they were not allowed to undress. Dry bread was their food
and rotten straw their bed. In consequence of the trials
and torments, lasting for eight months, three died in jail,
three escaped, and twenty-one went astray — leaving sixty-two
who remained true to their conscience.

They were sentenced to imprisonment for life. After an
imprisonment of one year forty-two were sent on the " sor-
rowful way " to ISTaples. Only thirty prisoners arrived there
and each of these was sold at a price of fifty gold pieces and
chained together two by two, they were placed in galleys for
the hardest servile work. Six of them died during the time
of their slavery.

For the wretched slaves the hearts of Christians in foreign
lands were touched with sympathy. Eight merchants of
Naples did not spare anything in order to mitigate their condi-
tion and to release them. Hamel, the delegate of the Holland
and Belgic states, addressed to King Leopold a petition
proving the innocency of the ministers. The elector of Saxony
and the English and Swedish kings through their delegates
favored the petition. The interference of Holland, which was
the confederate of Leopold against the French, was at last
successful. Ruyter, the admiral of the Dutch navy, released
them on February 11, 1676. Next day the confessors, sing-
ing psalms, went over from the penal vessels to the rescuing
boat of Ruyter, who received them very affectionately with
the following declaration: " Of all my victories not one has
caused me so much joy as the deliverance of Christ's innocent
ministers from this intolerable yoke." At that time twenty-
six survived.

History of the Reformed Chmrch of Hungary. 43

The prisoners of the second delivery, numbering twenty,
were tormented with neck chains in the dark and narrow
prisons of Buccari. At the time of the deliverance their
number had decreased to six. In the interest of these a physi-
cian named Zaffi and the German minister of Venice wrote
letters and collected money for them. At last, through the
interference of Holland, they were released by King Leopold.
After their discharge one of them died, so, together with the
prisoners of ISTaples, thirty-one confessors arrived in Switzer-
land, the mountainous home of the Reformation.

Switzerland was the first to give a home to the homeless
ones. Professor Heidegger of Zurich and Professor Turretin
of Geneva started the crowning work of sympathy. The con-
fessors' condition was mentioned in the public prayers of the
Church, and the cities and congregations hurried in collecting
money for them. Their journey in that free country was
like a triumph ; at their arrival in the valley of Engadin the
Reformed population went before them in crowds and every-
body felt happy if he could touch their dress or could give
them anything.

On May 20, 1676, they arrived in Zurich. Here for
nearly one and one half years they enjoyed Christian hospi-
tality. Principal Hospinian employed artists to paint the
portraits of he Revs. Sellyei and Harsdnyi, and these are at
present in the library of Zurich. At the request of Professor
Hettinger Confessor Kocsi Csergo wi'ote in twelve chapters the
" N^arratio Brevis " of their slavery.

Not only Zurich, but the whole of Switzerland manifested
the warmest sympathy toward the Magyar confessors and col-
lected for them over twelve thousand florins. At last, under
the influence of Thokbly, who started a movement to defend
the liberties of the constitution and conscience, the diet of
Sopron (1681) allowed them to return to Hungary.*

* In the bicentennial commemoration of the galley-slaves (1876) a
memorial service was held in Debreczen. Rev. Ch. Rdcz wrote " The
Victims of the Court of Pozsony." A monument erected by Mrs. J.
Eegyi was unveiled in Debreczen between the college and principal
church in 1895.

44 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

§ 32. The Defeat of the Reformation with Political Force;
Two Fatal Decades (1681-1701).

At the diet of 8opron (1681) the Protestants presented a
petition, in which they related the facts. But they received
no attention, and so Protestant lords did not have part there-
after in the diet. The twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth articles
of that diet were enacted without their presence. The twenty-
fifth article confirmed the peace of Vienna, but " left the
rights of lords integral " and allowed the return of the exiled
ministers. This point was secured through the action of
foreign powers. The twenty-sixth article ordered that only
those churches which were built by Protestants and were not
consecrated by Romish ceremony should be given back to them.
That article designated two places in every county for new
churches. Those were the " loci inarticulati."

When Buda was recaptured from the Turks by the king's
troops (1686) the victory made the dynasty revengeful toward
the Protestants. A so-called " bloody court " was established
in Eperjes by Count Karaffa, and from the Protestant popula-
tion of that town twenty were decapitated. When their inno-
cence was proved the king stopped that fatal court at a request
from the palatine and from other sources.

Next year (1687) took place the diet of Pozsony. Accord-
ing to the twenty-first article the privileges of the diet of 1681
were maintained, but " only by the grace of the king." Thus
came caprice and grace in place of constitutional laws. After
the diet the persecution of the Protestants started anew.
Bishop Kollonich presented in Vienna his plan (Einrichtungs-
werk). It was his final purpose that "Hungary first must
be made a slave, then beggar, then Roman Catholic." Accord-
ing to the " Explanatio Leopoldina " (1691) only the Roman
faith, as the dominant religion, has right to free services every-
where; the Protestants could hold services at the twenty-two
specified places, but elsewhere they could have only private
services without a minister; the Roman Catholic festivals

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 45

were to be observed by the Protestants also, who were com-
pelled to partake in the processions. This explanation of the
law, by which the Protestants were subjected to every kind of
persecution and oppression, was valid for a hundred years.
Kollonich, its author, became the archbishop of Esztergom.

In the meantime Transylvania lost its independence and
was placed under the government of Leopold, and Kollonich
began his function also in Transylvania. Urged by him, a
royal order was issued (ITOl) ; according to it all of the
ecclesiastical estates in the recaptured territory must be given
to the Roman Catholics; every lord as a patron must rein-
stall the Eomish priests in his estate; in the territory taken
back from the Turks and in the frontier towns the exercise
of the Roman Catholic faith only is allowed. The Protestant
Church faced indeed a disturbed and hopeless future.

§ 33. The Reformation During the National War under the
Leadership of Francis Rdkoczy II. The Year of Hope.

The nation, left alone, took up arms, being convinced of the
manifold injuries which it had suffered. The Roman Cath-
olic Francis Rdkoczy II., who had avoided the axe of the
executioner by running away from jail, stood at the head of
the national army, and, receiving aid from the French king,
caused such a turn that the terrified government of Vienna
invited negotiations, but it struck upon a rock.

Joseph I., the new king, having a wider horizon, tried to
appease the desperate nation by discharging the hated Kolonich
from the government. Rakoczy, in order to continue the
negotiations, summoned the diet in Szecheny (1705), to which
the king also sent four delegates. Here Rakoczy was elected
" prince of the Hungarians confederating for the liberty of
the country " and took an oath that he would defend the three
recognized religions in their integrity. At his suggestion it
became a common agreement that the denominations would
settle in an amicable way the questions concerning the
churches. The paragraphs concerning religion were as fol-

46 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

lows: 1, in cases of religion the right of the lords must be
estopped; 2, the church must be given to that denomination
which is in a majority in that place. In commemoration of
the interdenominational peace the prince coined a medal
whereon three persons together light the fire of the altar, in
order to symbolize " religious harmony fanned by the spirit
of liberty." The Jesuits, who were allowed to stay in the
country only in case of separation from the Austrian Jesuits,
started a movement against the articles drafted at Szecheny.

The prince replied to their pamphlet in the '' Answer of
Francis Rakoczy." This reply, discovering the intrigues of
the Jesuits, is matchless in Hungarian history. In it " God
let the truth to be told in a miraculous way by a Popish ad-
herent." The reply was not without effect; the Jesuits
were excluded from Hungary, which they named " Regnum
Marianum."

Because of the disturbing action of the Jesuits, and at the
request of the French king, the fatal step was taken : the diet
of Onod (1707) declared the Hapsburg dynasty to be de-
throned and the country to be free. In the meantime the
star of Rakoczy's chance had sunk. In his absence, and in
spite of his protest, his general agreed to the peace of
Szatmdmemeti (1711). Its provision concerning religion is
as follows : " The king will hold to the laws of the country
as to religion."

That peace was a signal for the victors. The Jesuits sud-
denly started such an unsparing persecution that the fleeing
people could gather to praiy and sing only on the fields, with-
out ministers, because their churches were taken from them.
The years of hope disappeared again for a very long time.

§ 34. The Babylonian Captivity of the Church During the

Reigns of Charles III. and Maria Theresia

(1711-1781).

In the time of King Charles III. the Hungarians lived

through years of quiet oppression. The thirtieth article of the

History of the Reformed CTwrch of Hungary. 47

diet of 1715 prohibited even complaints through the ecclesi-
astical magistracy. But the Roman Catholics gained new
forces. The king endowed the archbishop of Hungary with
the title of " the prince of the holy Roman Empire " ; he
reinstalled the Roman bishopric in Transylvania and sur-
rendered the Reformed college to the new bishop. The
"Royal Governmental Lieutenancy" was established (1723)
to hear all cases pertaining to education. Its members were
mostly Roman bishops, fanatical lords and servile nobles.
That Lieutenancy was called by a Roman bishop " the whip
for heretics." Indeed, with its endless ordinances, it stopped
the slightest activity; it forbade conversion to Protestantism,
and punished those who proselyted; Protestants were not
eligible to appointment to the magistracy.

The committee concerning religion, as ordered by the diet,
came together in 1721, its members being Roman Catholics
and Protestants, but failed to agree. The king issued the
" Carolina Resolutio " in order to prescribe the status of the
Protestants. Its contents were as follows: (1) The rights of
the lords were to be sustained (cuius regio, eius religio) ; (2)
the Protestant ministers could serve only in the specified
places; (3) matrimonial cases were to be put under the charge
of the Roman bishops, and mixed marriages could be per-
formed only by Roman Catholic priests; (4) the Protestants
were allowed to elect their own bishops, but their authority
was effectual only as to the moral life of the ministers and
baptism was under the supervision of Roman Catholic deans ;
(5) those who were converted to Protestantism were to be
punished with a severe penalty; (6) the Roman Catholic
festivals were to be observed externally by everybody and the
guilds were compelled to partake in the Romish processions;
(7) everybody taking an oflSce had to take an oath in the
names of the saints and of St. Mary ; (8) the Protestants were
allowed to have small primary schools and for high schools
a royal permission was necessary; (9) those suffering religious
injury were allowed to appeal to the king in a private, not

48 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

corporate capacity." But the dominant party found that the
edict contained too much ease for the Protestants and Cardi-
nal Althan appealed to the pope to stop its publication.

!N^or was the situation of the Protestants improved under the
reign of Maria Theresia. A royal ordinance forbade the
Protestant ministry from teaching the doctrine that infants
that died without baptism could be saved. Biro, a Roman
bishop, in a pamphlet named Enchiridion, which was pub-
lished in German also, urged the burning of the Protestants.
In that century of enlightenment this pamphlet caused such
a shock that, at the interference of Englishmen and Prussians,
it was suppressed. The bishop of Pecs drove out of his diocese
the Protestant ministers and confiscated their churches. At
the demand of the pope's delegate societies with the purpose
of converting the Protestants were organized (Societies of St.
Joseph, St. Stephen and St Mary). At the breaking out of
the seven-years war the pope presented to Daun, the com-
mander, a consecrated sword and called upon him in a bull to
extirpate heresy as Satanic.

The situation of the Protestants became easier when the
ingenious Joseph was appointed by his mother to be governor.
He made a journey through his country; he visited the Re-
formed bishop in Debreczen and listened with love to him.
By his experiences he was convinced that the Jesuits were the
authors of the disturbances. " I know them " ; he wrote to
a French Minister of State in 17Y0, " they spread darkness
on the earth." At the time of their abolishment by Pope
Clement XIV. they had in Hungary eighteen schools, twenty
cloisters and eleven missionary stations. Their estates were
absorbed by the state into the " study fund " established by
Maria Theresia in 17Y5.

§ 35. Emperor Joseph II. and the Decade of Tolerance.
The dawn of better days for the Protestant Church began
under Joseph II. He wished to put a stop to religious perse-
cution and intended to purify even Roman Catholicism. He

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 49

wrote to his ambassador in Rome: "I hate superstition and
fanaticism . . . therefore I wish to abolish the cloisters;
lay priests should act and should proclaim the Gospel instead
of myths; enlightened priests must be educated, . . . then
after a century the whole people will be Christian." Among
his remarkable ordinances we find that without royal permis-
sion first obtained no papal bull was to be promulgated, and
that differences as to religion were to constitute no hinderance
in filling offices.

In 1781 he issued " the edict of tolerance." Its content
is as follows : " The Protestants are allowed to hold private
sei-vices everywhere in the country, and also public services
in those places where a hundred or more families are able to
build a church, parsonage and school, but the church must
be without steeple and bell and its door must not face the
street. On account of his religion no Protestant can be ex-
cluded from public office. Protestants can buy estates and
can engage in trade everywhere. I^o one is compelled to
take an oath which is contrary to his religion. Protestants
are not compelled to hear the mass or partake in the procession.
They can use the churches which have been in their possession
and can rebuild those which have been in ruins. If the
father is a Roman Catholic all the children must be educated
in his faith, but if the father is a Protestant, only the boys are
allowed to follow their father's religion. No priest can visit
protestants in sickness without a call. The Roman bishops
have no control over Protestant baptisms; the Protestant bis-
hops can visit their pastors." ''

The Protestants rejoiced over these ordinances but the
prince-archbishop doubted the right of the emperor to grant
religious liberty to the Protestants. Pope Plus VI. visited
the emperor personally at Vienna in order to move him to
withdraw his ordinances, but Joseph and his premier re-
mained inflexible and the pope departed without success.

Joseph issued otlier ordinances favorable to Protestantism.
But, chiefly on account of the dissatisfaction of the Roman

50 Histm^y of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

Catholics, Joseph, before his death, withdrew his ordinances,
except the edict of tolerance.

§ 36. The Evangelical Churches are Restored to a Constitu-
tional Basis.

Leopold 1 1. J, brother of Joseph II., was a wise and enlight-
ened king. In 1790 he declared that he was inclined to
strengthen the rights of the Protestants by laws passed by
the diet. Thus the royal court stepped out from the path of
despotism exercised since 1681.

His rescript addressed to the diet contained an expression
about the " religions recognized equally," and was objected to
by the clergy. A reply came from the king. It names the
Protestant religion as an " acknowledged religion " and the
word " equally " was omitted. It was accepted and enacted
by the diet as the tmenty-sixth article of 1791. Its content
is as follows: "(1) Everybody can freely follow his religious
convictions. (2) The services are public everywhere and the
lords are compelled to give properties for the churches, schools
and parsonages. (3) Nobody may be compelled to a cere-
mony which is contrary to his creed. (4) The Protestants
are under their ecclesiastical magistrates, and in accordance
with the previous concession of the king they may have gen-
eral synods also. ( 5 ) They are allowed to have schools and to
print their books, (6) Roman Catholic priests may not collect
taxes from Protestants. (7) The ministers of both creeds
may visit their own sick and prisoners. (8) Everybody may
be elected to office without regard to his religion. (9) The
Protestants are freed from taking oath in the name of St.
Mary or of the saints. (10) They may use their funds, (11)
Their matrimonial cases are to be settled by their ecclesi-
astical courts, and till they are organized the laical court is
to judge them, (12) They may use their estates and those
who take them must be punished by a fine of six hundred
florins. (13) Conversion to Protestantism is to be reported
to the king. (14) These rights are not to be extended to

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 51

Dalmatia, Croatia and Slavonia. (15) Mixed marriages
are to be performed before Roman priests; if the father is a
Roman Catholic all the children, and if he is a Protestant only
the boys, shall follow his creed. (16) Every case originating
from mixed manages belongs to the Roman Catholic ecclesi-
astical court. (17) On Roman Catholic festival days the
Protestants are not allowed to do any noisy work."

This law, which claimed to make an " agreement to last
forever," and which provided that " the objection of the clergy
and of the several Roman Catholic lords was to be invalid
forever," closed the centennial period of oppression and in-
juries.

§ 37. Ohstriictive Trials. The Enactment of the Law Con-
cerning Religious Liberty.

The Roman party under the reign of Francis I. (1792-
1835) attempted to turn the twenty-sixth article of 1791 from
its original meaning. The injuries increased day by day;
in 1799 the Protestants went to the king with complaints con-
taining sixty sheets. The third centennial anniversary of the
Reformation (1817) was observed with dismal prospects.

But in 1844 the situation was changed, and the Protestants,
helped by liberal Roman Catholics, succeeded in enacting the
third article. According to it: (1) Those who had been edu-
cated in the Protestant religion till their eighteenth year were
not to be questioned as to their religion; (2) mixed marriages
performed by Protestant pastors were to be valid; (3) Those
who wished to change to Protestants were obliged to notify
their former pastor in the presence of two witnesses, and in
four weeks the transfer was to be complete.

Then came the great events of the Hungarian war for inde-
pendence (1848-1849). In the twentieth article of the diet,
held in 1848, a law concerning religious liberty was passed.
This new and important law became the irrevocable founda-
tion of Protestant religious liberty. According to the second
section " perfect equality and reciprocity are extended to every

52 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

denomination." The third section provides that the expenses
of every recognized denomination should be assumed by the
state.

The carrying out of this law was suspended during the out-
break of the national war for liberty. After the suppression
of this war there was a decade of new and penal trials which
threatened the stability of Protestantism and of the state itself.

§ 38. A New Oppression. Fight against the " Patent."

Count Leo Thun, minister of education at Vienna, issued
a plan of Church government (1855) and called upon a few
Protestants to discuss it. But they replied that without a
commission from their ecclesiastical bodies they were not
able to decide. The synods also rejected the plan.

After a painful delay (1859) came the " Patent " with the
signature of Emperor Francis Joseph. It menaced the Pro-
testant autonomy at its very foundations. A meeting was sum-
moned by Rev. Balogh of Nagyszalonta in Debreczen, where,
at the motion of Rev. Emery Revesz of Dabreczen, the view
was accepted that " the Austrian dynasty has not received any
right either from God or from men by which it might inter-
fere in the government of the Reformed Church. ... It
is matchless in history, therefore the legal status preceding
1848 should be restored."

A new order practically suppressed the synods. Another
meeting was summoned in Debreczen in 1860. Rev. P.
Balogh was the president and Count Emery Degenfeld asso-
ciate-president. C. Tisza, who was later a premier, answered
the royal comissioner, who urged the closing of the meeting:
" Above all we owe obedience to the king of kings ; therefore
we cannot dissolve without abandoning our creed."

In the meantime Baron Yay called upon Rev. Revesz to
prepare a pamphlet to set right the situation of the Hungarian
Protestants before the world. It was translated into English
and was sent to the English ambassador at Vienna and to the
delegates of the greater Protestant powers. To the great sur-

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 53

prise of everybody the government of Vienna yielded, and the
Patent was suspended on May 15, 1860.

§ 39. The Gradvul Enforcement of the ReligioiLS Law of

1848.

After the coronation of Francis Joseph (1867) the follow-
ing laws were passed in order to define the relation of the
Reformed Church to the state and the other denominations:

The fifty-third article of 1868 say that the children of
mixed marriages shall follow the creed of their parents ac-
cording to their sex, and if one denomination receives aid from
the treasury of a community the other denominations existing
there shall be helped also, and in proportion.

The seventh article of 1885, under the premiership of the
Reformed Tisza, made three Protestant bishops and three gen-
eral curators, being the oldest in office, members of the Upper
House.

The thirty-first article of 1894 provided compulsory civil
marriage, which must precede the ecclesiastical blessing.

The thirty-second article of 1894 allowed the parents of
mixed marriages to make an agreement before their marriage
as to the religion of their futnire children. If they fail to
make the agreement before their wedding, the children follow
the creed of the parents, according to their sex.

The forty-third article of 1895 enacted the law under which
the individual is allowed to live without being a member of
any church, but the children in such families must be educated
in a recognized religion.

The thirty-eighth article of 1868 acknowledge the rights
of the denominations to maintain elementary schools. In
1875 the general pensions institution for teachers was ex-
tended to those teaching in denominational schools.

The thirtieth article of 1883 gives privileges to the
Churches to organize high schools, and their professors are
members of the National Pension Board for Professors.

The fortieth article of 1868 excused clergymen and theo-

54 Histoi-y of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

logical students from partaking in the compulsory military-
exercises.

The sixteenth article of 1893 orders that the salary of a
denominational teacher shall be increased by the state to eight
hundred crowns, if the congregation is not able to pay so much.

The churches also receive aid from the state. The first
support was given in 1869 (65,000 florins for the Eeformed
Church), and the sum has increased since 1892.

The important fourteenth article of 1898 enacted the law
that the salary of clergymen acting in a legally acknowledged
denomination should be enlarged to eighteen hundred crowns
from the treasury of the state. Thus the third article of 1848
is gradually but continuously realized.

II. Chukch Government.

§ 40. The Period Without a General Synod.

In the time of the persecution no regular synodical meet-
ings could be held. In the beginning of the eighteenth cen-
tury the idea became prevalent that the lords should come
to the support of the oppressed Church, In 1734 Lord S.
Patay invited several lords to his estate, and at this meeting
it was agreed that from the lay members a general curator
should be elected as an associate-president to the bishop and
there should also be chosen a curator to the dean in every
<;lassis. Further it was decided that the general curators and
bishops should come together annually for conference. (" In
unum convenient " — so is derived the " Conventus," a gov-
erning body of the Church.)

Because the creation of offices for lay persons in the Church
government was an irregular action, the clergy protested
against it. Thus began a fight lasting for one hundred years,
between the laity and clergy.

In Transylvania the form of government developed in a
different way. There, the Reformed Church being in a close
relation with the state, the supreme ecclesiastical body was
14

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 55

the " Supremum Curatorium," consisting of five curators and
five clergymen (bishop, deans and ordained professors).
This body was transformed in 1709 to a " Supremum Con-
sistorium " with twenty-five clerical and twenty-five lay mem-
bers. It ordered that in every classis and large city a lay
curator should be elected.

§41. The General Synod of Buda {1791).

The relations between the clergy and the lay members were
disturbed when the General Synod of Buda was summoned,
where, in spite of the clergy's protest. Count J. Teleky was
elected president. A " Supremum Consistorium " was or-
dered here, as the highest governing body, its members to be
the bishops and general curators and its president a general
curator. The last point was obnoxious and was opposed by
the clergy. The synod decided that a consistory should be
organized in every congregation. This was a great and
permanent gain. But in organizing the consistories (presby-
terium) the patrons also were allowed a share in the govern-
ment of the Church.

It was further provided that the members of the classical
and synodical bodies should be equally chosen from the clergy
and the laity. The clergy was displeased with the decision
that the presidents were to be elected from the laity ; a bishop
could preside only in dogmatic and liturgical cases. It was
ordered that the General Synod meet every tenth year. But
the king, because of the dissatisfaction of the clergy, did not
confirm the decrees of that general synod. Thus the great
fight went on.

§ 42. Continued Fight; the General Synod of 1881.

Bishop Benedeh declared that he would not accept the de-
crees of the illegal synod held at Buda, and appealed to the
king. By order of the king three " general conferences " were
summoned, and by them it was decided that a " general Con-
ventus " should be organized. Curator Pechy became its

56 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

president. This Conventus, which was mentioned before as
the " Supremum Consistorium," received a new impulse after
the withdrawal of the " Patent." By one synod it was
moved (1867) that it be a plenipotentiary body, but the propo-
sition was rejected.

But everybody felt that the time had come when a legally
convoked general synod must be held. Prepared by the Con-
ventus, it was summoned at Debreczen in 1881, and repre-
sented the whole Church. Bishops Peter Nagy and General
Curator Baron !N^. Vay became the presidents. The law con-
cerning a " General Fund " was enacted. Under the in-
fluence of the enthusiasm manifested at the meeting men and
women offered more than 30,000 florins. The Conventus
was inserted into the constitution of the Church; the Synod
of Transylvania which was independent before, was united
with the other synods; compulsory laws for the five synods
were drawn, etc.

§ 43. The General Synod of 1891-93.

At the capital of Hungary was held the second general
synod, the presidents being Bishops Bartholomew Kiss and
Gabriel Papp, and from the laity General Curators Baron
Nicolaus Vay and Coloman Tisza. In the name of the
Alliance of the Reformed Churches holding the Presbyterian
System Dr. Mathews welcomed the Hungarian Eeformed
Church.

The most important decrees are as follows:

1. Because the Synod of Transylvania is a part of the Gen-
eral Synod, the members of the General Synod must be elected
by the consistories in Transylvania also, and not by the
Synod, as had happened.

2. The large congregations are not to cast more votes than
six.

3. The members of the Conventus were to be elected by
the synods.

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 57

4. The law concerning the election of pastors was to be
modified.

5. The " General Pension Fund " for the widows and
children of ministers was to be instituted by the next Con-
ventus.

6. Every body must contribute toward the " General Fund."

7. In matters which pertained both to the Reformed and
Lutheran Churches, a mixed committee was to be elected and
its Reformed members were to move propositions before the
Conventus.

8. An educational plan, based on the theory of the autonomy
of the Church, was accepted. The decrees were confirmed by
King Francis Joseph.

§44, Constitution and Organization of the Church.

The Church has the " consistorial-general synodical " form
of government; i. e., all its cases must be settled by its own
bodies, the lowest being the consistory and the highest the
general synod.

Every Reformed person must belong to a congregation.
The officers of the congregations are the pastor, teacher, cura-
tor and elders, and these form the Consistory (presbyterium).
The elders are elected for twelve years and in this proportion :
for 200 souls, 4; for 500, 8; for 1,000, 12; for 3,000, 24;
above 3,000 souls, 1 additional elder to every 1,000 adher-
ents. The president of the consistory is the pastor; without
him no meeting may be held.

The several associated congregations from the Classis
(tractus, senioratus), its members being the ministers and
counselors chosen from the laity and clergy, two teachers and
one professor representing the elementary and high schools;
the stated clerks and attorney are members ex officio. Its
presidents are the dean and the classical curator.

The several associated classes fonii the Synod (superin-
tendentia, district), its members being the deans and classical
curtors, the councilors elected from the clergy and laity, the

58 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

delegates of the classes and the representatives of the high
schools and academies. Its presidents are the bishop and
general curator. It holds a meeting twice every year and
takes charge of the examination of candidiates for the min-
istry and for school positions, of ordination, etc.

The General Conventus is a body organized to settle affairs
pertaining to the whole Church, and represents the Church
during the interval of the general synods. Its members are
the bishops, the general curators and the representatives of the
synods — together 38.

The General Synod comes together every tenth year. The
sphere of its action is ecclesiastical legislation which pertains
to the articles of confession, government, liturgy, the election
of ministers, education, the ecclesiastical tax-system, the Gen-
eral Fund, etc. It has 116 members.

III. Schools.
§ 45. The Condition of Schools, 1660-188 Jf.

After 1660 the Roman clergy, united with the despotic
government, endeavored to extirpate the Reformed schools,
which were called " the seeding grounds of the Church." Col-
lections were forbidden for schools. Queen Maria Theresa in
1763 stopped the issue of passes for students wishing to go
abroad. Books printed in Hungary or in foreign countries
were strictly censured by the Jesuits.

After such a proceeding the Board of Education of the
imperial court in Vienna issued the " Ratio Educationis "
(1777). It placed the Protestant schools under the suprem-
acy of royal district supervisions and made the German the
school language. The Reformed Church, led by Count L.
Telehy, went to Queen Maria Theresa with a petition (1777).
As late as 1791 tibe autonomy of the Protestant schools was
secured.

But in 1805 another " Ratio Educationis " was issued. It
was more adapted to the needs of the time and provided for

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 59

teaching in Hungarian. When it was extended to the
Protestants, they declared that they were willing to accept
what they thought to be good in it, but because of their
autonomy it could not be enforced. In 1848 their rights were
secured, but in 1851 the " Organisations Entwurf " menaced
the Reformed schools with a final peril. Bishops S. Pap of
Debreczen issued pastoral letters and with money from vari-
ous sources saved the college at Debreczen. In 1856 another
imperial edict ordered the German language restored in the
schools. The Reformed Church protested again; in 1861
the " Entwurf " ceased to be enforced, and in 1884 the Church
constructed the present system on the basis of its autonomy.

§ 46. Old and New Colleges.

1. The College at Sdrospatdk, whose professors and stu-
dents were expelled in 1671, was given back to the Reformed
people by Prince Rakoczy II. in 1704. But later they were
also disturbed by Jesuits and were compelled to apply to for-
eign Protestant powers. The college was enriched by large
funds and celebrated the third centennial anniversary of ita
existence (1860) with great festivals.

2. The College at Debreczen was spared from persecution.
In 1752 Queen Maria Teresa forbade the city to aid the col-
lege from its treasury. The Reformed people, headed by
Supreme Judge Domohos, started a collection and applied for
help to the brethren in Switzerland, Holland and England.
The " English Fund," established through the endeavors of
Archbi^op Harring of Canterbury and the bishops of the
English Church, is still in existence in London and the inter-
est therefrom goes to the college. In 1802 the city began
again to contribute to the support of the college; it has since
continued its aid and in 1896, when Hungary celebrated the
millenium of its existence, established four new chairs.

3. The College at Papa was reopened when its professor,
Kocsi Csergo, returned from galley slavery, but in 1752 the
whole estates of the congregation at Papa were occupied.

60 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

Joseph II surrendered the college to its professors in 1783.
Though it was compelled to give up its department for candi-
dates for teaching and its law academy, it is still doing work
through a high school (gymnasium) and a theological semi-
nary.

4. The Theological Seminary at Budapest was established
in 1855 by the enthusiasm of many lords, and especially by
that of Bishop Torok. In the beginning it was a common
school for both Lutherans and Reformed, but later (1866) the
Lutherans withdrew.

5. The Theological Seminary at Kolozsvdr was established
in 1895 by the influence of Bishop D. Szdsz. It caused the
suspension of the seminary at Nagyenyed.

6. The " Lyceum, " of Mdramarossziget was enriched by the
funds of Count T. Butler. A law academy was added to the
high school in 1836.

IV. LiTEEATUBE.

§ 47. Bibles and Hymnals.

The glorious period of the Hungarian Bible was closed with
that printed in Nagyvarad, 1661. After that time for many
years the Bibles were printed in Basle and Utrecht. A young
artist, named E". Kiss of Tothf alu, immigrated to Holland and
printed 4,000 copies at Amsterdam, 1685. But not all of
those could be taken into Hungary.

Rev. George KomAromi of Debreczen finished at that time
the revised translation of the Bible and it was edited at the
cost of the city of Debreczen in Leyda, 1718. But on their
arrival at the limits of Hungary they, like captives, were
put into custody. The city of Debreczen sent a deputation
to the king, who ordered that the books be surrendered to the
Protestants, but the Jesuits burned them in the yard of the
Roman bishop of Eger (1754).

The nineteenth century promised a brighter future. " The
British and Foreign Bible Society," established in 1804,

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 61

having taken notice of the sad conditions, sent a delegate with
10,000 crowns to Hungary, and an institute was established
to spread the Bible. But in 1816 the establishment was sup-
pressed by the government.

Rev, A. Wimmer, a Lutheran pastor, with English aid
founded a printing house in Koszeg, in 1838. During ten
years 120,000 Bibles were printed here and circulated. But
the court of Vienna in 1851 closed the Bible-depots in Koszeg
and Budapest and confiscated the copies on hand. E. Millard,
the general agent of the Bible Society, was excluded from
Vienna; Wimmer fled abroad. The English ambassador at
Vienna declared the Bibles to be English property and de-
manded them. Thus they were exported from Hungary to
Berlin, where the Prussian king gave them protection.

After ten years the Bibles were allowed to be returned to
Hungary. Millard knocked at the door of the Burg at Vienna
(1861) and an edict permitted the spreading of the Holy
Writ Depots were established in Budapest, Kolozsvar and
Vienna.

The first step to renew the Hymnal was taken by the
Synod of Transylvania, which commissioned Bishops Bonyhai
and Szigeti with that work. The Hymnal was edited in 1744
and 1838. It is the Hymnal of Transylvania to-day.

The General Synod of Buda (1804), which represented the
other four synods, ordered the revisal of the Psalms, and the
new Hymnal was edited in 1808. Later on (1857) the re-
newal of the Hymnal was suggested. Under the presidency
of Rev. Fejes a " Tentative Hymnal " was composed, but it
was not accepted by the synods (1903).

§ 48. Authors of Church History.

The preparation of the Church History was started in the
time of the persecution. The most memorable writers were:

1. Professor Pdrizpdpai wrote the " Rudus Redivivum " in
1684. It was reprinted in the " Miscellanea Tigurina Col-
lectio " in Zurich, 1723.

62 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

2. Rev. Haner, a Lutheran pastor, edited the " Historia
Eeclesianim Transylvanicamin/' 1694.

3. Eev. P. Ember, urged by Jablonsky, a courtrpreacher of
Berlin, composed a historical work. Its manuscript went into
the possession of Professor Lampe of Utrecht, who edited it
under the name of " Historia Ecclesise Reformatse," 1728.

4. Rev. Peter Bod, the greatest writer of Hungarian
Church History, produced many writings. His principal
work, " Historia Hungarorum Ecclesiastica," in manuscript,
reached Professor Gerdes of Groningen and then the library
of Leyda, It was published by Professor Rauwenhoff of
Leyda (1888-1890).

5. Bishop Sinai's manuscript on the History of the Hun-
garian Church is in the library of the College of Maroa-
vasarhely. His " Sylloge actonmi publicorimi " was printed
in 1790.

6. Bishop E. Budai, while a professor at Debreczen, was
the first to write in the Hungarian language, 1807.

7. Bishop E. Toth also wrote in the national tongue (1808).

8. Rev. Bauhofer, the Lutheran pastor at Buda, composed
" Die Geschichte der Reformation in Ungam," which was
printed in Hambourg (1854) and translated into English.

9. Rev. Linberger, the Lutheran minister at Kesmark,
edited " Die Geschichte des Evangeliums in Ungam and
Sieben-Biirgen " in 1880.

10. Rev E. Revesz of Debreczen was one of the greatest
authors. He edited forty-eight historical works.

11. Finally the Church History of Professor Warga is to
be mentioned. It is very valuable.

V. Life.

§ 49. Literature Society — Papers.

The social activity of the Hungarian Church has been
noticeable since the middle of the XIX. century.

As early as 1863 steps were taken to organize a Protestant

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 63

Historical Literary Society. The present society was organ-
ized in 1890. Its purposes are the encouragement of Hun-
garian Theological literature and the speading of tracts among
the people. For many years its president was the late Hon.
Hegediis, Ex-minister of Commerce; its secretary is Professor
r. Szots of Budapest. The products of its action are the
"Protestant Eeview " (" Szemle "), its tracts (368,000
copies), many Monographs, Church Historical Repertories,
the " Domestic Treasury " (" Hazi Kincstar ") for families,
etc.

Church Papers also were started. The first was the
" Protestant Church and School Paper " established in 1842.
At the present time there are ecclesiastical organs at Budapest,
Sarospatak, Debreczen, Kolozsvar, and Papa. In Possony
the " Theological Organ " is edited quarterly and in Saro-
spatak the " New Magazine of Sarospatak."

The " Winter Paper " which with its popular contents is
published during the winter, was started by Rev. Csecsi with
three hundred readers; now it has a circulation of 15,000
copies under the editorship of Rev. Szabolcska. The " Free
Church " was established in 1884 by Rev. Charles Rdcz, and
the " Little Mirror," in a strong Evangelical spirit, by Pro-
fessor S. Kecshemethy in 1893. Rev. J. Szalay is the editor
of the " Christian Evangelist," a popular paper in the cause
of home mission work. The " Truthteller " was started by
Rev. Budai in 1899 ; its present editor is Professor J. S.
Szabo. The " Sunday " is edited by Rev. Vajda. For chil-
dren the " Sunray " and " Good News " have been published.
The " Awakener " is the organ of the Y. M. C. A. For
women the " Mustard Seed " and " Olive Branch " are
published.

§ 50. Benevolent Societies.

Societies to exercise the work of Christian mercy and love
were established under the influence of the Scotch Mission.
The first missionaries of the Scotch Free Church (Revs.

64 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

Smith and Wingate) arrived at Biida in 1841 and served
among the English-speaking laborers working in the construc-
tion of the chain-bridge. They were aided by Maria Doro-
thea, wife of the palatine. Their special purpose was to
preach the Gospel for the Jews. The despotic government of
1851 drove them out of the country; their school was defended
by the Eeformed congregation of Budapest. Under the
patronage of Bishop Tbrok a German Reformed Church was
organized in Budapest, and in 1878 the city gave building
lots and the Scotch erected a church and school. The later
missionaries, R. Konig and Dr. A. Moody, raised the school
to a flourishing state, the institution being visited by four
hundred and fifty children (half of these are Jews). It gives
free instruction, bible lectures, organized a Sunday school, and
spreads the Bible. Rev. J. Webster is the present missionary.

The National Protestant Orphanage was established by Rev.
Bauhofer and others in 1859. The first building was dedi-
cated in 1869 and began with forty-four orphans. Receiv-
ing new funds in 1877 it erected another building which gives
a home to a hundred orphans. Since that time it has been
enriched with additional funds.

The Home of Love in Kolozsvar was established by Bishop
D. Szdsz for orphans of professors and ministers; there is
another home at Uj Banovce, which was founded by Rev.
Keck. In Debreczen a citizen named Andrew Szabo provided
a fund for orphan students; it has grown to 126,000 crowns
and gives aid to the amount of 48,000 crowns annually. The
Maria Theresa Orphans Fund at Debreczen contributes
yearly 26,000 crowns to five hundred orphans. The Home of
Invalids at Debreczen takes care of one hundred and sixty-
two old men and women, who are incapable of work. Its
yearly help amounts to 24,000 crowns.

The Bethsaida is a Protestant hospital and deaconesses'
home, established in Budapest, 1866. At that time it con-
tained only two small rooms. Rev. R. Konig collected for
this institution in Scotland and America, Miss Mackishon and

History of the Reformed Church of Hungary. 65

an American who withlield his name donated the first funds.
Then Scotch, Swiss, Holland, England and German, and other
free beds were establshed. The cty of Budapest donated the
lots and the German Church of Budapest sustains the institu-
tion, which was dedicated in 1880. During twenty-five years
9,101 sick were taken care of here. Sister Helm was the
first to begin to instruct the deaconesses.

The Reformed Good-Friday Society was organized by eight
zealous church members who came out from the church on the
Good Friday of 1893. Its purpose is to save the morally de-
fective children, or those who are about to be lost. Its home,
the " Elizabeth Home," was opened in 1904 and takes care of
fifty-eight children.

The Tabitha Society was organized in 1873 by Mrs. J.
Szekdcs in 1873. The members sew for the poor ones and
provide them with wood and coal in the winter.

The Susanna Lordntfy Society was started in 1892. Its
purposes are the practice of Christian love and the cultivation
of the moral life, especially among women. It has a " sewing
hour " every Monday, when the ladies listen to sermons ; it
makes preparation for Sunday school, distributes dresses,
arranges agapes, visits prisons, gives food to poor families, etc.
Such societies exist in many towns of Hungary.

In 1893 was organized the first Y. M. C. A. in Budapest by
Cruator A. Szilassy. After this example others were started;
that of Bekes, established by Rev. F. KecsJcemethy, has its
own home.

The Bethany Society was organized by Rev. A. Szaho of
Budapest. It aids the indigent ones, gives instruction in
Sunday Schools, engages colporteurs, etc.

After the many injuries suffered from Romanism, fairness
was manifested in a matchless way on the part of a Roman
Catholic lord toward Protestantism : Baron A. Balddcsi in
his will made the Protestant Churches his heirs. To-day the
fund is over 100,000 crowns; by it poor congregations, min-
isters and their widows and children are helped.

66 History of the Reformed Church of Hungary.

§ 51. Church Organization Among the Hungarians of

America.

Few Hungarians emigrated to the United States previous
to 1880, but since that year the number has been increasing
year by year. The first congregations of Hungarians were
organized by the Board of Home Missions of the Reformed
Church in the United States, and by the Presbyterian Church.
Those bodies took care of the Hungarian Protestant congrega-
tions until 1904, when the Reformed Church of Hungary sent
a delegate to the United States to check the division of the
Hungarians into two religious bodies and to unite them under
the supremacv of the Church of Hungary, But only a few
answered. They organized the Hungarian Classis as a part
of the Church of Hungary, Rev. Z. Kuthy being chosen dean
and Count Degenfeld being elected curator. In 1905 a Hun-
garian Classis was organized under the supremacy of the
Reformed Church in the United States, Rev, A. Csutoros being
chosen president. To-day there are about thirty-five Hun-
garian congregations under the care of the three organizations.

Date Due

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