In the North Hungarian Mission by Guy Dail

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 29, 1914

In the North Hungarian Mission

By Guy Dail

GUY DAIL

At the close of our general meeting in Temesvar, Brethren J. T. Boettcher and J. T. Huenergardt and I started for Kassa, where the first annual session of the North Hungarian Mission field had been appointed, November 27-30. En route, Brother Boettcher spent Monday night with the believers and friends at Gyula, while Brother Huenergardt and I visited our Slovakian church at Bekes-Csaba.

It was at the Arad meeting, in 1904, that the first convert from among this nationality was baptized into the third angel's message—a modest but courageous young woman, who afterward became a missionary nurse, and acted a leading part in establishing our nurses' home at Kassa, which did good pioneering work in raising up our church there.

The deacon of the Bekes-Csaba church met us at the station. He took us to his home, where we were refreshed with bread and honey. The brother had done much to spread the truth among his people. He was formerly in correspondence with Mr. Tolstoi, the famous Russian author. Glad, indeed, were we to see the change wrought by the message in the homes, environment, and ambitions of our Slovakian brethren, which are in marked contrast to the cottages, surroundings, and desires of their neighbors. There was a good, full, attentive house at the evening meeting, and we left this place with feelings of real gratitude for the privilege granted us of being permitted to witness the evidences of the triumphs of the gospel for these last days among this people.

There were about fifty of our people together at the Kassa conference, more than half the membership of the North Hungarian field. Although this was the smallest of our local gatherings in the Danube Union Conference, yet it was in some ways the very best. Especially remarkable was the spirit of self-sacrifice and liberality we found there, not only when the needs of our world-wide field were presented, but also throughout the entire meeting, for people kept bringing their gifts, just as the children of Israel contributed for the erection of the tabernacle, until at last twelve hundred and thirty-two crowns were given for missions. In addition to that, after Brother Huenergardt had compared our world-wide system of Sabbath school donations to many rivulets uniting to form the mighty Danube, forty-one crowns made up our first general meeting Sabbath school donation in this field.

In the Sabbath morning preaching service, the Spirit gave freedom to Brother Boettcher. All reconsecrated themselves to God. Three publicly manifested their desire to unite with us. All felt the need of putting on the wedding garment, referred to in Brother Boettcher's remarks.

The evening lectures, which were held in a large hall not far from the railway station, were well attended.

One incident reminded us again of the cost entailed upon God's people in carrying on his work: for Sabbath morning Elder Boettcher and I visited the large cemetery on the hill overlooking the valley and the historic city of Kassa, and there a brother pointed out to us the grave of Sister Lydia Brefin, our nurse, who also aided in establishing the Kassa church, and who we trust will soon hear the voice of the Archangel calling her and all who have labored for the Master with like devotion, to their immortal reward.

We were glad to greet some of our Russian brethren at the meeting, true-hearted men who have had to endure much persecution in Hungary on account of their religious belief. But they were of excellent courage, and felt that the suicide of their most relentless persecutor—a priest who had killed himself within the walls of his own church—had been utilized of the Lord for the mitigation of their sufferings, for, since this happened, the members of the community have shown respect and even outward

courtesy to their formerly persecuted neighbors, evidently coming to look upon the Seventh-day Adventists with a certain degree of favor and good will. The way now seems open for more aggressive missionary work in the neighborhood.

The North Hungarian Mission has had its separate existence for about eleven months, being cut off from the Middle Hungarian field from Jan. 1, 1913. The first three quarters' report shows thirty-one gained by baptism and vote, bringing up the membership to ninety-six. There has been a good, vigorous increase in the financial strength of the field, and the canvassing work has made substantial progress.

We wish for Brother Fr. Kessel, the superintendent of the field, and his associate laborers (there are eight of these) a very successful year in their labors among the seven churches we have here, and in behalf of the four million Hungarians, Germans, Slovaks, and Ruthenians in their territory.

Budapest.