Baptistic Theologies, 2009

Baptiste, 1975), Vol. I. pp. 62-63. 66 Baptistic Theologies closest fellow-worker of Kornya. He was a rich farmer, with a good reputation in his neighbourhood, but after his conversion he was ready to leave everything for the sake of what he saw as the calling to serve God’s Kingdom. Mihaly Toth was widely recognised as an excellent preacher and an outstanding teacher. Organising the churches, teaching, helping the new converts to grow, and giving pastoral care were some of his main objectives. 46 Between 1880 and 1890 he was imprisoned more than ten times simply because he was active in pastoring churches. Even in his home town he was beaten, so that other people could be warned not to follow the Baptist way. 47 However, this type of persecution appears to have been counter-productive. It made the Baptists even more determined. Mihaly Toth was also fully involved in erecting the first Hungarian Baptist church building, in 1881, in Nagyszalonta. He supported this work with his own hands, as one of the builders, and also with a considerable amount of money. Even today, this is one of the most beautiful church buildings to be found among the Hungarian Baptist churches in Transylvania. After being ordained as an elder in 1881, along with Kornya, he started to officiate at baptismal services throughout his ‘circuit’ and all over Transylvania. 49 Between 1881 and 1905 Toth officiated at 179 baptisms and helped between 5,000 and 6,000 people to become Baptist believers - an average of thirty baptisms at each baptismal service. 50 The impact of these events, at which Toth preached, was enormous, and these large numbers were a stimulus to and an evidence of significant Baptist growth. Mihaly Kornya - an original preacher and evangelist Among the peasant prophets who emerged from the church in Nagyszalonta, Mihaly Kornya became the most effective minister and evangelist in the history of the Hungarian Baptist movement. He was bom in 1844, in Nagyszalonta, the son of a poor farming family. At a young age Mihaly became the coachman of Gyorgy Rozvan, a famous lawyer of the region. 51 Mihaly Kornya was only twenty-two years old when he married Maria Pataki Zsigo, who was then eighteen years old. Altogether they had seven children, but unfortunately five of them predeceased him. His wife 4<> Bunaciu: Istoria Raspandirii Credintei Baptiste in Romania, p. 90. 47 Kovacs, A Baptista Misszio Kibontakozasa Magyarorszdgon, in Krisztusert Jdrvan Kovetsegben, pp. 67-68. 48 That was the very first Hungarian Baptist Church building in the whole of Hungary and Transylvania. 49 From the beginning the term circuit was used by Baptist in Transylvania - meaning a number of churches that were visited by the same pastor. The term is used in Baptist circles today, having the same meaning. 5(1 Kiss, Az Erdelyi Magyar Baptista, p. 33. 51 Kirner A. Bertalan, Kornya Mihaly baptista uttoro parasztapostol kronikaja [The chr