The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-08-08
THE CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH.

VI 81. OAAIleS anu julia streets, havln
ut through its trustees secured the Rev. Edwar
A. Horton, now settled over the First Congre
gational Unitarian Church, in Leominstel
Mass, as their permanent pastor, we publis
below his letter of acceptance of the call O
i. the church in this city, also the resolution
70 passed by the Society in Leominster, upol
y accepting Of his resignation as pastor of tina
). Society. MI. Horton is young man of de
clded talents, and stands in the front rank O
: the denomination he represents. He come
!. here to live and identify himself with tn,
! people of this city. His letter (although no
intended for publication), shows that hi,
heart is in the work before him.
t While the resolution exhibits the regre
t that the Society feel upon sundering The
pleasant relations which have so long existed
between pastor and people, we welcome
him to New Orleans, feeling assured that the
same ennobling traits of character which have
bound him SO firmly to his former people,
will, if possible, take deeper root in the hearts
of his new parishioners:
Dear Hriends-The delay in my reply to
ton to the pastorate of the "Church of the
Messiah" has arisen from causes we'll known
to some ofyou. waited for the visits of two
trustees, Messrs. Gould and Holloway. who
were empowered to act for the Society, and by
their pleasant and frank conversations with
me, was assisted to better appreciation of
your needs and plans and hopes. Succeeding
those interviews and my decision to accept
your call, came the necessity of full and
friendly consultation with my old parish, in
whose love and good wishes desired to act.
resolved, therefore, not to forward for
mai letter OF acceptance to you until had
put in my letter Of resignation and dissolved
my connections with my former people, The
contamination of these details has thus post
poned my final missive, which now lay be-
fore you.
| In beginning let me say I accept the call
| from you. l assure you that my heart has
| been gradually drawn towards our cause in
| New Orleans by every fresh consideration of
its importance and claims. I have found in
| the gentlemen whom you chose to represent
| your movement earnestness and devotion.
| shall come to you with an ardent desire
to accomplish the work of the Society in all
! its branches. Our views are reasonable
cheerful and Scriptural. They dignity this
life and invest the life to come with glorious
anticipations. They place over the universe
as ruler Heavenly Father, beneath whose
watchful love all souls are tenderly cared for
My hope is that before l die these glorious
ideas may find wider Judgement in the
minds of men through my humble eff ,rts.
Because rejoice in them so deeply myself, |
am moved to the effort of sharing their happy
and purifying effects with others. The CON
fdence that you will work with me toward
this noble end gives me the safest ground on
which to place my acceptance. Such religious
labors as find expression in the life and in
huence of a society like yours, cannot be per-
formed by the minister alone. He may lead
he may inspire; he may represent; he may
expand the pulpits power; but unless his
people unite with him heart and hand; unless
they feel mutual responsibility and develop |
every resource, only half success will follow. |
have carefully studied your circumstances,
examined the statements of your members, |
and scanned the prospects of the future. |
believe that we can succeed in obtaining ap- |
propriate and important results for our Chris |
tlan labors in the great city Of New Orleans.
And to achieve this end am sure you will |
all devote your noblest energies and offer your /
constant prayers. I do not forget the illus
trious record of DR.. Clapp's ministry. Its |
light fingers still unfaded in the memories of |
many who enjoyed his teachings; while on the
city at large he left an impress not easily |
lowed were many. Nature gave him great
heart, talented mind and special attractions
of oratory. Yet behind these, as the
power of his powers, and the seal of his sue
cess, were the beauty and strength of a
Christianity which appealed to the reason,
gladdened the heart and set in motion the
wheels of practical religion. Those doc
trines We retain. That power remains-and
will remain when we have passed away, to
o1~o ~ Il ~ /
Us.
will not enter into details which I feel
confident we shall arrange satisfactorily when
am with you. In leaving the happy scene
Of my past labors I shall cast my lot in
among you and do the best can, as I did
seven years ago, when l first began my de-
ightful pastorate among the kind people of
Leominster. If I do not meet the require
ments of this new situation you have made
for me- it shall not he for lack of hearty
interest and cooperation on my part. Time
alone can tell whether we were made for each
other; but pray that we may be able to
accomplish our mutual wishes in degree
not unworthy the cause of man and the
honor of God.
am yours, heartily, in Christian fellow
'hip, E. A. HORTON.
From the Leominster Enterprise, Mass, of
Wednesday, July 2lst, 1851
At meeting of the First Congregational
society in Leominster, held last Saturday,
Imopg other things to consider the resigna-
ion Of Rev. Edward A. Horton, the following
resolution was unanimously adopted
Resolved. That while We regret that SEEM
ng necessity exists for relief from excessive
abor and severe strain, which has induced
'ur pastor, Rev. Edward A. Horton, to re- +,
ign his charge after pastorate, | ,
pleasant and successful, almost beyond /,
PRECEDENT, of nearly seven years duration, ,
ve ,cheerfully acquiesce in his judgment that ,
he time has arrived when duty and the best
interests of all concerned demands the
hange, and in accordance with his request
ccept his resignation to take place on the 1st !
# October next, and release him at that time, i
t being the end of his full seven years of j
ervice; and, that in doing so, we desire to :
xpress our grateful Acknowledgements to him I
or the ability, self-sacrifcing devotion, and
christian fidelity with which he has per-
ormed the many and burdensome duties of
lis sacred Office; and for his uniform kind !