Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-09
THE FIRST M. E. CHURCH.
First Sermon of the New Pastor, Rev. Me
rift Fl a hur6

First Sermon of the New Pastor, Rev. Mer-
rift Halburd
The new pastor, Rev. Merritt Halburd,
late of ST. Paal's church, Lowell, Mass,
preached yesterday morning, for the first
time, at the First Methodist church. The
reverend gentleman has a commanding ap-
pearance, a fine voice, and polished style.
He prefaced his discourse by stat ing that
the personnel of the ministry was of
no importance-the minister was moth
ing, the ministry everything; and
inaugurals andfarewells savored of affectation.
He for instance ministered to congregation
at st. Pauls church, Lowell, last Sunday,
and on this Sabbath he was addressinga con-
gregation in St. Paul, Minnesota, fifteen
hundred miles away. He delivered no fare
well, and he would preach no inaugural. He
simply came to declare the gospel The
congregation had changed ministers and he
had changed congregations, and it mattered
not to him to whom he preached, nor to
them from whom they heard the words of
truth. He took for his text the words:
From that time forth began Jesus to shew
unto His disciples how that he must go unto
Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders
be raised again the third day. Then Peter took
Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying Be it
far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto
Thee. But He turned and said unto Peter, Get
thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto
me; for thou savorest not the things that be of
God, but that be Of men," Matthew, xvi CHI,
2l-3 verses.
The sermon was a thoroughly Evangelical
one, eloquent in its phraseology, earnest in
Goli foi,, F,,o
He called attention to the apparent contra
those of the angel announcing the nativity.
"Peace and good will toward men, did not
seem to be inaugurated by the church of
Christ, it appeared to be the beginning of
strife and discussions, family arrangements
and bloody conflict. But he supposed the
angel from his loftier stand point could see
over the Jordan of conflict, the
tranquil, peaceful land of promise.
The text told the whole story-per-
secution, suffering, death. This was all
Peter seemed to hear, he did not wait for
the last-the resurrection, but flew off at a
tangent-this shall not be unto thee. This
was the difficulty, people often went away
with half the truth and so Numbered. If
they patiently waited for the whole the light
would come. In referring to Peters ack-
nowledging Christ as the Son of God the
preacher said the 'blessing" was not given
on one occasion when reason led to the con-
viction after seeing the miracles performed,
but on that one time when revelation flashed
it upon his mind, ''Blessed art thou
because flesh and blood has not revealed it
unto thee" And here, when the .sthin,
trucking, cowardly voice of Peter was
raised in opposition to the rule of God he
was reproved and called devil.
The sermon was listened to with marked
attention from beginning to end, and the
earnestness and eloquence of the new min
lister made a profound impression upon the
congregation. There is no doubt with the
new minister new vitality will be brought to
this church, and new era of prosperity will
begin.