St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-29
DIR. BENEDICT'S DEBUT.
The New Pastor of Pacific Con-
gregational Church breaches
His Introductory Sermon

The New Pastor of Pacific Con
gregational Church breaches
His Introductory Sermon.
A large congregation was present at
the morning service at the Pacific Con
gregational church yesterday. when
Rev. Arthur J. Benedict, recently called
to the pastorate of that church from
Kensington, Conn.,, preached his intro
.ductory sermon. His theme was ''The
Mountains of Difficulty" The speaker
who is a young man. energetic and
If0rcible, delivered thoughtful and in
tereSting discourse from Zachariah w.,
Z, citing, in the course of his remarks,
the Christian in everyday life, and
of pastor taking up the
work among strangers. After recount
ing the difficulties met by the captives
on their return from Babylon to build
again the deSolate places of Jerusalem,
he said:
"There.are certainly three things that
may be said about these mountains.
First, they get in the way of good peo-
pie and of good enterprises. Second,
there is some reason for this. Third, it
is possible to remove them or get over
them. Have we not, everyone of us,
made lofty plans for service, but as we
began to execute we were diSheartened
at the range upon range of mountains
of difficulty that stood in serried ranks
before us. In the most important work
that we have ever put in our hands the
decision of the question is as to
the relation in which we will
stand to God-whether we will
serve the Divine Master or our own
selves. Some of these mountains are
real ones, and some are only imaginary,
painted by our own enemy to brighten
us. There is one real difficulty so great
that we should not invent any other
one. We have sinful nature within
US. We are not naturally subject to the
law OF God. Our selfish desires and APP
petites clamOrfo indulgence. We cam
not escape the struggle that comes from
this sinful nature of ours. The only
hope of overcoming is in the direction
that Christ points out. We are made
certain when we see the height and the
Solidity of the mountains that we have
serious task before us. Now it is a
part of the discipline of life that we
should have hard things to con-
tend with. We get strength
only by exercise. When we are
brought face to face with some of the
mountains that rise before us, then we
may nerve ourselves 10 tne conflict,
we'll assured that we have foe worthy
of our effort. Then the visions that we
get from the SUBMITS are sometimes
most enhancing. They can be had
only by the task of climbing. What is
the great mountain that cOnfronts you?
Are you in trouble that you have not
enough of this worlds goods? Are you
in doubt as to the future of your chill
dren or those dependent upon you?
When you have done all you can do.
you may leave tue matter in the perfect
assurance that the Lord will provide.
That mountain in the good pur-
pose of the Almighty shall become
plain. Are you troubled because
of the infirmitieS and sufferirgs of life?
Are you questioning concerning your
Christian hope? Whatever the noun.
tain may be that stands frowning be-
fore you. be not overcome. The power
is with you if you have taken the
Mighty One to be your portion. Push
onward in spite of the obstacles that
seem to block the path. Our prayer
then should be, not that the mountains
should be removed, but that in sur
mounting them we may get the needed
strength and from their SUBMITS the
broader outlook"