"A Story of Faith in Practice"

When I first came to the campus of the McCormick Theological Seminary as a student for the ministry, I was impressed by the professor of Pastoral Theology, the Reverend Dr. Jesse Halsey. He was a very quiet and humble man. I never heard him tell a joke or a funny story. But I never saw him standing or walking alone. In those early days I wondered why. I found the answer when I discovered that I was one who chose to stand and walk with him. I was never in the presence of Jesse Halsey--rather, I sensed that I was in the presence of God! The face of Jesus Christ shone through his smile. He fed my soul and warmed my spirit. His life was the incarnation of all that one could ever hope for in a "pastoral theology."
 
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Early in his ministry he had worked with Wilfred Grenfell in Labrador. He had a distinguished pastorate in Ohio, and during the time of his professorship at McCormick, he assumed responsibility for designing and refurbishing the chapel. The area was changed from an auditorium to a sanctuary--truly a place for worship. 

As Dr. Halsey entered the classroom his greeting was always, "The Lord be with thee!"

And the class responded, "And with Thy spirit!"

The Word and Words Made Flesh: A Story of Faith in Practice, by Raymond B. Knudsen, 1999.