75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

"May our country ever be the instrument of righteousness in the hand of the Eternal."

On the Sunday morning of December 7, 1941, Rev. Jesse Halsey preached his farewell sermon to the Cincinnati congregation he had served for more than 28 years and delivered the pulpit vacant. In the evening, the new pastor Rev. Clayton Williams, a former French minister who was a Paris war refugee, was installed. The succession agreement didn’t happen in the Presbytery of Cincinnati according to standard procedure, but happened via my great-grandfather’s direct order: Jesse wanted to get Rev. Williams out of Nazi-occupied France.

Pearl Harbor occurred between the two services, upsetting everything. At the evening service, Rev. Joseph R. Sizoo, of New York City, said: "If we had confidence in Jesus, we could expect him to say at this time the same thing with which he comforted people at a similar time in the first century. He would repeat today, 'at the heart of things there is a God who is not hate but love.'"

"This will officially end my very happy pastorate"

  December 4, 1941

The Seventh Presbyterian Church

East Walnut Hills, Cincinnati

Jesse Halsey, minister

Dear Friends and Parishoners:

“For your fellowship in the Gospel, from the first day even until now, I thank my God on every remembrance of you, being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ.”

“And this I pray: that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

Next Sabbath morning, December seventh, we will celebratethe Holy Communion together. Mr. Williams and Mr. Warr will assist me in theservice. At the close, I will, by order of the Presbytery, “declare the pulpit vacant.” This will officially end my very happy pastorate of over twenty-eight years. For unnumbered kindnesses to me and to mine, I am deeply grateful. You have been an ideal Church; may you always continue so to be and so to do.

Next Sunday evening at eight o’clock, the Reverend Clayton Williams will be installed as pastor by a committee of Presbytery. Dr. Joseph Sizoo of St. Nicholas’ Church, New York, will preach the sermon. A large congregation will be present to greet the new pastor who comes to undertake the ministry of The Gospel in this, the Church of our united love and devotion.

May God bless you and bless your new minister. He will receive at your hands the same generous and loyal support that you have always accorded his predecessor who, though he always remains your true friend, must now sign himself for the last time as

YOUR MINISTER

Jesse Halsey

Walnut Hills Church Installs Its New Pastor; Former Minister Delivers Farewell Sermon

Just before the installation last night of the new pastor of Seventh Presbyterian Church, Walnut Hills, the incoming minister, Rev. Clayton E. Williams, center, joined the former pastor, Rev. Jesse Halsey, right, and Rev. Joseph R. Sizoo, New York City, who delivered the sermon, in a last-minute conference in the church study.

The Enquirer, Cincinnati
Monday, December 8, 1941

In a simple but impressive service, Rev. Clayton E. Williams was installed last night as pastor of Seventh Presbyterian Church, Walnut Hills, where for 28 years the pulpit was occupied by one of Cincinnati's most widely known clergymen and civic leaders, Rev. Jesse Halsey.

Rev. Mr. Halsey gave the charge to the  people in last night's ceremony, having delivered his farewell sermon at the morning service. He said in his sermon, "May our country ever be the instrument of righteousness in the hand of the Eternal."

Rev. Joseph R. Sizoo, New York City, gave the sermon last night, a talk fraught with the significance of the hour as he recalled that he and Rev. Mr. Williams, an old friend, were in France together in what must be known now as the "former war" and not the "last war."

"Believe or not---men are brothers," declared Rev. Mr. Sizoo. "Until they act brotherly there can be no peace."

Rev. Mr. Sizoo, a native of Holland, said: "If we had confidence in Jesus, we could expect him to say at this time the same thing with which he comforted people at a similar time in the first century."

"He would repeat today, 'at the heart of things there is a God who is not hate but love.'"

Rev. Mr. Sizoo flew here for the service after delivering a sermon in the morning at his church, St. Nicholas Collegiate Church, New York, one of the oldest churches in that city.

Aside from his part in the installation and propounding of the constitutional questions--conducted by Rev. John H. Cowan, pastor of Westminster Church and Moderator of the Presbytery, in accordance with custom--Rev. Mr. Williams was given little to say in his first service in the huge church. His only active part in the service was to pronounce the benediction.

 . . .

In his farewell sermon Rev. Mr. Halsey said that "memories are precious things. Man wants to be remembered, whether it is in gravestones, pyramids, or the cairns of cave men. Our Lord very humanly said, "This do in remembrance of me.'"

"We call His memorial a sacrament because He is in it. Many other memorials are sacramental in significance. In this hour the flag takes on new significance--it has sacramental value--it is a symbol of a living faith in great human values which we call democracy."

"We need to remember that he who puts the state before God, however, commits sacrilege. God comes first and under God governments are ordained."