The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-01-04
TIE Rev. Epw.np Inv,so AND THE us-

Irine before rapldly-increasing congrega-
lions at the church in Regent-square, and
the individuals tho are said to be endowed
with the Gift of the Spirit give their aid to
the labors of the Reverend Gentleman, and
enforce his arguments on the subject by nu-
merous manifestations" of their gifts. The
in this church, indeed. hid fair
to supeIce,le the most of the common topics
of interest. The unknown Tor "cloven'')
tongue is evidently becoming
" A thing to wonder at beyond most wondering;"
and even the all-absorbing question of po-
lilical reform is in danger of being absorb
ed by the more portentous reform so CONN.,
IDENTITY predicted by MIR. Irving and bis fol-
lowers.
Yesterday. morning the church was lit
orally crammed; and even after the service
had been commenced, the streets i'll the VI
cinity were nearly filed with respectable
persons of both sexes, hnrrylng to the scene.
On MI. irving ascending the pulpit he pro-
ceeded to say that after all the false and
pernicious statements that had been put
forth-after all the evil reports that had
been published and circulated 10 the worlds
end-he felt it necessary again to address
a few preliminary observations to his audi
tors. You will understand" said MIR. IT.
wing, shat this congregation has been pray
ing the Lord, for many months past, that he
would pour out the spirit in the same way
that it was done in former times; and hav-
ING done so-having asked in faith-to US,
as well as to other parts of the Church, the
Holy Ghost has been given in the same
manner which is recorded in the Scriptures.
Members of this congregation have receiv-
ed the gift of tongues, and some have man
ifested their gifts in the Church, and, after
many months careful examination and in
qury, am convinced that it is indeed the
manifestation Of the Holy Ghost. In such
state of things what was to be done but 20
give observance to Him who has thus le d
the Church into the good and molly path !!
Prophecy is given for the ediicatlon OF tie
Church l, then, being under the authority
of the Lord, and not of man, and having II ne
distinct canon of the Church in my favor, l
dare mott say il is not matter oil optic N
i dare rot for my life prevent the maIli-
festatlons which have here been heard.
have conversed with these persons day after
day. could do no more and now, bein
satisfied myself, leave it in the hands oil
the Lord, whose commands am resolved te
obey"
Mr.. Irving then commenced his serme n
selecting the 14th chap.of St. John as his tex
AMI laying great stress on the 18th verse =
"Veriiy, verify, | say unto you, he that be-
lieveth on me, the works that do shall h e
do also; and greater than these shall he do,
because go unto my Father" Here, "
said MIR. Irving, He who tells us that He
is truth--He tells US that he that belleveti1
in Hin shall do what He did, and greater
than He did. If, then, we deny this, do we
not contradict the word of our Saviour %
Aud, then, in reference to the 25th verse.
he Observed Christ here promises the
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, to abide
with US for ever And this Comforter
whose manifestations, such as the gifts of
prophecy and of tongues, &C., are write n
of in full-was intended to abide with us for
ever. His not being with US is owing TO
our own unbelef. Whoever calleth for hil n
in true faith, in the name of the Lord, sha IL
receive him according 10 the promise: In
city CT unbelief-in city where all re J.
ligion is looked upon as mere thing TO
keep people in order, we were bound TO ca II
for Him. ask. is it wrong to believe In the
word of God ? ought we not to return thanks
for his manifestations ?" Ia the course oil
the morning, whilst MIR. Irving was proceed
ing with his sermon, man in the right aisle
of the church suddenly exclaimed in II lou d
voice, "GOD's supporting me. am read 3
to be crucifsd for the true COP, but not JiNT
The Devil" And in few minutes afte r
wards, when the reverend gentleman vas
announcing his intention 10 continue his X
position of his doctrines during the coming
week, he was again interrupted by the same
individual with the question, at what hoiiT.
Sir ?" Mr.. Irving, I" do beseech the int'i-
viduals in the neighborhood of that man to
prevent his interruptions. All persons who
speak in the tongues are known to me ; all
others are but brawlers."
The service then quietly proceeded ; and
we observed that the man was taken into
the vestry at its conclusion. There were no
manifestations"
1t seems thatthe speakers in the unknown
tongues are themselves ignorant of the
meaning of the words which they utter /; the
English parts of their addresses are not,
therefore, interpretations Of the unknown
portion by which they are preceded. Mr..
Irvng's explanations are to this effect. The
speaker begins in the unknown tongue, and
COulluuC6 III INC huOWus III
tongue you have the sign of inspiratlon-in
the known tongue you have the sign of rev.
citation. The unknown tongue shows that
the speaker is under the influence of su-
perior power-a power not his own.
9 On Wednesday evening the reverend gen.
tlemaD, in reply to those who had asserted
that the unknown tongues weremere sounds
"signifying nothing" remarked as follow
" If foreigner, ignorant of the English Ian
guage, were now present, and he should see
me full of action, and my countenance fun
of ihtelligenoe-anI if he were to say, be-
cause he did not understand me, that what
am now uttering is nothing but gibberish,
that would be beyond all things uncharita-
bic. So when we see persons speaking in
the tongues, full of their subject-when we
hear what is spoken in English, and find in
it SO much holy beauty, and that it is exact
ly in accordance with the Scriptures, it is
not only uncharitable, but the greatest and
the most grievous sin to deny that it is the
work of inspiration. But ignorance is al
ways rash. People read hasty paragraph
in the newspapers, and they think the whole
mystery is contained in false statement.
But how little do they know! Are you pre-
pared to surrender your rights and privilege
es to such shallowness ~
The persons who have the gifts Of tongues
still exercise their gifts every morning at
half-past six and Mr.. Irving "ill attend in
the vestry every morning, between ten and
twelve, TO commune with those who may
have doubts TO resolve concerning "the
work of the Lord now progressing"
London Morning Herald.