The New York herald., 1879-03-03

the Holy Ghost may be with us. There be ne
permanent spiritual good in any soul. in any church
but in the degree in which the Third Person of tn,
Blessed Trinity is with u.s. demonstrating the trutf
that He Is endowed with irresistible power. am te
speak this morning OF this outpouring of the Spirit
referred to by the prophet.
THE PROPHET JOEL.
There is not much to be said regarding what is
personal of the prophet Joel. The time in which he
delivered hls message is fixed approximately about
eight centuries before the coming Of Jesus Christ.
His prophecy is comparatively brief but full OF
method that enabled to classify his subjects
and divide them into three great themes. In the hrst
two chapters and part of the second we have most
vivid and graphic account of the wasting ana desc
lation of the land by the plague OF locusts After
the land is thus desolated the Lord promises
abundant rains. Then. the natural rains came
timely and abundanty to the natural Israel, making
the land prosperous so in the passage read God an
nonnces that He will pour out His Spirit, rain or
another kind producing results OF a very valuable
and permanent character. The Book closes with
description of the peace and purity and righteous
ness that shall follow God true Israel, his redeemed
family, after that judgment day.
In the passage read we have-hrst. the outpouring
of the Holy Ghost introducing this dispensation;
and secondly the great and terrible day OF the LORD
closing up this dispensation The word "after-
ward refers to the days of the Messianic dspensa-
ton these last days and the Apostle Peter quotes the
words in that sense. He does not mean to say that
the prophecy exhausted but that began at that
time. Il will pour out my Spirit, not an influence,
a form OF energy, but distinct personal force,
whom describe by the use of pronouns and
TO whom attribute personal qualities. This
is what God says He will give. II will pour out"
indicating the abundance with which this gift will be
bestowed Not that the Holy Ghost was not given
to Israel, but this gift then limited i'll amount
and in extent. Not in the Christian dspensaton.
Then both Jews and Gentiles "all hesh.' received
the gifts of the Holy Ghost. The moment it was
known that Peter was receiving Gentiles into the
church he rebuked by those who were then be-
levers and in time the first council was called to
settle the question.
We next consider the second porticn-How is this
dispensation to end? The mind of the prophet
passes on to the great of Messanic times
he second
pressions 1.-THE sun turned into darkness and the
moon into blood" are to indicate the grandeur and
scemnity of the great and terrible day of the Lord
Now, what is between? In the last is the
answer-"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be delivered" One is not safe as mat
ter of There is real danger. necessity for
escape. He shall escape who shall call upon the
of the Lord. 1t is no mere guess or hypothesis
conjecture; it is Jehovah's express declaration.
HOLY SPIRIT.
Now my dear brethren let mo make closing
appeal to you. Culture is good genius is brilliant.
civilization is u blessing. education is great privi-
lege, but may be educated villains. The thing
that want most Of all is the precious gift Of the
there a deficiency of supply, but because you have
not asked. There is at this moment very deep
feeling in this city on behalf of the people
who are living in the i'll ventilated plague
spots Of city, and it is well that that
feeling should be directed to good But
my dear brethren, remember that you may transfer
them the luxuriant club houses of the upper part
of the city, and. if you do nothing more tor them
than that. they will be trangressors still-longer
lived tranSRrc5SOrS, out transRreSSOrs
Give them light-yes; but let them have light that
comes from the Father. Let them have pure air
yes; but let them come and breathe the atmosphere
that the Holy Ghost diffuses And when this is
done, and in the measure that this is DONE shall
have guarantee for purity, piety and goodness.
"Whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord" ("
My dear brethren, have You called upon Him? You
do not need be heathens and infdes, to speak
against religions only let it alone. and how shall
you escape? In many a form have urged it upon
you and it will not be possible for You to say that
you do not know about this salvation the terms
upon which it could be had. Oh. men and brethren
of Christ this is your day. Your free
will can do what it will. You live you wish.
This is your day. but God has His. There is great
and terrible day of the Lord when the grievances
His kingdom will be redrcssed when His own honor
will be vindcated and His government cleared
of all mputation and His enemies shall be driven
from His presence. Oh. beseech you in this day of
grace If you have not received His Spirit. call upon
the name OF the Lord that you may be saved.