Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-03-14
Sunday School Lesson Notes.
BY REV. j. o. SHERBURN.
March 25th, Quarterly Review.

DR.. Vail, in his notes for this in the
Christian Aduocate suggests that Acts 4: 80
would be a proper golden text for the
quarter.
We have been at work upon lessons
which all have to do with the new dispen-
sation, the dispensation of the Holy Spirit
For while we know that He had been in
the world inspiring men and debating the
scriptures before given, yet his work had
not been so prominent before us now.
God the Father was the leading person of
the Godhead brought to view in the Old
Testament times. In due time Christ
came and the attention of the moral
universe is turned in wonder upon him.
But he plainly told his followers that 1t
was expedient for them that he should 90
away; and this was the ground upon
which he made that assertion. "If 90 not
away the Comforter will not come unto
you"
In the first lesson Of this quarter we find
the infant church in a position of waiting
for this promised Comforter.
In the:few verses which make up the first
lesson we find the Holy Ghost mentioned
three times, and this before His special
coming at Pentecost. They were yet
waiting for Him. One thought connected
with these lessons ought to give them
particular interest for us. We live under
the Spirits dispensation. The divine
method in our time is the method of
Pentecost. As the early disciples reached
the wonderful qualifications which tho
Spirit gave by waiting in one accord for
him, so may we at the present obtain the
like blessing. The lessons following the
first give us many views of what practical
results were then reached under the work.
ings of The Spirit. Let us study them. We
are taught that 1.-The Spirit is given to
every man to profit withal. The gain in
achievements for God and humanity then
ought still to appear in our times. The
second lesson shows us that with the
coming of the Spirit came also great
power to communicate the truths of the
gospel.
This was practical result of the Spirits
aid, needed now as then for the progress
of the church. We may not now expect
the special gifts of tongues which will
enable us 10 tell the wonderful things of
God to all people by divine empowering.
but if the Spirits power really rests upon
he church, way will be found out soon
give the glad tidings to the nations.
The Spirits presence makes evangelists
of men always; and either they will
personally 60 TO carry the word of life to
those who are destitute of it, or they will
send, by giving of their means to enable
others to go.
The third lesson shows us tho results of
preaching under the power of the Holy
Spirit.
Men were pricked in their hearts, a
result vastly more to be desired than to be
pleased in the mind or satisfied in our
sense of the fitness of things. When the
heart is reached and moved the life will be
changed. Those who were convicted
under the power of the spirit went forward
at one in the way of owning Christ. They
we're babtized. and joined themselves to
the company of the disciples. They were
continuously engaged in Christian service
and were sound in doctrine. They loved
each other and lived for others; sold their
possessions. The coming of the spirit
makes men loyal, loving and liberal. The
same results follow his work today; and
we need not Aatter ourselves that we have
the gift of the spirit unless there are these
marks in our lives.
Lesson four shows us that under the
Spirits power bodily healing was wrought.
The Spirit makes men able to alleviate
even bodily Ills. This ability is still given
and whether man speaks tho word of
healing, as Peter did, or Is moved to found
and endow hospital which shall be