Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-01-10
Sunday School Lesson Notes.
BY REV. j.. o. SHERBultN.
Jan. 18th: The Desceadiuy Spirit-Acts 2:l-lt
Chicago, Dec. %, 'S2.

From the scenes of the ascension, wher
The disciples separated finally from TIM
Master Tin his bodily presence,) we now
turn to the incidents connected with Tho
fuifllment of his great promise to them
He had comforted them with the assurance
that the loss they sustained by his remova
would be more than made good by the
gift of the Spirit, which he would bcstow
upon them. For this gift they waited
some ten days after his ascension. II
would seem that their time was largely
spent in the upper room where they
stayed in prayer and holy comman or
after Jesus left them. The only incident
of much moment which took place during
these ten days was the choosing of one to
take the place of Judas, who had taken
his life after betrayng his Master.
Fifty years after the Passover came the
day of Penticost, another great national
feast day among the Jews. This was first
kept as kind of harvest feast, called the
feast of the first fruits, because they
brought in the first sheaf of wheat, and
the priest waved it before the Lord rs a
token of gratitude on that day. 1t was
also called the feast of weeks, because
it came seven weeks, or week OF
weeks after the Passover. In later
Jewish times this feast also commem GRATED
the giving of the law which was found to
have occurred fifty days after the first
Passover. Upon this feast day, the
anniversary of the giving of the law. came
the greater gift of the Holy Spirit. AS to
the manner of his coming no comment is
needed. Suddenly, with Il great noise and
from heaven are the only items given us
in this accolnt. Accompanying these
manifestations there came visible sign
of the Spirits presence. flame in the
form of cleft or cloven tongue sat upon
each of them, as it is said; probably
rested upon the brow Or head.
Immediately they were filled with the
Spirit and began to speak with tongues
they had not been able to use before,
declaring the wonderful works of God.
This appearance of the flaming tongue
symbolized the ready and effective utter
ance which was conferred upon the
disciples, that they might show forth the
things Of God. According to the divine
command, the devout Jews from all parts
of the world we're at Jerusalem to keep
the feast. Soon it became known through
the city that these disciples had received
power to speak with various tongues, and
at once multitude were gathereltogether
Their astonishment was without limit,
when they heard themselves addressed
each in his native tongue. They could
give no explanation of the matter, and
hence were confounded. To give an idea
of tho number of different languages they
were able to speak, Luke mentions the
vide range of nations represented there
Beginning with the regions to the far
eastward of Judea he mentions four
nations. almost directly east, then he
enumerates several of the leading states of
Asia Minor, five in all next three states
of Africa; then, inhabitants of the island
of Crete, also people from Arabia, the
country southeast of Judea; ana strangers
from Rome. These multitudes were partly
Jews by birth and partly proselytes, or
natives of these countries who had
embraced the Jewish faith, all together
they heard in their own tongues the
wonderful works of God. As would be
natural under such circumstances, ques-
tions arose, and no one could account for
what they heard and saw. Some who
were so much opposed to Christ and his
followers that they would not consider
the matter calmly, began to insnuate
that these disciples were filed with wine
They were not reasonable enough to
consider that, while wine might make
men talkative, no amount of it could make
a Galilean able TO speak Syriac, Captic
or Greek. A large part of the opposition
which Christianity has encountered has
been just as unreasoning as was this
mocking of opposers at the day of Pente-
cost; and generally Christians have
thought it necessary to answer it lust as
Peter did; but it may be questioned
whether his sermon would not have been
everyway as potent if he had paid no
attention to the senseless charge made
against him and his companions. And
often, since his time, energies have been
exhausted in defence of some action of the
church Or in opposing some inlidel false
hood when, in reality, there was no
defence or opposition called for. Blu