Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-04-03

a e, is, skill and attaipments, are nigh
ty only through divine h'lp and bless /
ing.
4. The JaeiHy Nth Vhieh earnest me" dis.
eouer Hopeful subjects Of religious c0ort -
H.ving passed through the upper coun'
try, Paul himself now reaches Ephesus
l9:l) We lately saw that at Philipri
he was not long in discovering the lit
tie band wont TO worship at the rivers
side; and naw at Ephesus he il soon in
finding certain disciples" DIR. Kirk
once commented on the frequent say
ing OF travellers that they find no true,
earnest Christians in Paris; rema king
that he found many. Seeker find.
Earnest souls have an instinct for their
like. So. too. men who desire subjects
for hopeful effort, seldom fail TO find
them.
5. The HOLY Spirit the Crolon ef all
spiritual gifts.-The men Paul found at
Ephesus were in much the same religi'
Gus state as was Apollos when he reach
ed the place. Possibly they h' d learn
Ell their faith from him. Paul calls
them "diciples." snd speaks TO them rs
having believed" But like Apoll"s,
they were Johns disciples. Tney had
heard. we suppose, Of his testimony to
Jesus as the Lamb of God,' and be.
leved unto salvatinn. But they were
imperfect in knowledge aud practice.
The particular defect in these dici.
Piles, here noted. Was that they had
never received the special incoming OF
the Holy Spirit; nor 20 much rs heard
that he had been giren Reused pTsioH)
They had received the baptism of re.
peuiance," and doubtless looked 10 "tbe
Lamb of God" as taking away the sin Of
the world. But OF Pentecost and It's
wonders they hid not heard. Into the
blessings brought by the promised 10Th
er Comforter" they had not entered. IL
was whcR they had received fuller
knowledge and accepted the better cove
nant, aud given welcome to the Holy
Spirit, that they became sharers in pen
tecostAl JOY and power. As the Holy
Ghost come on them, "they spoke with
tongues and propheaied."
Jesus spoke of the Spirit as pre.cmi
nelly Cod. good gift. The entire new
Testament puts greater honor upon tn 5
The Christian grsces are represented As
his fruits. He guides into all truth. He
renews, and sancIifie-. and seals, and
impArts energy. Is not this proof that
what ehnrches and Christians nov most
need is the incoming of the Boly Spirit
IL il where the fulness Of his working
is experienced that MEN bear Ispturous
witness To the ble.sedness and power of
the gospel Of Christ.
PRACTICAL suG0EsrIoss.
/. Paul himself elsewhere tells US the
secret Of his life OF ceaseless missionary
work The life | now live, live by
the faith of the SON of God, who loved
me, and gave himself for me" How few
have much Of such faith.
?. Ordained preachers and men and
~omen OF learning are not the only use.
ful Christians. DIR. Tholuck ascribed his
conversion to "the luminous example"
of humble layman.
3. Faithful use OF The knowledge and
( It's We have i. the surest way to get
more, a. the case Of Apollos shows.
:. 1t is good sign whom one. who has
himself been helped, strsight~ay pushes
on, a. Apollos did, to help Others.
=. Imperfect disciples, like the twelya
at Ephesus, may be real believers; and
the beet proof that they are i. that they
give esger welcome to more truth and
grace.
6. The dispensation under which we
live il that of the other Comforter. the
Holy Spirit. The Scriptures represent
his work as no less important than that
of Christ. Nay it not be one Of our
great errors and sins that We make 20
l,ttlc Of bis person and work. In the
reyiysls Of our time Is sufficient honor
done TO him2 In personal experience
do we make sufficient account Of hs
preseUtc as the source Of joy and peace
and power?
For love of a little Child