The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-09-04
The Work OF THE Holy SPIRIT.


The Saviour defines the function of the
Helper, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit,
the operation Of the Divine Word in the hu-
man soul. 1t will convince (convict) the
world of sin, of righteousness, and of judg-
ment; that is, it will bring conviction to the
ing Sin, because they believe not in me-"
The first recorded work of the Holy Spirit
as it wrought through the preaching of Peter
on the day of Pentecost, was to carry con-
viction to unbelievers that they had been
guilty of "killing the Prince of Life;" "they
we're pricked in their hearts, (Acts ii. 81.
(2) Concerning Righteousness, because go
to the Father, and you behold me no more"
They would henceforth walk by faith, and
not by sight-the faith that works by love and
purifes the heart; and the lives they would
henceforth live they would live by the faith
in the Son of COP, who loved them and gave
himself for them. They would then attain
what seemed impossible before, a compre-
hension of the kingdom of COP, as fright
eousness, peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit"
(3) Concerning judgment, because the
prince of this world has been Judged" JESUS
had before declared, in view of his glorifica-
ton, "Now is the judgment of this world;
now shall the prince of this world be cast
out"(John xii. 80. The power of evil should
be dethroned in the world when the Son of
man should come in the glory of his Father,
and by the power of mis- truth, as witnessed
by his disciples, and establish his kingdom
and his judgment in the earth. (See Mat
thew xvi. 81; XIV. BY. The departure of
JESUS was to give power to his word and to
provide opportunity for the Holy Spirit to
carry forward the work of Salvation. The
process of the Spirits work appears to be-
first, to awaken the conscience, next, to Gull
ture and purify the heart that it may work
righteousness, and finally to overcome the
power of all evil in the soul, and in all souls
The Holy Spirit, the Helper of men, inherent
in the truth of COP, the Gospel of Salvation,
produces, first, the consciousness of sinful
ness, next the reign of righteousness, and
consequently deliverance from the power of
evil,-the reign of "the prince of this world"
2 The Saviour declared that the disciples
were not then able to bear all that he might
tell them, either concerning the things per-
tanning to his glori6cation and the establish
ment and progress of his kingdom. or the
trials that awaited them. They must wait
for the development of the truth by the
power of the Holy Spirit when he should have
passed away. The soul must be awakened
to the apprehension of the highest revela-
tions of the truth, just as the ear must be
cultivated to appreciate the finer harmonies
of music, or the eye trained to perceive the
truest forms of beauty. The Spirit of truth,
however, would lead them into all truth;
that is, the truth as it is in JEsUs''-the
truth pertaining to the kingdom of heaven.
That would transmit the word of Christ in
fuller measure than he himself could an
nounce it. 1t would reveal things to come,
and glorify him by making them remember
and understand what he had declared. This
implies once more that after his departure
his disciples would be more receptive of the
truth than they could be in his bodily pres
ence.
JESUS further declared that, during the
little while when the disciples would not see
him they would weep and lament while his
enemies rejoiced; but when he reappeared, as
he would in little while, and did at his res
direction, and afterward, by the power of
His word through the Holy Spirit, their sor-
row would be turned into joy; indeed, that
which was an occasion of grief was really
transformed into an occasion of rejoicing.
So, always, weeping may endure for a
night, but Joy eometh in the morning." The
divine purposes are always and only good.
These are rapidly unfolded in the operations
of what is often the mysteriously divine
providence.
The bud may have bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower"
Souls blinded by selfish and purely worldly
interests and hopes are unable TO perceive
the true and complete meaning of providence
and life. The Illuminating power of the
Spirit in the Divine Word is needed to reveal
the fullness of their significance. The Holy
| Spirit in the name of Christ, with the power
of God, operates to-day in the hearts of sim
cere believers, convincing of sin, of right
eousness, of Judgment, teaching all things,
that are pure and lovely, purging human
souls and bringing into them peace and glad
ness.