The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-09-04
The Sunday School.
BY REV. G. l.. DEMAREST, DID.
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER IL, 1885.
THE MISSION OF THE SPIRIT.
John xvi. 5-20.]
The HELPER.

the way to the garden of Gethsemane) con-
corning his going from them and the afflic-
lions which they will be called to endure in
the time of humiliation which would precede
his glorifcation. He had not revealed these
things before because of his presence with
them, but now as he is about to depart to go
to the Father whom he has revealed, he pre-
pares them for the manifestation of GoD in
the Holy Spirit when his ministry as the Son
of Man should presently be completed.
Their hearts were filled with sorrow at his
revelations of what was about to occur, both
to their Master and to themselves. But he
told them that notwithstanding all the au-
guish with which they contemplated the COM
ing separation from him, and the severe
trials that awaited them, it was actually bet
ter for them that his bodily presence should
he withdrawn in order that his spiritual pres
ence might be yet nearer and more effectively
with them. In bodily presence he could be
with but few at time, but spiritually he
could be with all alike at all times. Besides,
they needed to be trained to walk by faith
and not by sight. He who was now aoith
them could come to dwell in them, and be
perpetual source of comfort and help. eff Il
do not go away" he said, 'the Helper (the
Comforter) will not come to you, but if go
will send him." He would come as an Ad-
vocate and Spirit of Truth to help them to an
understanding of his words and works which
all the while they had misunderstood. In
former studies we have suggested the reason
why the continued life of the Saviour upon
.tl
failure: because of the inability of the peo-
pie to dissociate from the MESSIAH their
earthly conceptions of him. 1t was needful
that the disciples should get rid of their faith
in him as the King of Israel, that room might
be made for the thought of him as the Saw
Jour of the world.
2 The word Comforter" which has been
retained in the Revised Version, does not
express the scope and force of the original.
1t is used only by John, of all the New Tes-
lament writers, and appears four times in
the conversation of which our Lesson is
part, and once in the first Epistle. The four
times it is translated Comforter" the one
Advocate - The Revisors have placed
Advocate" ''Helper" and "Parcalete" (the
Greek word Anglicized) in the margin. The
primary meaning is SCALED fol" Scaled to
ones aid" "heIper." Thus an advocate at
law or comforter is ones helper: but the
word "helper" is more comprehensive, and
may include the idea of any help appropriate
to the occasion of its use. Evidently the
Gospel intended more than simply the idea
of comfort, though that is included. "Com-
forter" was probably retained in the Revised
Version because of the sacred associations
connected with it. But to have put in its
place the word "Helper" would have en-
larged the scope of the idea and more exactly
expressed the meaning of the original.
8 We proceed to give the Saviour's deini-
tions: 81 will pray the Father, and He shall
give you another Comforter (Helper), that
he may abide with you forever the Spirit of
Truth" (John xiv. 16, ~. "The Comforter,
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you all things,
and bring all things to your remembrance"
xiv 26). "When the Comforter is come,
whom will send unto you from the Father,
the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from
the Father, he shall bear witness of me" (xv.
26). The other instance of use in the Gospel
is in the text. Three times "the Comforter"
is said to be "the Spirit of TRUTH" once, "the
Holy Spirit" 1t is said that the Father would
give the Comforter-another Comforter or
Helper-other than JESUS; the Father would
send it in the name of JESUS; JESUS would
send it from the Father; it proceedeth from
the Father; again, "If CO." said JESUS, 81
will send him unto you."
1t may be of interest here to remark that
the Greek church separated from the Roman
upon the point with reference to the proceed
ure of the Holy Spirit, dividing upon the
single word titioque-'and the Som: the
former holding to the phrase as exclusive,
(which proceedeth from the Father" (John
XIV. 261; while the latter in the Nicene Creed
coupled the Son with the Father, (which pro-
ceedeth from the Father and the Sou Gill
0qle). 1t seems but a small point upon
which to wreck the unity of a church, espe-
cially when the difficulty might have been
obviated by refraining from the definition.
Let our differing convictions be respected, 80
long as the foundations remain firm. The
unity of the faith does not imply identity of
opinion in all matters.
4 One of the distinctive points of differ
ence between Evangelical" and "Catholic"
Christians on one hand, and those called
non-evangelical on the other, is that of the
nature of the Holy Spirit. Is it distinct
person of the Godhead, the Father being
COP, the Son being GoD, and the Holy Spirit
being GoD, these three, yet being one COP,
and not three? Leaving the question as to
the Deity of the Son, we consider the nature
of the Holy Spirit.-The question of person
atty is not determined by the use of mascu-
line pronouns, he, himself, his, him. In the
Greek, gender is not determined merely by
sex, but by other considerations. Besides,
such pronouns, as we'll as feminine, are often
applied by personiication. We do not think
of the Holy Spirit as third person in the
Godhead, any more than the spirit of man
as another person than the man himself.
The Holy Spirit is giyen is poured out, is the
medium of baptism, is received by men, fills
the soul, moves men to action, falls on hear
ers of the word; men drink of it; it is admin
istered by men, bears fruit in mems lives,
may be quenched. These terms are exclu-
of that of Deity. On the other hand we find
such expressions as these; The Holy Spirit
said; it seemed good to the Holy Spirit; the
Spirit bade me; we're forbidden of the Holy
Spirit; the Spirit suffered them not; the Holy
Spirit came; the Holy Spirit witnesseth; the
temple of the Holy Spirit; and the like. Such
expressions, taken alone, imply personality,
but not necessarily Deity.
There are also sundry medal terms applied
to the operations of the Holy Spirit: led up
of the Shirt. the Shirt of tha Fathar snaalr-