The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-10-29
0. Lessons.

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!. Our lesson occurred on what We now call
Holy Thursday, or the night before Good Fri.
day. As Jews reckoned time the lesson was
on Friday, since they began each day at about
| q o'clock Of the evening. By our mode chro-
nOlOgically the scene is located on Thursday
evening; that is to say, the night Just before
Good Friday morning.
? On the upper-room. CT st. Luke. 90: 10 II.
IL was On Mt Zion, one of the five hills on
which Jerusalem was built
3. The hearers are mentioned as the Eleven.
from the fact it appears from 10 30 that Judas
retired from the company some time before
4. The departure Of Christ may date from
the next day friday, or from his Ascension.
which took place 40 days afterward. The latter
is to be preferred. IL occurred from Mt. Olives.
Christ went To Paradise.
;. St. John. g Is, is answer to the question
why the Father sent Christ
g. The original for Comforter" Nv. N il
paraclete. the One called to another; called for
the purpose of rendering help. Afford trans
lates, helper.
z. 1t is a more than human claim for Christ
to declare he would send the Holy Spirit. and
that the descent Of the Spirit depended on his
going to the Father. wa
3. We should do the expedient only when
said expedent is right. Wrong is never expe-
dent. The expedient is that which is best,
right on the long run, and not always that
which is easiest or pleasantest.
.. The truth in verse 10 is specially the
Bible. We think, however, that the Holy
Spirit may be our guide in invention, dis
cOvcTy, science, etc.
10. The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost dav-
or about 90 days after our Savior promised his
advent tActs, Chap. p, or 10 days after the
Ascension.
l. Offices of the Holy Spirit.
1t was very necessary the Holy Spirit should
come to earth.
He is the Comforter. There were 10 be sad
hours TO the Disciples. Their hearts were 10 be
crushed by sorrow. They stood in great need
of consolation. But more still, the Comforter
was 20 come and remain. Christ's stay here
was for only 33l years but the Holy Spirit was
10 be permanent resident here in the hearts
Of men. Then Christ was local. He could
come in contact only with few people Of any
certain community. He could comfort only
the few he CHANGED TO meet here and there
But the Holy Spirit was to be everywhere for
all time. Christ's promise of comfort through
the third Person of the Trinity reached out 10
us aud includes US. 10 was expedient for US all
that Christ departed and sent the Holy Shirt
The want OF this world is comfort as an offset
TO sorrow, persecution, trial. toll, disappoint-
ment. No places are too distant, no hearts too
crushed, no losses too great, no treachery too
cruel to Outmateh the consultations of Heaven
The Holy Spirit cheers US in such measure as
to drive away dependency and melancholy,
and replace them by hope and Joy.
Another office work of the Holy Spirit ia 10
convince the world of sin. He is the Agitator
Of the conscience. He will not let men sleep
in wickedRess. He ehldes every evil. lie
forces Us To believe IN Christ 10 is a gross sin
not TO trust Jesus. 1t is well the Holy Spirit
so disturbs men that they must exercise faith
in Christ. (V. 81 When men lose confidence
in God they are sure to sin. Lack of belief is
itself a sim
The holy Spirit likewise shows the world
what righteousness is; gives a standard by
which To determine its existence and degree i'm
ourselves and others; so distinguishes between