The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-03-15
PREPARATION SERVICES
For the Lords Supper, at tho First
Presbyterian Church.
WHAT THE POWER FROMON HIGHS
Ably Explained by Rev. a. u, Mar
shall, OF East Livorpool...aIuch In.
tercst Manifested In tho Meetings,
aud u Large Audience Attends

q .
Tho preparatory acrvicestfor tho
Lords Supper, whichis to take place at
the First Presbyterian church on Sun
day, March 81, began yesterday evening.
Tho lecture room OF tho church WIS
vol filled with an attentive audience,
md in Mr.. Marshalls sermon much in
terest was manifested, Mr.. Marshall
will address the meetings every evening
until Friday evening inclusive; noxt
week, at loast in the first part OF the
week, Rev. DR.. Alexander, OF St. Glars
svillc, and in the latter part ofthe week
Rev. DR.. William Lester, OF West Alex
andcr, will preach tho evening sermons.
For Yesterdays discourse Rov. Mr..
Marshall took for his text the twenty
fourth chapter OF Luke, forty-ninth
verse: And behold, send the pro-
mise OF my Father unto you; but tArry
here yc in the city OF Jerusalem. until
We DO cndued with power from on high"
"We have all noticed times" said tho
preacher, lin the life OF every church,
when the pastor and the mombcrs seem
to be especially gifted for a
TIE SERVICE or CHRIST. y
"Thero are other times when tho min
lister seems to DO saying q lesson, rather
than revealing grand message from on
high; along tho lines OF christian en-
deavor the work seems to be ritual, and
appears to be dead. Iii ill our lives
there arc times when we seem to be
able to almost grasp the hand OF God;
when We open tho word the word
speaks to our hearts and brings bless
ing with it; We meet some person not
OF Chris"s kingdom and when we gay.
we wish they had place therein the
tears come to their eyes, and they are
Immediately ready for convcrsing on
spiritual things. There are other times
when we go to this one or that one and
speak OF christian life, and they hear us
unmoved. When We look over the
church we sec some ministers who
seem to stand head and shoulders above
Others. and are singularly gifted in
preaching the word OF God.
There are various explanations given
for this we'll known fact, but l think
there arc none SO good as this one:
Unless power from on high be given us,
We are like Samson shorn OF his locks,
we are like tree in winter, before it
has budded forth, and our work in the
Masters kingdom profitoth little. Re-
lerrlng to the time indicated by the
reading OF our text, we know that then
the church organized by Christ had
life, had organization and had officers;
but the one thing lacking was
THE POWER FROM on HIGH.
1t was like 4 boiler filled with water,
ready to do its work, but with no fire to
turn the water into steam and to move
the engine. And knowing this the
members OF the church waited for the
fultillment OF the promise Of the Re-
decmer."
Here Rev. Mr.. Marshall made d.
erosion and picturcsquelyG described
the feelings and actions Of The; disciples,
while waiting Tor the fulGllmcnt OF
Christs promise. How they gathered
in their little room, on the Thursday
following the ascension, and waited for
the power from on high; how every
day thereafter their meetings were held,
and with what disappointment they
must have been filed, when their
prayers were not heard. When the
Lords day came around they remem-
bercd that on this day He had always
been with them, and on this day, they
thought, Ho would send His messenger.
But He came not. II think l see them
now, kneeling there in establishment, per-
haps in gloom. They have been think
ing when the Lord must come; in
sense they have been debating to Him,
Just as We do sometimes in praying to
God. But ut last they see that it is not
Tor them to say, when the Lord shall
keep His promise, and finally, come to
a sense OF their presumption, they pray
to God that lIo shall fulfill his promise,
when it pleases Him best. And, 10, on
that Sunday morning q sound as OF q
rushing wind fills the room; tongues rs
OF flame appear, and the disciples speak
to every one that comes in in his own
language. Tho mon who crucifcd Christ
fall down and cry: What must We do,
that our sins be RENTED us2
WHAT DID THE DISCIPLES GET,
that they did not have before? 1t was
not illumination; it was not education.
They told no things, that we're new, or
that they did not know before 1t was
not better understanding. 1t was not
something for that particular month or
year, forit has continued ever since.
1t seems to me it was the Holy Spirit
taking mans internal life, and making
it q living persuasive force.
And this power OF the Holy Spirit,
only Christians will have it; only those
who have really abandoned their sins
and accepted Christ rs their Lord and
Savior and consccratcd themselves to
God. have known special meetings
like this to be nearly fruitless, because
minister and people lacked this power.
Tho disciples were Christians, yet it was
q long time before they got the power to
impart Christian teachings" 'u
As Rev. Mr.. 5Iarshall said, those who
would have the power must BIO prayer
full Christians, and depend upon God to
impart the power. Hc instanced the
example OF Jacob, who was about to
succumb while wrestling with the angel,
and prevailed at last by calling on God.
When the preacher forgets his elo-
quencc and learning, then he will get
the power. In reading the history OF
the Washington Presbytery he had
read that in the old days, when the
houses were small and the families
large, and there were no closets in
which the ministers
COULD INDULGE IN SILENT PRAYER, u
| thcvs would 20 ont of the housa nj mn