The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-27
AT TRINITY NJ. L. CHURCH
An ERTON PREACHED
YESTERDAY RY REY. u. u. KIDDER.


Receive and Recognize the Holy Ghost
What Paul Meant by the Holy Ghost
. Its PersonaIity-TrueL Life of the soul-A
Fruitful Discourse-Listened to by
Large Congregation.
AT Trinity NJ. 70. church yesterday
a large congregation listened to an eX-
cellent sermon by the new minister of
the church, Rev. Mr.. Kidder. The sub
ject of the sermon was 1.-THE Secret of
Power" and the text is found in Acts
1872, HE said unto them, have We re-
ceived the Holy Ghost since We believ-
ed? And they said unto Him, we have
not so much as heard whether there be
any Holy Ghost" Mr. Kidder spoke in
substance as follows:
1T is doubtful whether Paul ever had
more important field of labor than
Ephesus, which was the metropolis of
Asia, the prominent center of Greek
culture and the seat of the worship OF
Diana, whose temple was one OF the
seven wonders of the world. Nowhere
had the disciples of Christ need to be
more thoroughly established in the
truth than in the midst of this envi-
ronment of worldliness and false phil
osophy. The church at Ephesus was
small, but whether Paul was preach
ing to one person or to one thousand,
his Fundamental truths were the same.
Why did Paul ask this question, have
you received the Holy Ghost? Was it
not from the fact that he found some
thing lacking in these disciples? Per-
haps he found them idling, or they may
have been satisfied with themselves.
Possibly they were living very COM
fortably with the world SO that one
could hardly tell whether or not they
were servants of Diana.
ut is very likely that the disciples
were lacking in the quantity of their
' Christian testimony Paul knew in
whom he had to believe. He had been
delivered from the bondage of corrup-
ton into the glorious liberty of the
children of God, and he had the wit
ness in his own soul that he was a
child of God.
1.-THE disciples honestly desired to
a lead better lives They had been bap-
tized under Johns baptism, the bap-
tism of repentance One thing then
was certain-they were sincere. Sin
certify is a glorious starting point for
any soul, but sincerity in itself is not
salvation. The Hindoo devotee who
throws himself under the car of Jug
gernaut is sincere, but has not found
the true way of peace and eternal life.
Paul saw something more for these dis
ciples than they had received, and it
was his great mission to put them in
possession of it.
Now let US consider the experience
of the Euphesian disciples before Paul
arrived and soon after before they had
so much as heard that there was any
Holy Ghost. They were trying simply
to keep the moral law. After Paul had
preached the gospel of Christ the Holy
Spirit came upon them and they spoke
with tongues and prophesied.' Imme-
diately they began to live larger,
freer, stronger life. Whatever way be
the explanation of this, no one can
question the fact. How did it come to
pass?
stand fully the answer to this question,
would it not be worth our while to seek
the experience and wait for the expla
nation until we reach the kingdom of
heaven? Every sincere soul desires to
increase in wisdom and in power. He
desires larger outlook upon the
things of time and eternity, a deeper
penetration into spiritual realities, a
broader sympathy with man, greater
power to serve his fellow men, a closer
union with God. All these things came
into the lives Of these Ephesian disci-
pies Of that day If Paul were preach
ing in New Haven this morning is 1t
not probable that he would ask this
same question, Have we received the
Holy Ghost since We believed?
Let us inquire first. what did Paul
mean by the Holy Chose? He means
lat least the spirit of holiness, the spirit
of love and the whole spirit of truth
that puts divine qualities into a mans
soul, but he means more than this. The
Holy Ghost is spoken of throughout
the scriptures as person. as where
the apostle says, Give not the Holy
Spirit of Cod and again when Christ
DluS Ills ulSClpleS " pdpllZe DGlIoV6rS
I'm the name of the Father the Son and
the Holy Ghost. When this divine
spirit comes to dwell in a human heart
1T is not we that live. but God that
Dives in us.
GLOW shall believer recognize the
Holy Ghost? Christ says very little in
regard to the How We are simply to
recognize Him. to open our hearts and
He comes in as air rushes into vacu-
UNI or as the light floods the room when
the shutters are open. He came upon
the Ephesian disciples when they We're
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
file comes only in the name of Christ
10 recognize Christ fully is to be filled
with the divine spirit. The Holy Spirit
IN the heart of the believer gives assur-
hnce of acceptance with God. 1t gives
The fullness of spiritual life. The spirit
bf God is the life of the SOUL and this
withdrawn means the death of the soul.
The Holy Spirit in the heart of the be-
lever means power The promise of
Christ to His disciples was 'Ye shall re-
eefve power after the Holy Ghost comes
upon you
"When a soul comes in touch with or
avs hands on the power of God the
spirit of God brings it to let your light
20 shine before men that they may see
your good works and glorify your
Father who is in heaven and then and
l. 81 L H.