The herald., 1897-04-05
Rev. VIM. Stevenson breaches
at Simpson
IS NOT THIS THE CARPENTER?
AN IMPRESSIVE DISCOURSE BY
REV. BURT ESTES HOWARD
A Colored Divine Occupies the Pull
pit Of the First Presbyterian.
Rev. Alfred Clark cn
Neighborly Love

AT Unity church yesterday morning
the pastor, Rev. ]. S. Thomson, preached
upon "Chrlst's Doctrine Concerning the
Holy Ghost" using the text, THE Com
forter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
will send in my name, shall teach you
all things" John iv:2G.
God manifests himself in eternity, in
finity, wisdom, power, justice, love and
spirit. These seven manifestations are
seven attributes, modes, conditions or
qualities of Gods mind. They are not
seven persons in the Godhead, according
to the poetical style, we personify attri-
butes, qualities and things. Wisdom is
as strongly psrsonified in the eighth
chapter of Proverbs as the spirit is per-
sonified in Johns gospel; and the Ma
sonic word is personified in the first chap
ter of John. The Holy Ghost is an attri-
butte of Gods mind 1t is in the neuter
gender in the Greek new testament. 1t
is not person, II Is simply the personifi-
cation of an attribute. In human be-
ing there are five natures or five great
departments of life-animal, emotional,
intellectual, moral and spiritual; but
there are not five persons in man.
The spirit of God represents the mind
of God just as the spirit of man repre-
sents the mind of a man. When man
dies, when the spirit departs, no part of
the man remains behind, except his
earthly form. In the largest sense Gods
spirit is divine providence. It controls,
preserves and guides the universe. In
special sense, the Holy Ghost is the su-
preme schoolmaster of all the souls in
the universe. 1t is God teaching his chill
dren in all worlds. When a professor
teaches students, we do not say that the
third person of the professor teaches
them. The teaching quality of the pro-
fessor's mind does the work. Gods mind
teaches us. God himself teaches u.s.
Gods spirit is God himself, just as
mans spirit is the man himself. Gods
spirit does not change human nature.
1t inspires human genius, when it is pre-
pared by study, prayer and work, to re-
ceive the inspiration.
1t inspired Moses as thinker, Aaron
as a speaker Miriam as singer, Joshua
as general, Samson as a man of great
physical strength. Gods spirit does not
inspire lazy or idle people; for, if it did,
it would encourage idleness. Christs
disciples were prepared for the penta-
costal baptism. Gods spirit has no re-
spect for sectarian lines. 1t teaches all
souls that seek its guidance. No denom-
ination can monopolize its divine infiu-
ences; and no church is, or can be, ex-
cluded from its blessings, except by ig-
norance and sin We inherit much
knowledge from the past; and our col
ieges, schools and books give us nothing
but inherited knowledge There is
Inn 0f trl1fh in the rVEte rie
about US, and the original thinkers of the
race penetrate these mysteries with
bowed heads and praying hearts, seek
ing some of Gods truth; and the Holy
Ghost meets these daring souls beyond
the boundaries of inherited wisdom and
lifts the veil of nature and shows them
new truths.
All teaching in church and school
should aim to prepare the human spirit
to sit at Gods feet and to learn with rev.
erence the lessons of eternal life. Christ
said that God would send the spirit in
Christs name to teach us all things.
'In Christ's name" signifies in Christ's
spirit, in obedience to the precepts of
the gospel. in studying, praying. trust
ing, working, suffering, like Christ He
who follows Christ according to his pow
ers and opportunities will realize God in
his soul. teaching him the truth. God
had taught Christ the gospel which he
brought from heaven to earth, and God
only can give us the spiritual sense of
the gospel.
No higher criticism, no sectarian the
ology, no creed, no confession, no arti-
cles of belief, can open to us the scrip
lures of eternal life. We must be
taught by God. and his divine spirit must
be born in us. Gods spirit reveals to
our spirit the deep things of life.