The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-09
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
sTBJICT or JHE INIIRNiIfONAL
SITDT IOR nORROU.
"Thc Holy Spirit Given" tile Subject OF
Rev. Edward l.. Pell's Discourse for
To.Day--Tho object Lesson.

January l0th-The Holy Spirit Given
Acts. IT,. l-l3.
The history OF Christianity begins
with the descent Of the Holy Ghost. II
was not tho first time that the Holy
Ghost was bestowed upon men, but. as
has been said. formerly the git was
ike the dew. now 1t was Ike the ram.
formerly like the carly dawnins hsht
now ike the fun spicndor and power
OF the day. Holy men OF Old had
spoken as they were moved By the
Holy Ghost. but the gift was occasion
M and transient. now IT came u?on all
that were gathered together with great
abundance and power, and II came 10
abioc.
IL was fitting that such an event should
take place on the day OF Penlecost. IL
was the day Of first fruits ana inc
day ON which the Jews recalled their oe-
Iivcrance from the bondage OF EGYPT.
moreover. 10 was "a time wnen vast nui-
tItudes were assembled az jerusalem
from All parts OF the world
Even more appropriate were the SYM
hois or signs which ATTENDED the o"l-
mourning. FOR zen days the disciples hAd
continued with one accord IN one place
FIN PRAYER and duplication for the prom
iso OF the Father. and suddenly there
came "a sound from heaven IKE the
rushing of "a mighty wind. and IL Mica
an the house where they were slttihs'
II vas not the sound of the coming
of the Holy Spirit. but a sign that lie
was coming. and a symbol Of ITS com
ins. The Spirit WAS not in the SOUND
Of the wind amy more than the i'uid
was m the wind or earthquake or hie
which preceded the stil small voice
which Elijah heard. But the GIT OF
t.c Spirit is like the wind tor aif) In
that it is invisible. and 10 ono Knows
whence it comath or whittier II soeth'
and in that il IS the ali-peilssiVe
breath of HE. gentie.yet powerful There
is no spiritual ne without the sNli''
iust as there is 10 physical life with
ont air.
Following the sound as Of wind came
tbo symbol Of IRE. The Holy Spirit was
not i'm the IRE. tut fire IS a wonderfully
striking symbol Of the Holy spirit. IL
gives light. warmth. comfort, health
beauty. power. IL IS the enemyof impufity
disease. death. g IS the great revealeri II
is mysterious.
But this fire. or the appearance OF i1e
parted into tongues and tongue sat
uron each of them" That meant that
the Holy Spirit was 10 give to eaon
tongue with which 20 preach Christ. mat
is what tho Holy Ghost always does, III
gives 10 every disciple r. tongue OF nie.
il does not bestOw upon every clscipie
a pift OF speaking in public. but Do gives
ua the power OF expression. so that
whether We arc using our tongues or ouI
hands or our feet. wherever we are. ana
81 .HI
oueut for Christ. 10 is q mistake 10 sup
nose that only the man who has gift
for pubic speaking has the GIT or the
Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost does not
work through "a single talent
After the sound of the wind and after
ths appearance Of the tongues came the
Holy Ghost. And. as the preceding SYM
Dol had prophcsicd. the disciples were
given tongues of fire. I'm this Instance
they were given power 10 preach CHRIST
r,t in their own tongue only but I'm the
languages which wcrc spoken by the null
titudcs which were assembled I'm Jefusa-
lcm Probably this was meant TO teach
them that the Gospel was for all nations,
but the lesson was lost upon them. It
was some time after that before they
realized how much use tNey had for such
q gift.
AIINTrHIIN lI4N IlrA N.Iiilr Ntt' -'''' 't
did with their now gift was TO use II
in macnifyng the name Of tho LORD,
and aftcrward when the multitude came
toeothcr. they began 20 preach Christ.
The people listened with amalement.
E.erv man heard the Gospel preached 800
DIS own language and the preachers
we're ignorant Galileaus who. iu alt prob
ability. had never before spoken in amy
nneuuro mt their own. Presently The
crowd began TO divide. ass All crowds
eventually divide. Some were concerned
90 know the meaning OF It. Others. UNI
impressed. found 10 easy TO explain ON
natural grounds and expressed their
contempt by placing the worst possible
Interpretation upon IT, Evidently these
men were dunk. they said.
A PcutccOet never comes to-day thdt
the crowd does not divide upon 10. Some
ar. amazed. and begin % inquire into its
meaning. Others are troubled for the
moment and then settle the whole mat
ter for themselves by attriDutins II TO
natural causes We VIII do well TO ask
How do we regard these wonderful mani.
feetauons of Divine power? Is there
growing disposition I'm us TO attribute
Them 20 natural causes? Do We hnd
ourselves more and more Interested IN
explaining away the supernaturalt
EDWARD J.. PLLI.