The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-11-21
BIRT HRICHT
FOR POTTACE.
Ministers Should Keep at The Foot
of the Cross.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE HOLY
GHOST SINCE YOU BEL1EvEDa-
THE FOLLY OF THE BLIND;
LEADING THE BLIND-DoN,T
PASS SENTENCE UNTIL you
READ THE FOLLOWING.

Havs you received Him vet? Do Won
know what mean by this questions Is
1t Il vague or is it n definite commando
Is IT a sort of an indefinite commando? Is
1t sort of an indefinite influence TO you.
or the receiving of the person? May the
splr's Himself do u definite work in your
heart to-day as You read these lines Let
him turn on the searchlght of Gods
word upon your heart Have YOU re-
lievel?" If you have not definitely, by
an act of faith, done so, you have not vet
been obedient to one of the last commando
OF Jesus. Take your Bible and see for.
yourself II 1t is not definite and specific
command. The enemy has long de-
trauded us of it's true import. sob, yes,n
you say, 81 play of course for the guild
ance OF the Holy Spirit.'
That will not do dear one The cues
ton Is very plain one. The command
was very plain Receive We the Holy
Ghost. "-Jno. 20:22. Have you received
Him? Paul put this question to the
church at Ephesus. The Revised Yer
sion puts TIA little differently and even
makes 1T more emphatic that the King
James Version, if anything. "Did you
receive the Holy Ghost when you be-
lievedf" Didyou? You ought to know. Or
1syour answer the same that Paul received
q00nt
this matter, just as these dear ones we're
in Acts 10 2. You have just what YOU re-
ceived by faith. / mean by that, YOU
nave what you receive by an active and
u definite faith. Passive faith in this
matter will avail you nothing l doubt
IL passive faith ever accomplishes any-
thing; but sure am, IL will not avail any
thing where definite work in the soul or
spirit Is concerned for that matter the
body either. We need this definite and
active faith in and for the Triune God
for the triune man. But I am getting
away from the question tina. we are to
think specially about just now. viz:--
Have you ever definitely so received tIig
holy Spirit!" Perhaps there is min
lister of the Gospel reading these lines.
and you will say to me, 'swhy OF course
have, else how could | be successful
soul winner or how could even become
a ministers Surely this would indicate
that had taken this step of faith at
some time, consciously or unconsciously.
True, the Indications On the exterior may
seem all right, but this question, in this
phase OF 1t. does not deal with externaIs
at all. 1t concerns you and you alone
as put 1t now. Now you may be Just
where the disciples We're in reference to
the Holy Ghost, previous to the day OF
Pentecost. Jesus makes the two eSper-
iences quite distinct. And in speaking
OF them He says, as He talks to the dis
cipes about the Holy Ghost: "Now He Ia
with you, then He shall be in you.,,
The Holy Ghost was then in Jesus, and
az Jesus Was with them, so was thei
Holy Ghost, and with them too, in all thei
pcwer of His personality; but he was
specihcaliy and for definite purpose inl
Jesus. and Their. He must remain until
the won k IN Him is finished and Jesus is
seated at the right hand of the Father.
ihen ana not till then will He be at lib
erty to begin any other specific work,
ANA so Jesus says,-"lt is eNpedient for
you that go away: for if 90 not away.
the Comforter will not come unto Won:
but II go will send Hin, unto you.''
-Jno. 1867. SO ms soon as Jesus gets To
Heaven He is not long in fulfilling His
promise to His waiting disciples. His ;,
mission is specific one. lie is here TO
prepare Bride for Christ. This is His
business. And rything that is need
tui- Tor Him to accomplish this has heen
committed to Him. And unless YOU re-
celVe Him you never can be II member of
the Bride OF Christ. You cannot rrepare
yourself, and Jesus does not-that is,
In that official and specific sense. This
work In this sense is committed 20 the
Holy Spirit AMI 10 Hin alone. Ard God
the Father will acknowledge no other
agency in preparing II Bride FOR His Son,
God demands it, and Jesus demands il.
Being an ordained minister or an evan.
getlst Will not s,iffice here Being q SIM
DAY school superinlen dent ora Sunday
schoo' teacher will not do. Being any or
contiuued on seven,h page