The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-27
WORDS OF APOSTLE PAUL
THEY ARE CONSIDERED IN
THEIR VARIOUS PHASES.
1.-The Age of Tongue-speaking, Mir
acle and Prophecy Is Past - The
Age of Latin Prayers and Lengthy
Creeds Is Passing - The Chief
End of Christianity.

NlSIouTSe on the GIT OF tongues Nto-
terday forenoon. He chose for his text
the words of Paul in his first book to
the Corinthians: when we come to-
gether. each one hath a psalm, hath a
teaching, hath a revelation, hath a
tongue, hath an Interpretation. Let all
things be done unto edifying."
Dr. Paden said in part: After clos
ing the thirteenth chapter, Paul set
ties down to a detailed discussion of
the comparative value of tongue-speak-
ing and prophecy. No one can study
his words without being conscious of
the limitations of our modern expert
ence, for he treats Of gifts which have
vanished these 1,S00 years. If we are
to judge by comparison of the tongue
speaking at Pentecost and that at Cor
inth, the gift of tongues had changed
its form during the intervening years,
and we have good reason to believe
that Pauls depreciation of it led to
such further changes as destroyed its
distinctive place as an endowment for
service. But let US go on with st.
Paul.
As we have said. the latter part Of
his admonition concerning gifts is de-
voted to showing the superiority of the
gift of prophecy over that of speaking
tongues. First. because prophecy was
instructive, while tongue speaking was
not For while the prophet eXpounGed
the WORD or will of God to the people,
the tongue-speaker poured out his soul
towards God in language which was
unintelligible to those who heard him.
The man with the gift of prophecy
spake unto the church for edification,
comfort and consolation; the man with
the gift of tongues edited only himself,
save in special cases, where he inter-
preted his meaning to his ecstatic ut
nd 4ba--al,xr haca n rlrprob-
ct. The prophets speech was as music
with words; that of the tongue
speaker, a joyful noise meaning little
more as a means Of instruction than
the merry shouts of children on the
street or the warcries of a barbarian.
The man with the gift of prophecy was
not only full of the right spirit, but he
understood, and could make others IN
derstand, what the spirit was saying
to him; the man with the gift Of
tongues was fun of the right spirit
but his endeaVorS to express that spirit
were utterly unintelligibie. He sang
and prayed with the spirit, but not
with the understanding. Pauls judg-
ment is characteristic: Desire rather
that ye may prophesy. 1 would
rather speak five words with my under
standing than ten thousand words in
a tongue 1t is we'll to feel enthusi-
astic, but it is better to be able to I'M
derstand and make others understand
what reasons you have for your en-
thusiasm.
Yet Paul is very careful not to for
bid the tongue-speaking. He evidently
thinks il rather childish, but acknowl-
edges its value in attracting the atten-
ton OF the outside world, as well as its
value to the person so moved, and,
when interpreted, even to the church.
So, instead Of condemning, he gives it
its place in comparison with other
gifts and regulates it. When ye come
together, therefore, each man with his
psalm, with his teaching, with his
revelation, with his tongue or with his
Interpretation, let all things be done
unto edifying; if you must express your
feelings unintenigibly, be sure that
some one is present TO interpret; other
wise keep silent in the church, make
your joyful noise or pour out your
inarticulate feelings at home. And so
with the gift OF prophecy; you must
not all try to prophesy at once, but one
by one. the others listening with dis
elimination, thus all may learn and all
may be comforted. The main thing is
not that ye all prOphesy. much less
that any one Of you declare all that Is
in his mind. The main thing is to
build up all in the spirit of Christ. Let
all things be done unto edification.
As it was in Corinth, SO it is now. |
AEllN III Ndd4GlN - l1lt lciN VI int
spirit; Cod is always repeating. yet |
never repeats himself. We have no /
reason TO expect that we may bind the I
spirit down to the methods employed /
at Jerusalem or Corinth. The age of /
prophecy and tongue-speaking /
is past. Much less may we expect to /
bind that spirit down to the methods 1
of the middle ages or the XVIIth CEN !
fury. The age of Latin prayers and !
lengthy creeds is passing. II we had /
tried to confine him to any such man !
ner. we should have neither Sunday |
school, missionary society or society Of |
Christian Endeavor in all the earth; |
yet such societies have developed gifts |
which are worth more to us than all |
those which vanished during the first |
Christian century.
But as concerning such spiritual /
gifts his dictCm hold true. There
must be unity as we'll as variety First /
there must he one supreme purpose.
No person or society has any right to
wear the name Christian unless above
all things loyal To Christ. When you
begin to think or talk more of your
society or your endeavor than you do
of Christ or TO gloTify its methods or
its work more than his spirit. you need
the caution ST. Paul gave to the
Corinthians. Unless such disloyalty be
checked. an election Of officers may
Z
than a week of PRAYER. and canvassing
for votes more enthusiasm than the
Of sinners.
Along with this recognition of one
center of unity must come the recogni-
ton of our inviolable diversities of
talent or gifts Even an Endeavor so
ciety cannot make every man or
woman who joins it an effective reader.
an edifying speaker. an enthusiastic
witness or one gifted in public prayer
The gifts of some will even be in
listening. discriminating
Judgment or ministering service. All
mat any we'll behaved Christian So
siety can do is TO stir up and use
-hese various gifts; always remember
ne that the snowy gifts are more
dangerous and less important than the
Useful.
.sPaufs analogy Of the body and the
is to the point, as it takes all
ne differing members to make a COM
1Iete human body, so it takes all the
"a rio,ls gifts TO make our ideal Chris
ian society Let all try to do the same
hing. and all viii soon be saying pres
mt or Scripture texts. Paul points
mt. a more excellent way: Let each
ind out what he can do with most
,rofit to himself and others, especially
he others, and let him do that; that
: most certainly what Christ would
ave MIN do. II your gift is exhorta-
ion. exhort; if it is quoting Scripture.
mote the Scriptures; if it is showing
,ospitality to strangers. entertain
rangers: if il is committee work. do
,,ch work with your might. Stir up
our gift and let no man despise it.
me society needs you all
.sRemernber continually that the all
..ot,,r;x-a grace of love which Vauutptb I