The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-25
o< < ~ - < THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVEN. < 4 (Acts. ii: 1-11.)

lCdTIieu tAuhe A4iN.f1J tndt cSS~S, - fore His ascension. directed the apos- ties to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on hign. Today we shall see how they "pevea His instructions and what resul-ea. They established a daily prayer meet ing in the upper room at Jerusalem. On one occasion they suspended the prayers to fill the vacancy male Ey the apostacy of Judas. Peter was the spokesman. (Ch. i:15-26) Briefly re- hearsing the circumstances Of the ne- trayal and showing that the fallen apostle had gone to his own place, he quoted Scripture to prove that another should be elected to the Bishopric. Whereupon the disciples selected tw O, Joseph and Matthias. as candidates, and. after prayer to determine the Di- vine will. cast lots, and the choice fell upon Matthias, who was thereafter numbered with the eleven. There has been a diversity of opinion ncerning this transaction. Some think 1t was legitimate and proper. Others contend that Jesus had not authorized an cleo ton. that He intended Paul 10 be the successor of Judas and that the apos- tolic office was not perpetual, but linn ited to the first century.
 Pentecost.-The Jewish passover was the festival of redemption, the ami versary of the nations birth lay It was celebrated on the 14th day Of Nizah (Ex xii:2), which month was reckoned as the beginning of the call endar. At the end Of seven weeks from the 18th of that month Uev. xxiii:O, there was another festival called Pen- tecost. from the Greek word for the fiftieth day. The chief feature of the Pente.ost consisted in offering two leavened loayes made from the new corn of the completed harvest, which. with two lambs, were waved before the Lord dev. xxiii :17-1S), as an express sion of gratitude. In the festivities the servants and strangers, the fatherless and widowed shared (Deut. xvi:1D. When Pentecost came, seven days af- ter the ascension, the apostles were assembled in their place of prayer. This attests their loyalty to Christ. While their countrymen were engaged in the usual expressions of joy, ap- propriate to the day, filling the city with sounds of mirth, the disciples were by themselves, waiting and ex- pecting the promise. It was beauti- flu! exhibition of the faith of the dis ciples. showing that they were already lifted above the lower level on which | ordinary mortals move.
 Phenomena.-While thus shut in separated from the rejoicing multitudes who thronged the streets and the tenn pie courts. the apostles suddenly found themselves in the mi'lst of phenomena the most surprising ever beheld by man Verses and 3. First, there came a sound that seemed like the rushing of a mighty wind. It filled al the house where they were, which | trembled doubtless. as on another occa- sion (Ch. iv, 3D, under the same in fluence. Then came eleven tongues oi fire and sat upon them. All this was emblematic. The wind and the fire were representative of the spirit. Sc Elijah at Horeb was visited q Kings xix. ID, and so Jesus expressed Him self John iii, 8, as to the fo. .ner. Il was the wind that dried up the Red Sea (Ex. XIV, 10), and that brought quails into the camp. (Numb. xxi, 31) It was fire that assured Abram (Gen XIV. ID and startled Moses (Ex. iii, 9 in the wilderness, and appeared to hin | in Mount Sinai (EX. xix, 1S). There was fire on the Jewish altar dev. i, D aad in the priests censer (Numb. xvi | D. The prophet was attested by fire QI Kings i, 10). The tongue of fire signified speech moved by the holy spirit GIT Peter i, 2D.
 | Speaking.-These wonderful phenom ena were succeeded by that which they were designed to announce. The com pany was filled with the Holy Gohst, precise fulfillment of that whicf Jesus had promised. It was not merely the influence of the Spirit, such as comes to all men everywhere CTitu: ii, ID, to convict and save (John xvi S-11), an influence exerted even in the antediluvian times (Gen. vi, 3, but I i it it s- complete possession; it as, sumed absolute and entire control ol the apostles, invigorating their facul ties for extraordinary service. It made new men out of them, so that they hac thoughts, feelings and purposes of high order. Under this power theI all began to speak such things as tn' Spirit prompted them to say. The! did not wait for an audience. Eacl man was transformed into voice (John 1, 23), or herald, declaring thu truth as 1t is in Jesus, a messenger 10 the transmission of the divine word The like exaltation had never occurred in the history of the race.
 | IAnguages-One most remarkable feature Of this wonderful occurrence demands special attention. Being up' learned men, the apostles kenw only their mother tongue. Thereby thell usefulness was limited to their owr countrymen. But under the contro of the Holy Spirit they were able tt speak in other tongues. They did no utter here and there a foreign word but they delivered sentences and dis courses readily, properly and ele
 gantly, in languages with which preVl ously they had no acquaintance. will be remembered that God confus
 ed the speech of the Babel Builders (Gen. xii, ID, by permanently changing their language to defeat their plan
 and compel them to scatter abroad
 The Pentecostal miracle did not greatl. differ, except that temporary ST was imparted for a far different pur
 pose, namely, to convey the Gospel t
 those who otherwise might not recelv
 it. Had not this been done many year
 must have been occupied by the apos
 ties in the difficult tack of learnin,
 languages before they would he abl
 to go abroad, as directed with tn
 good word of life.
 Audience.-HearerS were quickly ob
 tained for this polyglot company
 preachers Oversees and ID. At Tn
 time Jerusalem contained a, vast popu
 lation, gathered out of every natlor
 Some had established their residence
 there, and others were attending tn
 Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and tn
 Pentecostal Festival. And when tn
 intelligence went forth concerning tn
 apostles a very great company assem
 hled, filling the house, the courts, an
 the street (verse 5. Sixteen dineren
 political divisions are mentioned, froI which had come native Jews or proseiy
 tes. The area mentioned must nav
 ENsfNNN a l