The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-12-17

came to the Tabernacle: WhlIe
two of them, Eldad and Medad,
remained in the camp. The
Spirit descended upon them as
upon the IS who came to the
Tabernacle. When the matter
was reported to Moses, he ex-
claimed "Would God that all the
Lords people were prophets"
Prediction was only a small
part of the work Of the prophet.
The word prophet means ITO
boil over" ''to be boiled over. :"
The fire or power beneath is the
power of the Holy Spirit. The
prophets were the -mouth-pieces,
| the Ambassors, Of God, preach
ers of Righteousness: they were
men boiled over by the fire Of
the Holy Spirit.
Elijah was truly performing the
work of the prophet when he
said to Ahab, ''ye have forsaken
the Commandments Of the Lord,
and thou hast followed Baalim.
Nathan was a true prophet when
he said to David, "Thou are the
man" John the Baptist was
true to his Office when he re-
buked "Herod:" though it cost
him his life. These men were
boiled over by the Spirit. They
hesitated not to declare the will
of God to the King on his throne,
and to the humble peasant.
The prophet of old is the same
as the preacher of today. The
priest was the medium of access
to God, and MS Office ended with
the finished work of Christ, our
great High-Priest. Not so with
the prophet, the messenger Of
God. His place and office are
filed by the gospel minister of
today. The true preacher, or
prophet. of today is he who in
rebuking sin, and warning the
transgressor, is literally boiled
over by the Holy Spirit. Bold
and faithful is he who is a true
prophet of the Lord: He is boil
ed over" by the Spirit of God.
Only he can be faithful who is
under the power of the Spirit.
Only he can speak with power,
and convincingly, who is thus
influenced by the Holy Spirit.
Logic and eloquence are not
enough. Truth is mighty, but of
itself it will never reach the
heart. Paul recognized this and
wrote, my speech and my
preaching were not with enticing
words of mans wisdom, but with
demonstration of the Spirit and
of power. The greatest blessing
that you can ask for your pastor
is for the Spirit to rest upon
him.
Moses, in our text, recognized
the presence and power of the
Spirit, and exclaimed, "Would
God that all the Lords people
were prophets, and that the Lord
would put His Spirit upon them"
At this time, however, the Spir-
it was given in limited measure,
and to a chosen few. But this
blessing, which Moses wished
for the children of Israel, is in a
high and truly sense the privi-
lege today of the humblest child
of God. At Pentecost, the birth
day of the Christian church, all
the Lords people were prophets,
for He poured out His Spirit
upon them, and they spake as
the Spirit gave them utterance.
The great thought with Christ
when He ascended, was, not that
a few chosen ones, but that the
entire ministry and church be
endued with power, that each of
His children be a witness in the
world. He provided for this by
the pouring out of His Spirit.
Moses wished for this: Joel
prophesied of its coming; Christ
promised it; and at Pentecost
the promise was fulfilled, and
the church began her triumph
ant march, clothed with a pow
er which the gates Of hades
could not prevail against.
Christ's for His children, and
therefore for His church, is that
she be a witness in the world: !
and this is the reason why the
church exists. A church which
is not a gospel church.
This witnessing necessitates
the presence of the Spirit, who
is the life-power of the Christian
religion. Recognition of His
power. and reliance upon His
help, must underlie all Christian
conquest. Beautiful churches
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