The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-10-23
THE HOLY GHOST.
Sunday Discourse by DR.. Chapman, the
Noted Pastor Evangelist.
shows How the Holy Ghost is the Christian
Helper beyond All Others--Is the Life
OF the Church.

OF the Church.
NEW YoRK CITY. Inc sermon here
furnished to the press is the most impress
siye one of a series which the Rev. DR.. j.
Wilbur Chapman prepared some time ago
Cor the Bible Institute Colportage Associa-
tion, 1t is entitled "The Holy Ghost in
His Relation to the Church" and was
preached from the text. And the Lord
added to the church daily such as should
be saved" Acts ?; AZ.
In the honest endeavor which we make
nroperly to live the Christian life and in
The end receive a reward from the hand of
The Master, thereby not missing our
crown, the Holy Ghost beyond all others
is our helper. He is certainly to be count
ed as the director and leader of our church
life. We need expect no great outpouring
Of the Holy Ghost so long rs His leader
ship is ignored, and without this high
spiritual atmosphere we may expect, as in
dividuals, no special victories.
On the day of Pentecost two great events
occurred the first was the exaltation of
Jesus Christ at the right hand of the
Father-"This Jesus hath God raised up,
whereof we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:
32) the other was the outpouring of the
Spirit because Jesus had been raised up
and exalted. The point is that Christ as
our head had poured out upon Him the
Holy Ghost; thus receiving Him in trust
for tie body; and it naturally follows that
what the head has received the members
OF the body have right to claim. Since
that day, in the plan of God, the Holy
Ghost has been the administrator of the
affairs Of the church, and He is here to
make Christ real TO every believer. If He
A had tarred with us in the flesh and | had
claimed His presence. He would have been
denied to you; but now that He is present
in the Spirit. we may all have Him and
Law claim to His presence, and the love of
t1tav hp n IN, hoo
She Holy Ghost. He is in a real sense the
vicar of Christ. and there can be no other
The Son of God is to-day at the right hand
of God. representing the church. and the
Spirit of God ought to be enthroned and
exalted in the church. representing the
risen Christ. He is to counsel her, to
guide her and to control her-in word,
He is to govern all things in the church,
from the least things unto the greatest.
The Scriptures are evidence that He has
message for the church. 1t is generally
believed that the epistes to the seven
churches in the Revelation contain the pro.
phetc setting forth of the church's history
Its declines and recoveres, its failures
and returns, and it is believed by many
that we have come to the Laodicean period
Of history OF the last days of the church
Seven times we have the expression re-
peated: He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches"
1t is TO be noted that this expression is
used after each of the churches had back
slldden. Ephesus had left her first love;
Smyrna was rich and likely to be proud;
Pergamos was touched with the doctrine
OF Balaam; Ihyatira was influenced by Je.
zebel; Sardis had name to live, and was
dead; Philadelphia had but little strength
while Laodicea was neither hot nor cold
The real cure. for backsliding in the church
Is that which comes to us by the Holy
Ghost of the revelation of Gods will and
the Interpretation of Gods word.
The church is a caled-out body. We
i were, chosen in Him before the worlds
foundation, and we are elect according to
the toreknowledge of God for thus saith
. the Scripture. Jesus Is in heaven direct
ing the work. of the church. but the Holy
Ghost Is here carrying out the plan. This
pan extends to the minutest details of the
life OF the church. lie has ordained the
offices we must have, and the kind of men
We, we must lay hold upon to fill them:
4 wherefore He saith, when He assembled up
on high, lie led captivity captive, and gave
II CUTS unto men. And He gave some apos-
ties; and some, prophets; and some, evan
n gellsts; and some, pastors and teachers;
t9r the perfectlng OF saints, for the work of
.ne mn ministry, for the edifying of the body
Christ" Ephesians 4: 8, IL, u. The
church is really the habitaton. of God.
Hear what the Scriptures have to say:
Eph. q 10 to 22-''Now therefore We are
no more strangers and foreigners. but fel.
iow'eltizens with the saints, and of the
household OF God; and are built upon the
4 ITpunuaton Tolio f OF the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cor.
serstone; in, whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto holy tenn
PIe, IN the Lord; in whom We also are
pulided together for an habitation OF God
"a through Jug the Spirit" II He is dwelling in
US, US, we must be careful of our church life,
tor we may grieve Him and quench Him
py the way we live and work. Many
ehlngs are done to-day in the church which
snuy commend themselves to men, and vet
Iah utterly short OF the approval of God.
h ns an M Illustration, Peter, standing up with
cue ~, spoke of the departure of Judas,
una declared that one must be chosen in
ms ms stead. Prayer was offered, vote was
rahen, and Matthias elected; but there
\ was no indication that this election was
syer ratified by the Lord, for Matthias at
n Duoe SINKS out OF sight. Two years after
@ @ward the Lord calls one to fill the va
saaey, namely, Saul of Tarsus. Paul
speaks thus of himself: Gal. /: I-oPaui,
but by Jesus Christ and God the Father
VINO raised Him from the dead"
-, ii.
me church was established by signs and
JJonuers' Acts 2: ] to 4-"And when the
10y 10y oi Fentecost was fully come they
y sndG vIg az az with one accord in one place. And
9s sudfehly of there came sound from heaven
sI rushing, mighty wind, and it filled
n And 'he mouse where they were sitting.
a ant enu there appeared unto them cloven
- su%Sues % IKE as OF fire, and it sat upon each
Il Hoi', ii,1ni' ~ ana they were all filled with the
4 tonSS tony Ehost, and began to speak with other
n W. heb; ?: 4-"God also bearing them
ithhess, VIII S both with signs and wonders, and
Il t;bonstu uivers miracles and gifts of the Holy
Tst, according to HIS own will"
u msnt rhas WAS no church in the Old Testa.
n teant, MS Is the opinion of many Bible
n ibaS .I In Acts 2: Al, we read: "Then
. hanti .naV gladly received His word were
n sd59o11eu, and the same day there were
N tb;s to. unto them. about 5000 soals." In
q ten in reAt ~ IN, the words unto them" are writ.
"a We're q" 9' it9ahcs' SO that the original is, there
= must a19ed about 5000 souls" But we
I, in 49, tu1 10 something when we add, so
ADDED to the church daily such as should
n oIo nj saved" But there is a still better ex.
,snati91. wsrn In Acts s: IA, we read: "rhey
"Srs M auded to the Lord 4"
~ Chrisf Lauls conception of the church
bod,, Is Is, the head and the church is His
81 tbe we are being called out now from
for SHenthe world, Every new soul won
SOM enlist 5n comes in to ssmplete the body.
n fha uay tne last man win come in. and
a the Lord VIII brighten with the return OF
sonI rs this that gives one the passion for
n nishes IN II Is this thought that fur.
+. sionarv Th plration for the foreign mis-.
enld the missionary Ia ssnt pouyi
NINA, TO Japan, that bs - W niIiea' 70