The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-08-15
Subject: Receiving the Spirit.

oAOOAtJ IN. Preaching at the
irving Square Presbyterian Church,
hamburg avenue and VERIFIED
street, on the above theme, the pas
tor, Rev. L. w. Henderson. took az
his text Jno. 20:22, Receive We the
Holy Spirit"
He said: The reception of the HOLY
Spirit in the inner sanctuary of the
human heart is the condition of en-
trance n the kingdom of God. The
possibility Of the Immediate and pres
ent incoming and welcoming OF the
Spirit is reason enough for us to be-
lleVe that h kingdom begins in this
life and at once, if you will. The fact
that the coming of the Spirit into the
heart is contemporaneous with the
entrance of the individual into the
privileges of divine citizenship is suf-
fcient demonstration hat spiritual
1ty is the key to, and the essence of,
and the first requirement of admis-
sion to the kingdom. The one and
only way to participate in the JOYS
and blessings of the Spirit filed life
is to cease from hardness of heart.
and from intellectual self-glorifcation
and self<trust, and to become as lit
tie children in humility and receptive
ity to truth. Spirituality and divine
citizenship are one and the same
thing. Growth in spirituality is the
test Of efficient citizenship. The man
who has stopped depending upon his
own strength, his own wisdom, and
| has opened his heart and eyes and
ears and mind to the influences and
manifestations of the Spirit in his
life is ready to receive, and in all
conscience will get, the papers and
rights of a citizen of the kingdom of
the God of Jesus Christ. And that
soul only is being sanctifed unto Cod
likeness and fashioned into the-im-
age of Jesus Christ who is growing
daily, hourly, momently, in the
gifts and graces of the spiritual life.
To be spiritual is to become child
like. To attain spiritual develop
ment is the aim and the calling of
those who are Christ's.
The Holy Spirit, the personal, pu-
rifying, %propelling presence of God
in the life of man, is the means unto
the spiritualizing of human natures
according to the divine DEGREES. The
entrance of the Spirit spells death to
sin. The yielding of self to the gen
tie illustrations of the Holy Ghost is
the first step toward individual trans
formation, The communion of the
spirit of man. with the Spirit of God
"a 4A0 PSCSS 4SSS OAN[
a wisdom and energy which are more
than sufficient to meet the demands
and the opposition Of the world. No
mere impersonal, unreal, unattain-
bic something is this Spirit which
Christ babe His disciples receive, and
Of which at a later time they received
a fuller measure. 1t is the real, help
full, personal presence of God in the
life. The spirit of IMAM Is a prey to
all sin save the Spirit of God as a
constructive, controlling force comes
in. The TRANSMISSION of the SOU with
the vitality of the Spirit fills the dy-
ing heart of man with life.
There are three characteristics OF
the Holy Spirit to which l wish to di-
rect your thought. The Holy Spirit
is a constant presence in the life .ot
the world, a controlling energy, a
soul satisfying comforter.
The Holy Spirit is a constant pres
ence and factor in the life of the
world. The entire list of Iraces and
gifts and blessings which are ours al
the hands of our heavenly Father are
J constant. The gift of the Spirit is nc
exception to the rule. When Goo
promises to men the presence and
uplift of the Holy Spirit upon The
fulflment of certain conditions upor
; their part He meal just what He
says. Our Father is not tickle Oh
changeab1e or inconstant. He is the
same to-day, yesterday and forever
And His Spirit, which is His owl
real, personal presence in the heart:
of men, is as constant as Is all else
with which He has anything to do
When we were far away from dut!
!: and were serving sin the Spirit of the
living God was knocking ever at ou1
hearts. And though we hated our
selves and the depth of our own in
iuuity, though the world may have
despised us and forsaken us, though
everything in life may have held u
as "uncIean" with the leprosy of sin
still the Spirit of the living, loving
Father of us all stood waiting to re
veal to us the wealth and beauty o
the love of God and to revive fou
dying souls with the fullness of powe
unto eternal life. -
The constancy of the Spirit as
Z factor In lifelfs nowhere better illus
trated than in the experience o
Christian men who have given them
selves up, in less or greater measure
to His dominion. What a Joy, wha
a comfort, what a stay it IS to know
( that whenever and wheresoever W
may turn to the Spirit for the portion
of refreshment: thai our souls 81
sorely need we shall always find Hin
ready to supply our wants.
There is no Ems and no reason i
t much of our constant petitions t
God to in1ll us with His Spirit. TIL
t influences of types of thought and o
!, prayer are hardly escapable. W
! have grown so accustomed to as
!, God to fill us with His Spirit O
power. But I submit, would we no
: pray better and more to the poin
: if we thanked our Father for tn
7 favors of His love and a~cknowledg
. to Him in person, what He alread
knows, Dur shortcomings n GU
lack of appropriation Of the gift c
His Spirit. The showers of spiritus
blessings are forever falling free, fu
and sufficient upon human soul
everywhere. Our prayers should b
not Of petition that God may give u