The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-02-08

VINO have been baptized with the
Holy Spirit and fire." it is common
Tor them to speak in tongues which
they do not understand, and also to
be smitten dumb, SO that they cannot
speak at all, even in their own lam
guage. During the early part of the
meeting at which was present, one
Of the girls had been obliged to write
her message. because her tongue was
holden. Sometimes the girls will go
about their tasks for days, unable to
utter a word, although they under,
stand perfectly everything that is said
to them, and are able to pray in other
tongues, and when they especially
pray for the power to do so they are
able to speak in religious meetings.
The girls show no effect whatever of
the terrible strain they undergo dur
ling these prayer meetings. and they
all do their regular daily work. The
burden of their prayers is intercession,
that all the mission, and all India,
may be converted and experience
great revival and receive the Pente.
/
from this young woman.
The Most Famous Indian Woman.
Ramabai herself is a quiet, strong
personality. She dresses after the
Hindu fashion, but in white, and her
hair Is short, for she is a widow. She
elects to sit on low stool at the feet
of the person with whom she con-
verses, for the sake of better hearing.
While we were talking her, grown
daughter, Monoramabai, her first as
sistant in the work. sat on the floor
with her arm about her mother, and
occasionally interjected a pertinent
word. Ramabai (the suffix "bai,"
means Mrs" or "Miss") speaks SIM
ply, naturally and directly. So she
told me of the growth of Shadai Sa-
dan, the work for widows, and one of
the Mukti mission, the whole support
ed by faith
I'VE do not make a special point of
the gift OF tongues; our emphasis Is
always put upon love and life. And
undoubtedly the lives of the girls
have been changed. About 700 OF
them have come into this blessing.
We do not exhibit the girls that have
been gifted with other tongues, nor do
we in any wise call special attention
to them. We try to weed out the false
from the true; for there are other
spirits than the Holy Spirit, and when
a girl begins to try to speak in another
tongue, apparently initiating the other
girls, without mentioning the name or
blood of Jesus, i go up to her and
speak to her, or touch her on the
shoulder. and she stops at once;
whereas. If a girl is praying in the
Spirit | cannot stop her, no matter
how sharply speak to her or shake
her."
The Wonderful Gift of Tongues.
my hearing is peculiar" continued
Ramabai, 'in that I can understand
most clearly when there is a loud
noise "a well-known characteristic of
the partially deaf and move among
the girls, listening to them. l have
heard girls who know no English make
beautiful prayers in English. / have
heard others pray in Greek and He
brew and Sanskrit and others in Ian
guages that none Of us understands.
One of the girls was praying in this
very room (the room of one of the
English staf) q few nights ago, and
although in her studies she has not
gone beyond the second book, she
prayed so freely and clearly and beau
tifr11v IN Tn uIsoh that <bo <>+ho~ <oo oh
ers. hearing, wondered who could be
praying. since they did not distinguish
the voice" YES" spoke up the occu-
pant of the room, "and she prayed by
name for cousin of mine whom /
had forgotten, and of whom l had
never once thought since coming to
India"
When ! asked why, in Ramabai's
opinion, tongues that served no useful
purpose being incomprehensible to
everybody should be given. whereas
the gift of tongues on the day of Pen
tecost was so that every person In
that polyglot multitude should hear
the story in his own speech, she re-
piled, Il, too, wondered about that
But it has been shown to me that 1t
is to rebuke unbelief in the gift Of
tongues, she herself has been given
the gift"
All these wonders have set down
impartially, as phenomena of great
interest to all who give thought to rer
ligious or psychic themes. Neither
Ramabai. nor the native teacher who
led the meeting which / described, is
an emotionalist, 80 far as l could per-
ceive. Both, in fact, are persons of
more than ordinary reserve. culture
and discernment, nor can explain
the relation between what Is happen
word 'Middletown' What is your idea