The Washington herald., 1909-01-09
Religions Greatest Mystery.

January a-'-Ths Desosaa o; the Holy spiri-
Acts. H1-G.
It used to Be the fashion to Try to ex-
plain everything about Christianity. The
visest men have got over that. since
they ind themselves living IN maze OF
simple phenomena that are ineXplicable-
The physical scientist has TO say. I don't
know" as often as the theologiGn- he
graveIy admits that he does not know
what life is. nor matter OF air or light or
electricity. He says man has mind and
q brain but he cannot tell you what the
former really is Man Is a spirit and
body. ednits the scientist: but he gives
I'D. o. Euesses wildly. when asked 10 de-
6ne the spirit
II man IS a mystery, how much more so
Cod Here ne Sunday schools OF the
world are brought face TO face with the
impenetrable mystery Of the Holy Spirit,
the most inexplicable and supernatural
truth in all the realm OF religion. What
may be said IN answer 10 eager, puzzlins
questions upon this profound mystery?
Assuredly not the cheap and easy an
szvers Of unthinking emOtiOnalists who
giibly profess TO have mastered the Sc
cre,s Of the Godhead- Moving softly and
reverently, and admitting all the way
that our knowledge Is very human and
orr theme altogether Infinite. we may al
least Erasp some OF the elementary COR
siderations involved IN any subject Of
this miracle OF the descent OF the Holy
spirit upon The infant Christian Church
AZ Pentecost Always. too, it IS TO be
borne IN mind that. some things which
may not be explained may YET be expe-
rietced- The Holy Spirit nay not be de-
dned Intellectually, but He may be known
experimenIaIly-
THE ORPHANED BAND
When the little company Of orphaned
disciples stood gazing Up toward the
cloud which had received their Master II
verify. seemed as # the end OF al things
had come. The whole vast scheme OF
things had tottered and fallen All their
lopes had come 10 naught- They were
only a small bard Of bIundering Galile-
ans. untutored provincials- Il was, hu-
manly speaking. impossible for them 10
carry on the work Of Jesus. So there
lad 70 be somebody 10 take the place OF
the ascended Leader. The situation ab-
soIuteIy required this Somebody must
come TO be al the head Of the new
church
That somebody. the case required, had
70 be everything that Jesus had been.
This was a seemingly impossible condi-
ton The basis Of the disciples faith
was that no other man existed, OF ever
had existed. Ike unto their Lord Yet
his successor must be His alter ego And
such q Cne had been promised BY Jesus,
IN phrases not yet clear 70 his friends
There was 10 come & new leader who
would be the other self Of Jesus. stand
ing in His stead and flling all HIS Offices
One last instruction had been laid upon
the bereaved and mystifed band, they
were 10 wait for that somebody's arrival
More important than the telling Of their
story. or the organization OF the church,
was the necessity for waiting for this
coming one. Evidently. IN the mind OF
Jesus. the advent OF this somebody,
whose coming justified HIS going, was
au-important- And the even proved that
Pentecost was the birthday Of the church
ONENESS AND WAVES
That somebody's arrival was spectac-
Je.s-- had been waiting. according to in
structions - e-e mind and one place
Now that the world Is beginning 70 get
glimmering Of a conception OF the power
OF ether waves and thought waves and
spiritual forces. the power OF concerted,
common prayer may seem less contrary
10 nature Enough 10 recall that II Eas
when the disciples were all with one &C
a., fTz r1nr-
Cured.
As from the tmpaIpable air there came
Q rushing torrent Of sound. ike a mighty
wind Scared and wondering. the dis
ciples had scarcely tine 10 realize this
force which filed all the room 70 tense
ness, when a stin stranger sign appeared;
for distributed above the head Of each
appeared quIvering tongue Of fame.
That unprecedented symbol was followed
by an equally strange experience Thrilled
and filed TO ecstasy by this new power.
the humble Galileans found their tongues
loosed in new speech, and they spoke
with other languages than their own.
We thumb the books in vain for any
precedent to this. The phenomenon is
battling, q veritable miracle. That day
marked the advent OF a new Somebody
20 reign over the hearts Of men and 10
loose powers hitherto unsuspected- He
is the only explanation OF subsequent
phenomena equally wonderful. Some
commentators Try TO explain away these
strange events al Pentecost, because they
are outside the pale OF their experience
Similarly, q traveller recently wrote
plain. careful narrative OF extraordinary
srirituaI manifestations which he had
witnessed IN India Other eyewitnesses,
Ike Dr.. Charles Cuthbert Hall. had testi-
red to exactly the same proceedings; but
the editor OF a religious paper challenged
the whole report, because. forsooth. he
had never seen Il or this wise hirnselfi
The self-assured complacency with which
we ignore or dIscredit everything outside
Of ouy own meager experience is a sign
of inherent smallness and provincialism;
there are more things IN heaven and
earth than any man has ever dreamed
or Il IS no evidence Of intellectual supe-
rinrity, but rather Of Intolerance, 10 fail
n accept accredited witnesses Of even
Improbable phenomena What is the
slepJic 20 say concerning the recent re-
v.vsI IN Wales, or the present revivals
II India. Korea, and Manchuria, with
expressions rivaling those OF Pentecost?
SOMEBODY AT THE HELM
The simple truth is that Christianity
Itself. with this Somebody left out, Is
mere Of an incredible miracle than the
most wonderful acts that have ever been
aseribed 70 the Spirit of Jesus. There IS
no other explanation possible for the Use