The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-02
AFTERNOON SERVICE.

AFTEkNOON SEkv1CE.
 What It Means to Be Baptized With the Holy Spirit" was the subject of Dr. Torrey's sermon yesterday after noon. The text was Acts i. 4. 5, S-to the end of the chapter. pr. Torrey said in part:
 What I say this afternoon and what I will say tomorrow afternoon, l have learned from my own personal expe- rience, and that experience was derived from an earnest study of the Bible. It is my firm belief that 1t is Gods in- tention that every child of His should be baptized with the Holy Spirit. No matter how ignorant a man Is, God will meet him if he is in earnest. 1 was ignorant when I began my study of the work of the Holy Spirit, but l was very much in earnest-and l suc- ceeded.
 Tn the first place. the baptism by the Holy Spirit is very definite ex- perience; one may know when he has received 1t. Paul asked plainly enough of the apostles, Have ye received the Holy Ghost? There Is much vague ness nowadays If I were to ask a church member If he had received what he had prayed for, and say right out, Were you baptized with the Holy SpiritT the chances are that he would stammer and hesitate and finally reply that he didn't know for sure.' We'll. there is no such indefniteness in the Bible. In every single instance that / the baptism with the Holy Ghost is mentioned in the Bible, the language is clear cut positive and definite. It is just as definite as it son salvation. If a person has been so baptized he will know 1t. A man may be saved and yet not be baptized. or he may in some instances be baptized with the Holy Spirit and not know it, both times through ignorance of the Bible.
 Baptism is the work of the Holy Spirit, distinctly separate from His work of regeneration. as we see in John XIX, and again in John xiii. 10. It is one thing to be born again, but that. to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. These whom the Holy Spirit have regenerated. and who have been born again, but who have not been baptized with Him. will go to Christ. but they will not have that fullness of blessing on earth which Christ has pro- vided. Any saved man has the Holy Spirit within himself, but in many in- stances He is hidden away In the dark recesses of the mans being. when He should take possession of the whole being.
 Again, a person may receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit the moment he believes and is born again. That is the experience of many. and that 1t Is the way that 1t would be in all cases. were the church of Christ in a normal condition today. But the church is not in normal condition.
 The baptism of the Holy Spirit was primarily intended for testimony and nd f4 turous and happy. Of course, baptism with the Holy Spirit does make people rapturous and happy and there never vas an instance where it failed. There Is no other way to get such perfect soul-flling joy,,~but the first work of the Holy Spirit Is for testimony and service. So there is no instance where baptism with the Holy Spirit is mem toned in the Bible that 1t is not con- nected with testimony and service. His primary purpose Is not to make us holy although we cannot be holy without Him. but to furnish us with an equip ment for service, to make us useful. And I would rather have that power to save men than to be In raptures every hour of every day of my life.
 "The power for service and testi- mony manifests itself along different lines in dozens of different ways, in QiALCi Chb AAuQS OA PSOpiC. " Hhu tidI in I Corinthians xii, f. Many people go astray in this regard. They think, and great number of preachers are teaching, that the only end of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the gift of tongue. They imagine if they do not receive the gift of tongue they have not been baptized. Those who teach that. and tn ose who So believe. fatiy contradict the Apostle Paul. who fQ oft nf at "a bottom of the list of the things that baptism with the Holy Spirit brings. It is harmful error,. for the Holy Spirit, Himself, decides what you will be. You have no voice in the matter at all. It Is not for you and me to choose some gift; 1t Is our places to put ourselves entirely at the disposal of the Holy Spirit, and let Him make of us win at He will.
 "This belief that the gift of tongue or the evangelist gift, Is the only gift of the Holy Spirit, causes three great and most dangerous evils.
 "In the first place. when a person thinks that the power of an evangelist is the only gift. and he finds that he has not been given 1t, he Is greatly He, wonderS if he has really been baptized. and even if he has been saved. That Is great evil for disappointment brings despair. and despair causes neglect.
 'In the second place, this belief in the one gift only, of the Holy Spirit, breeds the mischief of presumption. This idea that all a man needs in order to become what he wishes is the bap- tism with the Holy Spirit Is all wrong. A man has to be called by God. It Is not his wishes, but the wishes of God. that he must follow.
 Tn the third place, to believe that the only gift that follows the baptism with the Holy Spirit is the gift of evangelism, causes the mischief of in- | People, men and women. who knew that they are not adapted to evangelical work. believing this way, are indifferent to baptism with the Holy Spirit. They think it would be no use. Take a mother, for exam ple. She says, There Is nothing in ba ptism with the Holy Spirit for mer But, men and women, there is some thing in the baptism with the Holy Spirit--for her. It will sanctify her and there is no higher or holier ofTicel in the church today than .annfldAd noofharhood aor will there