The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-21

crowded TODAY to hear Pas
tor Russell of Brooklyn. N.
Y, on "Pentecostal Blessings" Many
of the most prominent stalls and boxes
are owned by the nobility, many OF
whom occupied them. while others,
unable to attend, graciously granted
permission for their occupancy by 9TH
ers: but hundreds were turned away.
The meeting was held under the aus
pices of the International Bible
Students Association The speaker
said:
It is appropriate that on this day,
celebrated and recognized as the an
niYersary of Pentecost, we should con-
slider the import, and have well in
mind what we celebrate. I therefore
take as my text the words OF St. Pc
ter explanatory of the occasion: This
is that which was spoken by the
Prophet Joel: And it shall come to
pass in the last days, saith God, 1 will
pour out my spirit upon all flesh; ana
your sons and your daughters shall!
prophesy and your young men shall
have the vision which your ancients
dreamed of and on my servants and
on my handmaidens I will pour out in
those days my spirit, and they shall
proclaim" q give you preferred
translation. )-Acts ii, 1918.
St. Peter declares that the outpour-
ing of the holy spirit upon the waiting
believers at Pentecost was mentioned
by Joel the prophet, but he does not
say that all of the prophecy was full
filled there and then. AS matter of
fact we know that the holy spirit was
not then poured out on all flesh; it
was poured out merely upon Gods
servants and handmaidens. A careful
inspection shows US that there are
two parts to the prophecy-G) All
flesh. and CD Gods servants and
ing is also stated. 1t will come upon
all flesh after those days, but upon
the servants and handmaidens in those
days. The days mentioned evidently
refer to this gospel age-from Pente-
cost to the second coming of Christ.
In this period, of now nearly nine
teen centuries. Gods holy spirit has
been granted to his faithful ones. and
to these alone. Only the fully conse-
Grated have been accepted of the Lord
as living sacrifices, and only such have
been begotten of the holy spirit, that
they may be new creatures in Christ.
During all this time the world has
been recognized SO far as the holy
spirit Is concerned. Indeed the apos-
tie after Pentecost went still further
and declared that "the whole world
lieth in the wicked one +" The only
action of the holy spirit must be, as
in the case of Felix to "reprove
the world of sin and righteousness and
clares, however. that the time is COM
ing when the world will receive a
share of the great divine blessing,
which was fully assured by the death
of Christ. But its time of favor will
be latter those days''-after this Cos
ell age shall have come to an end;
after the new dispensation. the mil
lennia1 age, shall have come Let us
note first the blessings belonging to
this gospel age, in which we are spe-
cially interested, and subsequently let
us notice the blessings that God has
promised shall come to all mankind.
The Church's Pentecost.
1t is not sufficient that we say that
a Pentecostal blessing came upon the
followers of Jesus in the upper room
at Jerusalem. totally different from
anything that had been known in the
world before! We want to know why
it was so; and if a blessing, why it did
not come sooner to Gods people? We
remember Abel. EnOch. Noah. Abra-
ham Moses, Daniel, the prophets; we
recognize the fact that they were grand
characters, and. as st. Paul said,
They had this testimony that they
tecostal outpouring in their dav. not
until the age of man in the world was
more than four thousand years. Why
was this? We answer that God has
| his own times and seasons for the va
rious features of his work.
We recall the words of our Lord
Jesus, respecting his forerunner, Ever
! lily / say unto you, Among them that
are born of women there hath not ris-
| en- a greater than John the Baptist;
Notwithstanding he that is least in the
kingdom of heaven is greater than he"
l (Matthew XII, I'D. Why could not