Evening journal., 1913-05-10
oEofESfAtHENI TINES :

blessing came, it manifested the fact
that the Father had accepted Jesus
sacrifice as satisfactory for the sins
of the Church-the Household OF
Faith.
The Gifts of the Spirit
We are to distinguish between the
gifts of the Spirit and the fruits Of
the Spirit The fruits of the Spirit are
developments of heart and character,
which come more OF less slowly, ac-
cording to the personality and en-
vironment of each spirit-begotten one.
These fruits of the Spirit, the Apostle
says, can be seen-are manifest They
are meekness, gentleness, love.
These fruits must be developed in
our hearts. This will mean more or
less manifestation of them in our
thoughts, words and deeds The ripper
the Christian, the ripper the fruit. If
no fruits appear, then there is no
Christian. If any man have not the
Spirit of Christ. he is none Of His. !"
But these fruits may be so over
shadowed by weaknesses of the flesh
that all may not be able to see to
what extent the brother Is fighting a
good fight against the spirit of the
world, the spirit of the Adversary
and the mind of the flesh.
When Pentecost came, the disciples
we're not prepared to manifest I'M
mediately ripe fruitage of the Spirit
Such development requires months
and years. Up to this time they were
natural men We see, then. why they
could not have manifestation of the
fruits of the Spirit. But II was very
necessary that they have some mani
festation of Gods favor.
God manifested their acceptance by
the bestowment of certain gifts, which
were not fruits of the Spirit in any
sense. These gifts were widely dis
tributed in the early Church, and
were miraculous. Some spoke Lam
guages of which they had no previous
knowledge; some had the gift of in
terpreting these languages; some re-
ceived the gift of healing; and some,
power for other miracles.
These gifts served a three-fold pur-
pose % they manifested Gods IA
yor, therefore proving that Christ's
work of redemption had been satis-
factory. C2) They we're proofs to
the public that God was with the dis
cples, and would lead lovers of God
! TO investigate the Gospel. 90 They
] assured the disciples they we're in
the right way, and that God was lead
ing them.
I These experiences, necessary for
( the establishment of the early Church
came az a time when such manifesto
tion was most necessary. The early
Church could not walk by faith as
we do. They had no Bibles They
had no instruction, except such as
came through these channels. ST.
I Paul explains the matter in todays
lesson. When they came together,
I one would speak in an unknown
tongue. Another would arise, and
with a power outside his own, would
1 interpret. This drew the brethren to-
gether. especially on the first day of
/ the week. Thus they obtained fell
lowship and instruction, God guiding
/ In respect to both the message in the
unknown tongue and the interpreta-
ton.
God taught them in almost the only
way in which they could receive in
/ struction but very differently from
that in which He now instructs His
people, or has done since the Apos-
ties day. ouch instruction is no
longed necessary. We have some
thing better We have the Gospels. re-
cording our Lords words. We have
the Epistles, comments of the inspired
Apostles on the Old Testament writ
ings We have also the prophecies of
the Old Testament, to which st. Peter
declares that We do we'll to take
heed. as unto light which shineth
in a dark place, until the Day dawn.
- Peter 1919.
Ours a Better Experience.
With these Diyinely provided helps,
! the man of God, as st. Paul declares,