Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-07
SOLVES MYSTERY
OF CHRISTIANITY
Religion Has Been the Leading
Factor of World For
Nineteen Centuries
ACCOUNTING FOR CHURCH
International Sunday School
Lesson For Jan. 8 Is "The
Coming of the Holy Spirit
(By William T. Ellis.)

Something happened nineteen
centuries ago that changed the
worlds calendars, overturned the
ancient religions, recast civilization
and created what has since become
the largest, most widely distributed
and powerful organization on earth.
/ The skeptic, the atheist and the ig-
| noramus cannot deny that facts
There is now to be found in every
/ nation under the heaven the Chris
half billion. For seventeen of the
nineteen centuries of her life she
has been the chief factor in the
/ worlds life. She has outlived thou
sands of other organizations and
movements, none of which has met
fronted her Fire has not been able
TO burn up the Church, nor blood to
drown her, nor sword to kill her
NOW we want to know what the
something was which could effect
this greatest of wonders. There is
a reason for everything. What is
! the cause of that supreme revolution
and reconstruction which has result
! ed in, and been caused by, the
| Christian Church.
Tbs lesson gives the answer. The
mystery of Christianity is explained
by the other mystery of the Para
| clete, the Other Self of Jesus who
came to abide with the friends of
Christ forever, and whose enabling
alone accounts for the wonders of
the Church. Without this Spirit,
the Church is both inexplicable and
lmpotent. Only supernatural
Power could equip that group of
humble Galileans for their world
winning work
The Tale of the Tongues
| How 1t all come about, ten DAYS
aIter the Ascension of Jesus, is told
| by that peerless reporter, DR. Luke.
quote a modern translation of the
Greek:-
Tn the course of the Harvest
Thanksgiving-da day the disciples
mad all met together, when
noise like that of a strong wind
coming nearer and nearer sud
denly came from the sky, and
tilled the whole house in which
they were sitting. Then they
saw tongues of what appeared
to be flame, separating. so that
one settled on each of them:
and they We're all filled with the
Holy Spirit, and began to speak
with strange tongues as the
Spirit prompted their utterances.
There were then staying in
Jerusalem religious Jews from
every country in the world, and
when this sound was heard
numbers of people collected, in
the greatest excitement be-
cause each of them heard the
disciples speaking in their own
language. They were utterly
amazed, and kept saying in
their astonishment:
Why are not all these Gal
ileans who, are speaking. How
IS IT that We each of us hear
them in our own native Ian
guage? Some of us are Par
III,
ties; and some of us live in
Mesopotamia. in Judea and Cap
padocia, in Pontus and Roman
Asia. in Phyrgia and Pamphylia.
in Egypt and the districts of
Libya adjoining Cyrene; some
of us are visitors from Rome.
either Jews by birth or CON
verts, and some Cretans and
! Arabians-yet we all alike hear
them speaking in our tongues
of the great things God has
done. Every one was utterly
! amazed and bewildered.
| What does it mean?' they
asked each other. But Others
said with a sneer: They have
had too much new wine.'"
The Sensational Start
A great beginning had the
| Church. While the event was start
ling and sensational to the last de-
SIVV' IlSiS are ceIIlln permanent
factors to be traced in II. 1t fell on
| Pentecost, the harvest festival, fifty
| days after the Passover. and in this
case, fifty days after the Resurrec
| ton. A coincidence? Gods clocks
all strike in tune. This great sign"
twas given while the city was full of
| religiously-minded Jews from the
whole known world.
| 1t was to united body of believ-
| ers that the wonder was granted:
the children's unity is ever the Fa
theirs opportunity. Pentecost en-
wraps the vision of one Church me.
with one accord
The visitation came Suddenly:
we may always expect unexpected
ness of God. He proceeds according
to his program that Eye hath