Evening star., 1923-12-01
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
When Jesus, whom all recognize
as the worlds greatest Teacher. was
about to disband the College Of the
Apostles, which He had taught for
three years, the Master delivered to
the eleven men a notable commence
ment address. A few weeks previous
they had been smitten into hopeless
ness and plunged into the depths of
disappointment and disheartenment
by His death. although He had ex-
pressly predicted it to them. and had
sought to prevent their despair by
even telling them of His reSurrec-
ton and the very day of 1t. The
Lord, who had risen from the dead
and appeared to them in various
places and under different condi-
tions. was about to close His per-
to the eleven men the work Of carry
ing out His program OF evangelical
tion Of the world. IL they expert
enced a second panic when He as
cended Jesus realized 1t might prove
fatal.
During the three years that these
men had been His disciples the
Master had come to know them thor
oughly While they failed to grasp
the teachings of the Christ when
He taught them concerning the
at old faiths in a new light. study
ing ancient predictions. whose evil
dent fulfillment. in current events.
had been a perpetual surprise TO
them, Jesus knew them. his rare
nent. Curiosity was rebuked. Pa
thence was encouraged. Duty was
enjoyed as with consummate skill as
we'll az kindness" the Master held
out before them splendid. though
underlined hope that ought to have
kindled their imagination and stimu-
lated their expectation by the prom :
ised fulfillment at an early date OF
1.-The promise OF the Father"
Waiting for Power.
Christ did not correct their view
concerning the identification or their
Messianic hopes with the promise OF
power from on high" While they
Joel, Ezekiel, Zechariah. and in fact
the whole rank of Hebrew revela-
tion and asking the risen Lord many
vain questions. showing their desire
for temporal power and ambition to
share In the restoration OF the KING
would not be giveE power until they
were filled with the Holy Spirit.
While with uplifted hand He was
blessing them in order TO remove
the last trace of disappointment or
cowardice, He was taken up from
them and hidden, as He ascended.
by the clouds.
Returning to Jerusalem. the apos-
ties. with the faithful band of fol-
lowers Of the Master. waited In the
upper room for the fuifllment or the
promised gift of power. The mother
and brethren of Jesus were with the
believers. among the number OF be-
levers who were fused into united
church by their common faith, so
that without wavering they prepared
Holy Spirit by their earnest PRAYER
life The implicit and persistent
faith. which they showed in Loyalty
CARRYING our Christ's command 70
wait was rewarded when the Holy
Spirit came at Pentecost.
Conditions in Jerusalem were ripe
that day for the inauguration or a
new movement. Multitudes OF pill
grims from all parts of the world.
where Jews hail settled. crowded the
city streets and filled the inns at
Pentecost, which was the most popu-
lar feast of the. Jewish calendar
1t was an annual harvest festivel,
DAY Of First Fruits" with features
in their ceremonial that made II al
most a day of agricultural thanks
giving. Many modern jews ma IN
Pentecost another significance. AS
Passover marked the anniversary or
the exodus. so Pentecost. with them,
marks the anniversary OF the legis-
Iation upon Sinai: for that great
moral birthday of the Hebrew polity'
which contained the germs of the
American civil government. followed
fifty days after the Red sea was
crossed Upon An anniversary OF
the day when Gods finger caused
the mount to burn with fire at the
time He gave the law, the Lord sent
down upon His praying an0 waiting
people what appeared to be tongues
OF fire" distributing itself over the
whole assembly and touching every
persons head.
The waiting. praying band did not
realize the full significance OF the
event. Behind the material portents
pierced the stupid hearts Of men
assembled In that upper room one
needs to look for the Lord Himself
who promised His people that He
would be with them in carrying out out
with His gospel. He assured them
that He would endue them with
power from on high" by sending
to them the Comforter. The Holy
Spirit. as invisible as the breath from
which He borrowed His human name,
and as penetrating as the fame to
which He likened His workings, en-
tered into the human spirit OF each
one of the waiting believers who
crowded into the upper room.
Next to the birth Of Christ, no
greater event ever occurred in the
history of man than the advent OF
the Holy Spirit. who came to dwell
among men until the end OF this age.
In a general way He had always
been in the world. When Moses ap-
Communion with God. they saw. his
face shining with the presence OF the
Spirit The Old Testament was
product of the Spirits influence
among men. He moved here and
there one to prophesy. preach or pro :
auickened the slumbering. sleeping
fires of men. He gave them insight;
vision and a holy passion. He filled
their hearts with certainty. courage
and convictions concerning God and
His will. His presence always trans,
presence by enduing them with
when the Holy Spirit. the third
person in the Trinity. came to oWeIl
with the body Of praying believers
assembled In the upper, room; o,1b the he
Church. The epoch making event
was described as the baptism or the
Holy Ghost There was only one
advent of the Holy Spirit, which is
called baptism. but there are many
filings. we all need to be filled
daily with His power II we are TO
reveal the Christ to men. When he
entered humanity assembled In the
upper room. His. coming had a marked
effect upon the waiting and praying
church. They were transformed i'm,
m ediately through His presence and
power so that all Jerusalem was at
tracted by the evidence Of the power
of the Holy Spirit. manifested In the
addresses delivered by the members
of the church.
The courageous convictions OF the