Evening star., 1925-04-04


They will cover q period of nine
months. In our first quarters study
the development OF the Apostolic
Church will be traced from the gift
OF the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to
Peters deliverance from prison. The
next two quarters studies will CEN
ter about the missionary work OF
Paul. The apostles first two mission
ary journeys will be considered In
third quarters lesson for this year,
and in the last three months studies
we will trace his journey from Athens
to Rome.
The coming series OF lessons will
call for our considering the begin
ming of modern civilization. The
principal source of this historical
series of studies will be the Acts OF
the Apostles, which has been well
called the Gospel OF the Holy Spirit"
People who make history do not usu-
ally think much about recording
their work 1t has recently been sug-
gested that Luke, the beloved physi-
clan, whose accuracy rs a historian
has been confirmed by modern re-
search, prepared his remarkable his
torical work under Paufs supervision
and during the apostles prison days
in Rome preceding his final trial
While this suggestion would account
for some of the peculiarities OF Acts,
If ii was prepared to be submitted as
part of Paurs defense to the Roman
authorities. It has not been accepted
by all Biblical scholars as the purpose
Of Luke's historical work.
In the opening Of Acts, which tells
the story OF the development of Chris
tianity from a Jewish sect to a world
faith. Luke links 1T up with his 1rst
history, or the third Gospel This
was no literary accident He sought
TO make clear that the acts of the
Apostles" was a continuation OF
Christ's own history" His entire
work is more OF a gloriticauon OF
recognized that the development Of
the small band of 120 believers into
the mighty force which Influenced
imperial Rome was due to the dy-
mamie spiritual power OF the risen
Christ who continued to carry on
His work, after His ascension, through
His followers, whom He endued with
the Holy Spirit to enable them to
carry out His program according to
His promise.
The Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost was one OF the great de-
cisive days in human history. The
great Thanksgiving feast, which, ac-
cording to Jewish traditions, was the
anniversary of the PRONUNCIATION of
the Mosaic law, came so days after
the Passover. 1t came at n better
season for travel on land and sea, so
that 1t was more largely attended
| by those coming from a distance TO
Jerusalem. 1t cams so days after the
crucifiXion of Christ. The 10 days
! following His ascension had been
spent by the weary disciples waitin e
| in the upper room for the promised
power from on high. The Lords ap-
pearance after His resurrection had
| reunited the apostolic band. They
were united by a. comman personal
| faith in Christs promise and expec-
tation, when suddenly they were sur
| prised Ey the signs which preceded
the greatest event. save one--the
birth of our Lord-in history.
The two sensible signs that char
acterized the, coming of the Holy
Spirit were appropriate types of the
inward miracle that they had expert
enced. They heard, but did not see,
the sound of the rushing mighty wind.
! which suggested the invisible, actual
and sovereign freedom of the Divine
Spirit in His life-giving power. The
appearance "of what looked like fire
distributing themselves over the as
sembly' symboIized the purifyin g
power of the Holy Spirits work. The
| first effect of His presence with them
| all was seen in His moving them Ito
speak in foreign languages according
as the spirit gave them words to
utter"
Volumes have been written upon
| this gift of tongues that was be-
| slowed upon the praying band. HUI
A
| spirit of God broke the barriers of
| speech, when He filled the waiting
! band with divine enthusiasm, deep
ened their convictions, empowered
! them to see the truth of the Old
| Testament and understand the life of
| Christ, filled them with a passion for
souls so that they boldly and coura-
geously commenced to speak effect
| lively with other tongues. Paufs de-
| scription of the gift of tongues, man
| ifested in the Corinthian Church,
4 agrees with Luke's account in that
| scoffers attributed their utterances to
1 madness or drunkenness.
Peters Sermon.
In half an hour after they had been
| filled with the Holy Spirit they knew
| more about Jesus Christ and the Old
| Testament than they ever had known
| before. This is seen in Peters de-
fense Of his brethren and his ex-
| PLANTATION to the multitude of the sig
nif1cance of the event which had
| changed them all into new personali-
| ties. This frst Christian sermon was
! an extemporareous address and could
| not have been delivered without the
| aid of the Holy Spirit Peters knowl-
! edge of his own sin, failures and for
| giveness given him by the risen Lord.
| together with his enlarged knowl-
| edge of Christ, as a. result of the bap-
| tism of the Holy Spirit, enabled the
| apostle to come to the front at that
| hour with his strong defense,
Peter was not a graduate OF the
| rabbinical schools. He exhibited a
greater composure of manner and
| closeness of thinking than ever be-
| fore. His sermon is chain of argu-
ment buttressed by texts of Scripture
| and appeals to fact, unfolded with
admirable tact, as of a man who had
all his wits about him, and leading
up to his desired conclusion by rigor-
| Gus force of logic. Having refuted
the intoxioation theory, he turned to
the Old Testament and pointed to the
| prophecy of Joel, as being fulfilled in
their experience. He then by series
| of more and more conclusive proofs
| established that Hebrew prophecy had
| been fulfilled in the life of Jesus, who
had been raised from the dead, and
then boldly charged his fellow coun-
|