Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-04

Many Americans have overlooked the
place Of Christianity as an important
contributing factor to our Nations Free
dom that We celebrate every Fourth of
July. Men engaged in that epoch
making event never dreamed Of the
| present position and power of our coun-
| try. It Is only as we look back upon
their stand for liberty, equality and JUS
| tice that we can detect how in their
zeal for the rights Of the Colonies they
were influenced by the truths of Chris
/ tianity, whose birth we are to study
today.
During the last six months our les
sons have focused upon the personality
of Jesus Christ. the coming six months
Of our study will follow the history of
the spread OF Christianity from Jeru-
salem unto the uttermost part of the
earth" In our former studies we saw
how, with the spirit and thoroughness
of a modern historian. Luke, the cul-
| tured Gentle Christian, who was q
product of Paul's ministry. had been
inspired to write the third gospel, that
recorded what Jesus commenced to do
and teach. It Is natural that the same
writer should be prompted by q divine
urge to record in "The Acts" what Jesus
continued to do and teach after His
ascension. Jesus, from above continues
to be the dynamic head of the new
movement. The agents are His agents,
the church is His body and the Holy
Spirit was the power from above that
He promised to bestow upon His apos-
| ties in His farewell commencement ad-
dress to the graduates Of His peripa-
/ tetic school.
Being Jews, in all probability, they
would have waited in Jerusalem 10 days
1 for hA AAeAN ne IA,
which, as the feast of the harvest or OF
weeks or Of first fruits, recalled the CIV
| ing Of the law. 1t was the great memo
rial birthday Of the Hebrew polity, fol-
lowing so days after the Red Sea was
crossed. 1t pleased the wise Master
! Builder to respect the memorials OF
ancient Judaism when He was laying
the foundations Of a new era that was
destined to change the character and
destiny Of men and nations.
The Holy Spirit Given.
Pentecost found that the IL had been
increased to 100, who were all assem-
bled in the upper room where Jesus
had appeared to the apostles and ate
the Passover with them. Among the
number was Mary, the Blessed Mother
of our Lord Jesus, and His brethren
They had through prayer come to a
unity of desire to be Allied with the
promised power from on high that was
to equip them with understanding and
give them a complete explanation Of the
events that they had witnessed since
| Christ's resurrection.
Early on that epoch making day they
were all filled with the Holy Spigit.
The coming Of the promised power
ranks second to the advent of the Lord
| Jesus in the history Of the world. The
! fulfillment Of Christ's promise of the
Holy Spirit was marked by three dis
tinct outward signs that clearly DEM
onstrated the presence Of the Living
God among men. There was the sound
of mighty wind, when there was no
| wind. There were tongue Of flame. each
of the 120 being crowned with one Of
the tongues. There was the speaking
| with foreign tongues, which astonished
and COMPOUNDED the deyout Jews who
were present with proselytes from all
parts of the Roman Empire.
The three supernatural Characters
| tics had their own meaning. The sound
of the wind was prophetic of the per-
suasive life-giving power of the Holy
Spirit. The fire was indicative Of the
purifying energy of the Spirits work in
the lives of men. The tongues we're
revelations of the purpose of the COM
ing of the Holy Spirit to abide with
men. for He came not only to witness to
the Lord Jesus, but also to At all Chris
tians to become living and powerful
witnesses of Christ's resurrection and
promise of salvation. The gift of
the tongues of FIRE made all Of the 40
willing and powerful testifiers Of the
Gospel.
The Immediate Results.
The change in the attotude and dis
position OF the group that had waited
in the upper room for the promised
power was so noticeable that they suf-
fered from hostile criticism that called
for an immediate defense. or the newly
formed organization would be under
cloud. Peter took up the defense Of