Chapter VI: Part 6

And it was wonderful, too, when we think _how_ he went there. If he had left his human body behind him, and had ascended to heaven simply in his divine nature, as God, it would not have been so wonderful. But he did not do this. He took his human body with him. The body that was nailed to the cross and laid in the grave, he took with him to heaven. He ascended, indeed, as the Son of God. But that was not all. No, for he ascended as the Son of man, too. It was Jesus Christ who ascended into heaven. But it was our human nature, as well as the divine nature which helped to make up the person of Jesus Christ. And so when he ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, he took our human nature with him. He took a body like yours and mine, up to that high and glorious place. And he is sitting there now, on the throne of God, as our brother. _This_ is the most surprising thing connected with the great event we are now considering. This shows us how wonderful the ascension of Christ was.

And so, in studying this subject, these are the things about it that we have noticed, viz.: the _time_ of the ascension—forty days after the resurrection; the _place_ of the ascension—the Mount of Olives; the _manner_ of the ascension—_visible—calm and tranquil—blessed—and wonderful_.

There are several lessons that may be learned from the ascension of our Saviour, but we can only speak of one. This is _the lesson of obedience to the command of Christ_.

Just before he went up to heaven, Jesus said to his disciples—“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” St. Mark xvi: 15. This is the last command he gave to his people. He kept it till now because he wished it to be especially remembered. When we lose a father, or mother, or a friend whom we love very much, we listen attentively to the words spoken by that friend as we gather round the dying bed. We may forget some things spoken by him in the days of his health and strength, but those last words that were spoken just before he died, we always remember. They seem very sacred to us, and we pay particular attention to them. And no doubt this was the reason why Jesus kept this command about the missionary work he wishes his people to engage in, till now. He had finished his work for them. He had died for them. He had done all that was necessary for them to be saved, and to be happy with him forever in heaven. He knew how much they ought to love him for all this. And he knew that those who really did love him would wish to show their love by doing what he had told them to do. And so he kept this—the most important of all his commands—to the last. He wished it to be connected with the thought of his leaving the world and going back to heaven. And as they gathered round him, to see him and hear him for the last time on earth, he spoke these words:—“Go, ye, into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” He did not speak them for the apostles or the early Christians only. No; but he spoke them for you, and for me, and for all his people, till the end of time. He intended his church to be a missionary church. He intended that all the members of that church should feel an interest in the missionary work, and that they should do all they can to help it on. This command is very broad. It takes in “all the world,” and “every creature.” We have no right to make the field for this work narrower than Jesus made it. And, until the gospel has been preached in “all the world,” and until “every creature” has heard it, this command of Christ is binding upon all his loving people. If we do not have the missionary spirit which these words require us to have, that is, if we are not trying all we can to bring “every creature,” in “all the world,” to be the friend and servant of Jesus and to be saved by him, then, it is clear, either that we are not loving Jesus as we ought to love him; or else, we are not showing our love for him in the way in which he wishes us to show it. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” And this is his last and most solemn command for us to remember, and keep.

When he says—“Go ye into all the world and preach,” he does not mean that all his people must leave their homes and go out as ordained ministers. What he means is that whether we go out as missionaries, or not, we must have the missionary spirit, and must do all we can to help the missionaries in their work. We must try to get those around us to know, and love, and serve Jesus. And the important question for us all to consider here is—how can we do this? In answering this question, let me point out _four_ ways in which this may be done.

We can be missionaries, and help to preach the gospel, _by our example_.

A little boy named Ernest had begun to love the Lord Jesus Christ and to be a Christian. One day he said to his aunt, “Now I want to grow up a big man, and then I will be a minister and preach to lots of people about Jesus.”

His aunt told him that he need not wait till he was a man before he began to preach. “Try now, every day, to learn your lessons well,” said his aunt; “to be kind, and gentle to all, and try by God’s help to overcome your bad temper, and so, by your example you may be preaching Jesus every day.”

“The Children’s Service.” A little girl went to a Children’s service one Sunday afternoon. On going home she told her mother about it. “What led you to go, Mary?” asked the mother.

“I went, mamma,” she said, “because I was invited to come by a kind boy that I met in the street yesterday. I saw him stop and stroke a donkey that was frightened by a cruel boy. Then he kindly picked up my ball that was rolling away and returned it to me. As he did this he handed me a paper about the children’s service, and invited me to come. I knew he was a good boy because he was so kind and had such a happy face. He said he was sure I would like the services; and I did like them. And I mean to go every time.”

“A Young Hero.” Thirty years ago a boy had given his heart to the Saviour. He had been confirmed and joined the church. The next day he went to school. Some of the wild boys of the school heard that he had joined the church, and they made up their minds to have some fun with him about it. At recess time they formed a ring about him, and cried out:

“Oh! here is the good boy, Charley! He is going to be a Christian!”

And what did Charley do? Did he feel ashamed and try to steal away? Did he get angry, and hit, or kick, or speak cross to them? No. But he calmly looked the rude boys in the face, and said, in a manly way: “Yes, boys, I am trying to be a Christian. And isn’t that right?”

The boys’ consciences told them he was right. They felt ashamed. The ring was broken up at once, and Charley had no more trouble.

He was preaching by his example.

“A Beautiful Illustration.” Mary Duncan was a little girl, only four years old, who was trying to be a Christian. This incident shows us that even at that early age she was beginning to preach, and do good by her example.

One day she was playing with her little brother. In a fit of anger he struck her in the face. But instead of screaming out, or striking him back, she quietly turned to him the other cheek; and said, “There Corie, now strike that!” The uplifted hand was dropped. The tears came into her brother’s eyes. He kissed her, and said—“Forgive me, sister, and I’ll never strike you again.”

When Mary was asked what led her to do so, her reply was that she had heard her papa read out of the Bible, at prayers that morning, what Jesus had said about it.

And so if we try to be like Jesus, we may be helping to keep his last command, and to preach the gospel—by our example.

Another way in which we may do this is—_by our efforts_. This means by what we say and do to show that we love him, and to try to bring others to do so too. We find many illustrations of the way in which this may be done.

“Preaching in the Hayfield.” A good, earnest minister of the gospel was riding one day past a hayfield. A sudden shower was coming up. He saw a farmer, who never went to church, sending off in haste for a horse to draw his hay in before the rain came. The minister stopped and offered his horse to do the work. It was declined; but the minister insisted, and pulling off his coat, unhitched his horse and went to work helping the farmer to load the hay. They got in several loads, and when the last load was in the barn, and the rain came pouring down, the farmer drew out his pocket book, and said:

“How much do I owe you, sir, for your help?”

“Oh, nothing,” said he, “nothing at all.”

But the farmer insisted on paying him for his work.

“Well, my friend,” said the minister, “did you ever hear an Irishman preach?”

“No,” said the farmer.

“Well, you come next Sunday, and hear me preach, and we’ll call it even.”

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem _about_ threescore furlongs. And it came to pass, that, while they communed _together_ and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications _are_ these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleophas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth.... And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.... To-day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre. And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found _it_ even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools.... And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.—_St. Luke xxiv: 13, 15-25, 27._

_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_

_Efforts to identify Emmaus with any existing village within the prescribed radius of “threescore furlongs” from Jerusalem have proved unsuccessful, and its actual locality is still a matter of controversy, in spite of the assistance which might have been anticipated from the name itself, the word Emmaus signifying “warm springs.” Consensus of opinion, however, is in favor of some situation in the hill-country to the northwest of the city, possibly El-Kubêbeh._

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The farmer agreed to do it, and for the first time in many years was present in the house of prayer. He found out that the man who could load the hay could preach the gospel too. He believed it. He obeyed it. That hour’s work, helping him to save his hay from the rain, was the means of leading him to Jesus, and of saving his soul.

“The Lost Diamond.” An elegantly dressed lady, as she stepped one day from her carriage, in the city of Washington, missed her valuable diamond ring. It had slipped from her finger in some way, as she left the carriage, and had fallen into the gutter, where it was speedily buried in the filth that flowed toward the sewer. She looked with dismay on that muddy stream, and offered a policeman five dollars to put his hand into the gutter and find the ring. He hesitated awhile, but finally agreed, and reached down into the filth and spent some time in groping about the gutter. But he failed to find the lost jewel. At length he gave up the search and told the lady that it had probably been washed along, and gone down the sewer. She paid him the five dollars, and he went away. But the lady stood there still, looking sadly down at the place where her lost gem had disappeared. She could not bear to give it up. She lingered and hesitated; and finally, taking off her glove, and pushing back her silks and ruffles and laces, she bared her arm for the work, put her fair hand down into the reeking filth, and after searching patiently in every direction, she found the precious jewel, and carried it away in triumph.

Now there are lost souls all about us, souls for whom Christ died, ten thousand times more precious than that lady’s gem. They are lost in the mire of filth and sin. But they may be found and brought to Christ, by such earnest, persevering efforts as she made for that lost jewel. And if we put forth such loving, personal efforts for them, they may be saved. And those who make such efforts are obeying the Saviour’s command to preach the gospel to every creature.

“It’s All I Can Do.” Bessie King was a bright child about fourteen years old. She was a serious, thoughtful girl, who wanted to make herself useful. One summer afternoon she went into her father’s garden and gathered a bunch of flowers. While doing so, she wondered if she could not make some one happy by the gift of these flowers. All at once she thought of her young friend, Nellie Vance. Nellie was sick with consumption. She had been confined to her room for months, and was not expected to live very long. Her mother was a poor widow, and unable to do much for her sick child. But Nellie was trying to be a Christian, and the thought of the loving Saviour made her cheerful and happy.

Bessie was very fond of Nellie and loved to visit her whenever she could. So she gathered some of the loveliest flowers in the garden and hastened with them to her friend Nellie’s humble home. As she entered her chamber, she said—“Nellie, dear, I’ve come to bring you a bit of my summer,” and she laid the flowers down by Nellie, who was lying on a couch near the window. Nellie’s delight at seeing the flowers was an abundant reward to Bessie for bringing them. It was touching to see the sick child as she lay there, with the bright flowers around her. She handled them so tenderly, one by one, almost forgetting, in the pleasure they gave her, the weary, aching pain, she was always feeling.

“I am so glad you came this afternoon, Bessie dear,” said Nellie, when the flowers were arranged. “I have something so happy to tell you.” Bessie looked at her with surprise, wondering what happiness poor suffering Nellie could have left to her.

“I have been thinking for a long time,” said Nellie, “how little I have done for the Lord Jesus. I have been shut out from people so long, that I’m afraid no one knows I love him; and I can’t bear to go away from earth without a word _out loud_ for him. So Bessie, I am going to be confirmed. That will be standing up for Jesus, and it’s all I can do.”

“But, Nellie dear, how can _you_ be confirmed? You hav’n’t been out of your room for months, and church is more than two miles away.”

“I can do it for Jesus,” she said firmly. “Mr. Gray has promised to take me in his carriage, and to carry me up in the church.”

Bessie could say no more. Her heart was full, and she threw her arms round Nellie’s neck and wept.

“I want you to come with me, Bessie dear,” said Nellie. But Bessie could not speak. So Nellie went on, and said: “You have your whole life to live for him, so you ought to begin right off. But mine is so nearly ended, that I must come now, or I never can come. It’s all I can do. But Bessie I want you to come with me.”

And they did both come. Bessie held back at first, afraid of herself, but Nellie talked so sweetly to her that she had to yield. “When Jesus called the little child to him, Bessie,” said her friend, “don’t you think he would have felt hurt if he had held back, and refused to come to him? Suppose he had said he wasn’t good enough, or old enough! Jesus wanted him, just as he was. He had plenty of grown up people. He wanted a little child then, and he wants us now.”

It was a touching sight when the sick child was carried up the aisle, to join her young companions at the chancel; and when the bishop laid his hands on her head, and his voice trembled there was not a dry eye in the church.

Not long after, Nellie was carried again into the church. Yet this time it was not Nellie herself, but only the poor worn body that had suffered so long, and was now at rest. Her sufferings were now over, and her work was done. Her spirit was with her Saviour she had loved, to be forever happy in his presence.

Nellie was faithfully carrying out the last command of Jesus, when she tried so lovingly to get her friend Bessie to stand with her and confess him before men. By our efforts to bring those around us to Jesus, we may help to carry out that last command of his.

We can do this also—_by our gifts_. There is no better use to make of our money than to give it to help in sending the gospel of Jesus to those who do not know him. And the smallest sums are often very useful when given for this purpose. Here is a story of a poor little orphan girl who had earned six cents by running errands, and of the great good that was done by her gift. Her name was Dixey, and we may call the story:

“Dixey’s Six Cents.” One day, a pale-faced little girl walked hurriedly into a book store in Boston, and said to the man at the counter: “Please sir, I want a book that’s got, ‘Suffer little children to come unto me,’ in it; and how much is it sir? and I’m in a great hurry.”

The bookseller wiped his spectacles, and looking down at the poor child, he took her thin little hand in his, and said: “What do you want the book for my child? and why are you in such a hurry?”

“Well, sir, you see, I went to Sunday-school, last Sunday, when Mrs. West, the woman who takes care of me, was away; and the teacher read about a Good Shepherd, who loves little children, and who said these words. And the teacher told us about a beautiful place where he takes care of his children and makes them all happy, and I want to go there.

“I’m so tired of being where there’s nobody to care for a girl like me, only Mrs. West who says I’d better be dead than alive.”

“But why are you in such a hurry, my child?”

“My cough’s getting so bad now, sir, and I want to know about him before I die; it would be so strange to see him and not know him. Besides, if Mrs. West knew I was here she’d take away the six cents I’ve saved from running errands, to buy the book with, so I’m in a hurry to get served.”

The bookseller wiped his spectacles again, and taking a book from the shelf, he said, “I’ll find the words you want, my child; listen while I read them.” Then he turned to St. Luke xviii: 16, and read to her the sweet words of the loving Saviour. After reading them he told her about the Good Shepherd; how he came down from heaven to seek and save the lost sheep; how he suffered and died for us that we might live; and about the bright and beautiful home in heaven, which he has prepared for all who love and serve him.

“Oh, how sweet that is!” said the earnest and almost breathless little listener. “He says—‘Come.’ I’ll go to him. How long do you think it’ll be sir, before I see him?”

“Not long, I think,” said the bookseller, turning away his head to hide the tears that were running down his cheeks. “Now you can keep the six cents and come here every day, and I will read to you some more out of this Book.”

The little girl thanked him and hurried away. The next day, and the next, and many days passed away, but the poor child never came to hear about Jesus again. Some time after this a rough-looking woman came into the bookstore, and said in a loud voice, “Dixey’s dead! She died rambling about some Good Shepherd, and she said you were to have these six cents for the mission-box at school. I don’t like to keep dead people’s money, so here it is,” and throwing the six cents down on the counter, she hurried out of the store.

The six cents were put into the missionary box on the next Sunday, and when the story of Dixey was told it touched so many hearts and led so many to follow her example with their pennies that by the end of the year “Dixey’s cents,” as they were called, had brought in money enough to send out a missionary to China, to help in finding out the lost sheep and bringing them to Jesus. And if little Dixey, in her feebleness and poverty, could help to carry out our Saviour’s last command, then we may all do so.

But there are other things than money that may be given to the work of saving lost souls. We see this illustrated in the following story. It may be called:

“The Rescue.” “O my child, my child!” cried an almost heart-broken mother, as she met a party of gentlemen, among the hills of Scotland.

“What’s the matter?” they asked.

“A few hours ago I left the house and my baby-boy in charge of his sister. Being a fine day, he was lying in the cradle, outside the cottage-door, prattling away in the sunshine. After awhile, baby fell asleep, and my little girl being hungry, went in-doors to get some food. While she was lingering there, I returned, but only in time to see an eagle bearing away my child in his talons. O sirs! pity me, help me, recover my darling child.”

The mother’s loving eye had watched the flight of the eagle; and with these gentlemen she went to the edge of the cliff, and looking over the precipice they could see, far down its steep sides, the nest of the eagles, to which the child had been carried. The distress of the mother touched the heart of one of the gentleman who was a Scotch nobleman. He resolved, by God’s help, to try and snatch the child from the terrible death that awaited it.

Ropes were procured, and at his own request, the nobleman was lowered down over the rugged cliff. The two eagles fluttered round, as if daring the intruder to approach their nest; but a brave heart was beating beneath that Scotch plaid. Fearlessly the heroic Scotchman approached the nest. He took the child from among the young eagles. He bound it to his bosom, and gave the signal to be pulled up. Gently, but steadily, he was raised in safety to the top of the cliff; and with a glad heart he gave back the recovered child to the arms of its grateful and rejoicing mother.

This story illustrates what Jesus has done for us; but, at the same time it shows what we should do for those whose souls have been carried away by Satan the great enemy, and who are in danger of perishing forever. If we feel for them, as this good nobleman felt for that lost child, it will lead us to give, not our money only, but our sympathy, and everything in our power, to bring them to Jesus, that they may be saved through him forever. And so we see how by our gifts, we may help to carry out the great command which Jesus left for his people, just before his ascension into heaven.

And then, there is one other way in which we may help to do this, and that is by—_our prayers_.

There is a wonderful power in prayer. It is a power which all may use, and which will reach all around the world. We see this strikingly illustrated in the case of the Syro-Phœnician woman mentioned in St. Matt. xv: 20-28. Her prayers caused the casting out of the devil from her daughter. When Jesus was on earth he said to his disciples—“All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” St. Matt. xxi: 22. This is God’s promise to you and to me and to all his people. And so when we pray for ministers and missionaries; when we pray for the conversion of the heathen, and for others who do not love and serve God, we are helping on the good work which Jesus left for his people to do when he said—“Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” It would be easy enough to fill a volume with incidents which illustrate the power of prayer. But we have only room for a single illustration.

“Saved by Prayer.” Some years ago, a boy left his home in Indiana for Chicago. He was not there long before he fell into bad company, and was led astray. A friend of his father’s, who lived in the same town, happening to visit Chicago, saw that boy on the street one night drunk.

On returning home, he thought at first that he would not say anything to the father about what he had seen; but afterwards he felt that it was his duty to tell him. So meeting him one day in the crowded street of their little town, he took him aside and told him what he had seen in Chicago. It was a terrible blow to him.

On returning home that night, before going to bed, he told his wife what he had heard. They were both so much distressed that they could not sleep. They spent the greater part of the night in earnest prayer for their poor boy. Before morning the mother said, “I don’t know how it is, but God has given me faith to believe that our son will be saved and not be allowed to fill a drunkard’s grave.”

Not long after this, that boy left Chicago. He could not tell why, but an unseen power seemed to lead him to his mother’s home. On entering the house the first thing he said was: “Mother I have come home to ask you to pray for me.” She prayed with him, and for him, and he soon became a sincere and earnest Christian. Here we see the power of prayer. Let us all use this power, and we shall be helping on the preaching of the gospel in all the world, and to every creature.

And so, when we think of the ascension of Christ, let us always remember the great work that Jesus commanded his people to do; and let us try to help on that work in the four ways of which we have spoken,—by our _examples_—by our _efforts_—by our _gifts_—and by our _prayers_.

The Collect for Ascension Day is a very suitable one with which to close this subject:

“Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth, with thee and the Holy Ghost, One God, world without end. Amen.”

And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went, and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed _it_, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.—_St. Luke xxiv: 28-34._

_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_

_Beyond the simple statement that “he was seen of Cephas,” nothing is recorded regarding the appearance of Jesus to his sinning and repentant disciple, although, if we accept the sequence of events in the order in which they are narrated, it may safely be supposed that this took place after night-fall. But where nothing is known, conjecture is justifiable, and we may think of Peter as shrinking from the society of his comrades, unable to rest, and wandering, he knows not whither, in the silent, moon-lit streets. Chance leads him to the door of the house of Caiaphas, and there, on the scene of his lost opportunity, he realizes the presence of his risen Lord, and receives the gracious assurance of forgiveness._

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THE DAY OF PENTECOST

Jesus has finished his work on earth and gone back to heaven. We have now, in bringing this history to a close, to consider how the work was carried on, after he was gone.

After the ascension of Christ there was a pause. For some days everything stood still in connection with the great cause for which Jesus had lived and died. This pause continued until the day of Pentecost. Then the Holy Ghost was sent down from heaven. He took up the work where Jesus had left it, and has been engaged in carrying it on from that day to this. Nothing could be done till he came. No sermons were preached. No lessons were taught. No souls were converted till the Holy Ghost came. This shows us how important his presence and help are in all the work which the church of Christ has to do for the glory of God and for the salvation of men. Take an illustration.

Here is a locomotive, standing on a railway, with a train of cars attached to it. The engine is new and beautiful. Every wheel and crank and pin is in its proper place. It is complete; it is perfect. The boiler is full of water. The tender, attached to the locomotive, is full of fuel. The passengers are all waiting; but yet the engine stands still. Nothing moves. What is the matter? Simply this: there is no steam in the boiler. And what is wanting to make the steam? Why a fire in the furnace. Can nothing take the place of this? Nothing in the world. This is absolutely necessary. Everything depends on this. But now see, the fire is kindled. There is steam in the boiler. The wheels begin to move, and away goes the train.

When Jesus went to heaven, the church he left on earth might well be compared to such an engine. He had built it well. Its machinery was all complete; but it stood still. The power was wanting to put it in motion. The Holy Spirit alone could give this power. When he came the fire was kindled: the steam was generated; and the train was started, which was to run around the world, and carry countless numbers of ransomed souls to heaven.

And in speaking about the coming of the Spirit, there are three things for us to notice. These are—_the time of the Spirit’s coming: the manner of the Spirit’s coming; and the purpose of the Spirit’s coming_.

_The time of the Spirit’s coming_ is pointed out in the name of the day when he came. It was on the day of Pentecost. This word means the _fiftieth_: whether it be a day, or a number, or anything else to which it may be applied. The Jews used this word as the name of one of the three great feasts which they were commanded to keep every year. This one was called “the feast of Pentecost,” because it was kept on the fiftieth day after the feast of the Passover. It was sometimes called also—“the feast of Weeks.” This name was given to it, because the forty-nine days, which came in between these two feasts, just made up seven weeks.

It pleased God to connect with this day of Pentecost the most important event that has ever taken place in the history of the church or of the world since the ascension of Jesus into heaven—and that was—the coming of the Holy Ghost.

And this great event has always been remembered with interest by the Christian church. In the early days of the church, the day kept in memory of the coming of the Holy Ghost was set apart as one of the solemn seasons for baptizing persons who wished to be received into the church. The candidates for baptism on these occasions were clothed in white garments, to denote the purity which should mark those who received baptism properly, by truly repenting of their sins, and having their souls washed in the blood of Christ. And for this reason, the Sunday on which the day of Pentecost was thus celebrated, was called Whit-Sunday, or Whit-Suntide.

In the Episcopal Church in this country, in the Church of England, and in some other branches of the Church of Christ, this Whit-Suntide festival is still kept with great interest. The scriptures read on this day refer to the coming of the Spirit and to the importance of his work; and the sermons preached at this season generally have reference to the same subject. And when we remember how the success of the great work in which the Church of Christ is engaged depends upon the help which the Holy Spirit gives, we see how important it is that we should be constantly reminded of the necessity of having his presence and power with us in all our efforts to do good to the souls of men. And so, when we think of the time of the Spirit’s coming, we may bear in mind that it was on the day of Pentecost, or on the fiftieth day after the death of Christ.

And now, we may go on to speak of—_the MANNER of the Spirit’s coming_.

It was an _expected_ coming. Jesus had told his disciples about the coming of the Spirit and had given them a promise that he should come. He said to them on one occasion: “It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” St. John xvi: 7.

And then, just before his ascension into heaven, he repeated this promise, commanding them “not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father:” again he said, “ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence;” and again, “ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” Acts i: 4, 5, 8.

And, according to these promises, we find that the apostles were waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit and expecting it when the day of Pentecost arrived. They had not been told how long they were to wait. All that had been said about the time of his coming was that it would be “not many days hence.” After Jesus left them and went to heaven, they seem to have met together every day, engaging in prayer and praise. No doubt they read the scriptures on these occasions, and talked together about their ascended Lord and the fulfilment of the promise he had left them. Day after day, they had met for this purpose, waiting for the Holy Spirit. But one day passed by after another and the Spirit did not come. Still they felt sure that he would come. They were waiting for his coming: and when at last he came, we may well say of it, that it was an _expected_ coming.

It was a _sudden_ coming. We know how often it happens that something we have been expecting for a long time comes suddenly at last. And it was so with the disciples on this occasion. They had met once more for their daily worship. As they came together, on the day of Pentecost, there was no more sign of the coming of the Spirit on that day than there had been on any of the previous days; but he came at last. We are not told whether it was at the beginning, or the middle, or the close of their meeting, that he came. The Holy Spirit did not send a messenger before him, to tell of his coming, as kings and great men in the East were in the habit of doing. No trumpet was sounded. No signal was given. But, all at once, the promise of the Father was fulfilled; the expectation of the disciples was met—the Holy Ghost came down from heaven. But it was a _sudden_ coming. Acts i: 2.

In the next place it was—a startling coming. The _sound_ connected with it made it such for one thing. We read that “there came a _sound_ as of a rushing, mighty wind.” We are not told that there _was_ a wind on this occasion; but only that the sound which attended the coming of the Spirit was _like_ that of a mighty wind. The Spirit might have come to the disciples on this occasion as “the still, small voice” of God came to the prophet Elijah, on Mount Horeb. But it was not so. On the contrary, he chose that his coming should be attended with a loud noise. We read that “it,” that is the sound, “filled all the house where they were sitting.” We are not told what this sounding noise was for. It may have been to arouse the attention of the disciples and make them fully awake to the important event that was then taking place. And, no doubt, another reason why this rushing sound attended the Spirit’s coming was to indicate to them what great power would attend the Spirit in the work he was to carry on in the church and in the world. The wind, when it goes rushing on, in the form of a tempest, is one of the most powerful agents that we know of. It can lash the ocean into foam and fury. It can dash to pieces the noblest works of men, whether on the land, or on the sea. It can tear up the giant oak by its roots and lay it prostrate on the ground. And the sound of that “rushing, mighty wind” with which the Spirit came was intended, it may be, to make the disciples feel how great was the power he was able to give them in the important work they had to do. “The sound, as of a rushing, mighty wind,” seemed to tell of this.

But again, we are always startled by that which is _unusual_. And there were several things about this coming of the Holy Spirit which were unusual, and so calculated to startle the waiting disciples. There was, for instance, the _direction_ of this sound. It came “_down from heaven_.” The winds, with whose sound we are familiar, never act in this direction. From whatever point of the compass they come, they always blow around, or over the earth. A wind blowing “_down from heaven_,” directly towards the earth, as was the case with that sound which the disciples heard, was something unusual, and so calculated to startle them.

Another unusual thing about this sound was, that it was a sound _like_ that of a wind, but yet without any wind at all. They heard that sound. It reminded them of the wind. But there was no motion there, such as the wind produces when it blows. Nothing stirred in that upper chamber. A feather would not have been moved. So far as motion was concerned—all was calm, and still there. And yet there was that mighty sound. How startling this must have been!

And then, what accompanied this sound was startling, as well as the sound itself. There were those “cloven tongues, like as of fire.” Little long pieces of flame were seen in the air of that chamber. There were about a hundred and twenty persons present there. And a hundred and twenty of these fiery tongues were seen. How strange it must have been to look on such a number of these marvellous appearances, and to see one of them come down and rest on the head of each person present! But, the Holy Spirit was come; and these things must have made it a startling coming.

And then it was—an _abiding_ coming. When the Holy Spirit came down upon the Church of Christ, on the day of Pentecost, he did not come to remain for a little while, and then go back to heaven. No! but he came to _stay_. When Jesus spoke to the disciples about the coming of the Holy Ghost, he used these words: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may _abide with you forever_.” St. John xiv: 16.

It was not for the help and comfort of the apostles and early Christians only that the Holy Spirit came. No; but it was for the help and comfort of all the people of Christ, down to the end of the world. The coming of the Spirit, which took place on the day of Pentecost was intended to be an abiding coming. He has never left the church from that day. But he may be present, without putting forth his power and making his presence felt. What we need to pray for is not that the Holy Spirit may _come_ into our churches; for he is there; but that he may make his power and presence felt. What we want above all things, in our hearts, in our homes, in our Sunday Schools, and in our churches, is to feel the power and presence of that Spirit, who came on the day of Pentecost, and whose coming was to be an abiding coming.

And so, when we would show the manner of the Spirit’s coming to the early church, we may say that it was an _expected_ coming—a _sudden_ coming—a _startling_ coming—and an _abiding_ coming.

And now, the only other thing to notice, is—_The—PURPOSE—of the Spirit’s coming._

And if we wish to understand clearly the meaning of this part of the subject, there are these two things for us to consider; viz., _what the Holy Spirit is; and what the Holy Spirit does_.

And in order to understand satisfactorily what the Holy Spirit is—we must find out what the scriptures call him; and how the scriptures speak of him. Here are some of the titles given to the Holy Spirit in the scriptures, or the names by which he is called.

The great names, Jehovah, Lord, and God are all given to the Spirit. He is called—the Most High—the Holy Spirit—the Holy Ghost—the Free Spirit—the Good Spirit—the Spirit of Life—the Spirit of Truth—the Spirit of Grace—the Spirit of Adoption—the Spirit of Wisdom—the Spirit of Counsel—the Spirit of Might—the Spirit of Knowledge—the Spirit of the fear of the Lord—the Spirit of Promise—the Eternal Spirit—the Power of the Highest—the Comforter—the Guide—the Teacher.

And the giving of such names as these to the Holy Spirit proves two things about him, one is that he is a real person; and the other is that he is God. He is a divine person, equal to God the Father and to God the Son.

And this is proved, not only by the names given to him, but also by _the way in which the scriptures speak of him_. Let us look at one or two illustrations of the way in which they do this. When the prophet Isaiah is speaking of Christ, the Messiah, he represents him, as saying of himself—“And now, the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me.” Is. xlviii: 16. Here we see the three persons of the Holy Trinity—God the Father—God the Son—and God the Holy Spirit are spoken of as all working together. God the Son is sent, and God the Father and God the Spirit are the ones who send him.

We see them uniting together again, in the same way, on the occasion of our Saviour’s baptism. Thus we read, “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; And lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” St. Matt. iii: 16, 17. Here we see the three Persons of the blessed Trinity acting together. God the Son has taken our nature upon him, and is baptized, as a man, in the river Jordan. God the Spirit comes down from heaven in the form of a dove, and rests upon him; while God the Father speaks from heaven, in a voice that was heard by those who were attending that baptism. This proves to us that there are three Persons, in the One God whom we worship; and that the Holy Spirit, who came down upon the church on the day of Pentecost, is the third Person in this Trinity. He is a divine Person, equal to the Father and the Son. It is impossible to explain, satisfactorily, what took place at the baptism of our Saviour in any other way. And in this way, we get a clear view of the first thing, important for us to know, in order to understand the meaning of the Spirit’s coming. We see now _what the Holy Spirit is_. He is a divine Person—united with the Father and the Son in the great work of our salvation, and equal to them both.

And then there is another thing that we must understand clearly, if we would know the purpose of the Spirit’s coming on the day of Pentecost—and that is—_what the Spirit does_. This refers to the work which the Holy Spirit has to do in the Church of Christ. It takes in both what he had to do in the church when he first came and also what he has to do now. The work which the Spirit has to do for the souls of men is the same now that it was then. There were, indeed, works of wonder, great miracles, to be performed in the early church which are not done now.

But, apart from this, there is no difference. The work of the Holy Spirit has always been the same. How important his work was to the church at first, we see in the fact that nothing was done till the Spirit came. After Jesus had ascended to heaven there was, as we have already said, a long pause before anything else was done. This pause lasted for ten days. Jesus had left a great work for his disciples to carry on in the world; but during those days nobody moved a step or lifted a finger towards doing that work. Everything stood still. And the reason for this long pause was that nothing could be properly done in carrying on this work till the Spirit came. The disciples had been distinctly told to wait for his coming. They waited till the day of Pentecost. Then, this Spirit came. Then the work began—the work of saving souls from death. The work has never ceased. It has been going on to the present day; and it will continue to go on till Jesus comes again.

And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: _then_ came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace _be_ unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust _it_ into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed _are_ they that have not seen, and _yet_ have believed.—_St. John xx: 26-29._

_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_

_Five times during that memorable Easter Day did Jesus manifest himself to his followers, and it was not until the eighth day at even, that the sixth appearance is recorded as having taken place; this time for the special purpose of confirming the belief of one of the eleven who still doubted. Ten manifestations in all are specifically mentioned, but it would appear (Acts i:3) that Jesus also revealed himself to his chosen apostles on many other occasions, speaking of the things pertaining to the building up of that church, of which he was himself at once the Foundation and the Corner-stone._

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Now there are four things that must be done for every soul that is to be saved through Jesus Christ. And none but the Holy Spirit can do these things.

_The first thing that the Holy Spirit has to do for every soul is to—CONVERT—it._

He began this work at once when he came. He set the apostles to preaching Jesus Christ, and the result of the first day’s preaching was—that _three thousand souls_ were converted.

The conversion of the soul refers to the great change which takes place when a person becomes a Christian. The word conversion is only one of several words applied to this subject in the Scriptures. Sometimes it is called being quickened, or made alive; and at other times it is called being “born again.” This was the way in which our Saviour spoke of the great change we are now considering, in his interesting conversation with Nicodemus. And he spoke of the Holy Spirit as the One who is to work out this change in every case when he said—“_Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God._” St. John iii: 5. To be “born of the Spirit,” is the same as to be converted, or to have the heart changed, and to be made a new creature in Christ Jesus. Good people differ much in their opinions about what our Saviour means by “water” here. Some think it means the truth of God’s word, which is spoken of as the means employed in the conversion of souls; while others think that the word “water” here refers to baptism; but we cannot stop to argue the point now.