Work of the Holy Spirit

JUST as God the Father promised, with ever in-

creasing emphasis in the Old Testament the

coming time in which His Son should be mani-

fested, so during the latter months of Jesus' minis-

try He promised when He went away He also would

bestow a gift upon the world, even the Holy Ghost.

As the hour of his departure approached, and Cal :

vary's cross cast its shadow over the fearful hearts

of His disciples, Jesus more and more sought to

impress upon the minds of His people the neces-

sity and importance of receiving His gift the

Comforter.

So many times did the Lord promise the Spirit

and explain the importance of His coming and His

office work in our lives from conviction to bap-

tism, and on to perfection, that time and space

will permit our giving only a few quotations at

this time.

In the 16th chapter of John, Jesus said: "It is

expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not

away the Comforter will not come unto you, but

if I depart I will send Him unto you." Here and

in other places He begins to enumerate the differ-

ent reasons why we should receive the Holy Ghost,

and to explain still more fully His office work in

this world :

(1) When He is come He will reprove the world

of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. John

16:8.

(2) Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is

come, He will guide you into all truth. John 16 :13.

(3) He will not speak of himself; but whatso-

ever he shall hear, that shall he speak. John 16 :13.

(4) He will shew you things to come. John

16 :13.

(5) He shall glorify ME. John 16 :14.

(6) He shall receive of mine, and show it unto

you. John 16:14.

(7) But when the Comforter is come, whom I

w4ll send you from the Father, even the Spirit of

truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall

testify of me. John 15 :26.

(8) But the Comforter, which is the Holy

Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,

He shall teach you all things and bring all things

to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto

you. John 14 :26.

(9) But ye shall receive power after that the

Holy Ghost is come upon you. Acts 1:8.

Jesus' parting words to His little flock after

His death and resurrection, as His pierced feet

were rising from earth as He ascended to His

Father, rang out clear and plain : "Behold I send

the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry

in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from

on high." Luke 24 :49.

True to His commission, Acts 1 :12 shows the

little band of faithful followers (one hundred and

twenty in number) wending their way to Jerusa-

lem, to tarry until they should receive the prom-

ised gift. "And when they were come in, they

went up into an upper room, where abode both

Peter and James and John, and Andrew and

Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,

James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes,

and Judas the brother of James. These all con-

tinued with one accord in prayer and supplication

with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus,

and with His brethren. Acts 1 :13, 14.