THE KING’S BUSINESS
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true God to about forty heathen worship pers on this red-letter day of idolatry. What we had helped to do for the men, one of Mrs. Patton’s Bible women had done for the women. Though there were only two Christian women in the village, she had suc ceeded in rounding up about twelve women for each of our services. As I write this account of last evening’s work, I hear the horrible din of a like celebration in a village not 500 yards away
from our compound. There the Devil is having his own way, but his time is short; his doom is fixed. Remember, .we only num ber about 800 in this section of one and a half million people. Our hope and confi dence of victory lie not in numbers, but in the power of the living Christ to work in and through these 800 who have turned their backs upon idols and are trusting in Him for their salvation.
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THE BAPTISM OF FIRE
By DON O. SHELTON
( From the Bible Today )
HERE are four great facts that stand out in the record of the coming of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pente cost!
ful would be our growth and development God may have here one, who, if he would but receive the Holy Ghost, would become as-zealous as John Wesley; or as fiery a preacher of the Gospel as George Whitefield; or as devoted a teacher and writer as Fran ces Ridlejt Havergal; or as trustworthy a witness to the saving power of Christ as Charles Haddon Spurgeon; or as bold and fearless an organizer for the winning of the multitudes to Christ as “Billy” Sunday. (2) They spoke from an inner impulse., v. 4.g The Spirit-filled worker does not need to be pushed into service. He goes forward in response to the life that reigns within. On the day of Pentecost the dis ciples spoke from an inner impulse because God Himself had kindled the fire within them. The fire that comes from God Him self is the indispensable equipment fot Christian service. (3) . They spoke so that all who heard could understand, vs. 6-11. They were en abled to speak fluently the language their hearers could understand. They spoke in telligently on the greatest of subjects. This was a stupendous miracle. They were ig norant fishermen, yet they spoke to for eigners from various nations in languages they had never heard.
(1) They were all filled. No one among those who had been waiting in faith for the fulfillment of the promise, failed to re ceive the full blessing. As they were all filled they were all changed, for the Holy Spirit makes all things new. He changes the soil, and the atmosphere, and the con ditions of our lives. When He obtains full possession of the human soul, old things pass away, all things become new. Then all the conditions in the life are ready for the bringing forth of fruitage to the glory of God. The Holy Spirit creates a new at mosphere for the growth of every talent and every virtue. What climate does for the trees of the forest, the Holy Spirit does for the members of the Church of Christ. Stunted, shivering weeds of the Arctic re gions are our great forest trees. The mighty oak, the stately elm, and the grasses and ferns of our climate, transplanted in the tropics, become trees. If we would yield ourselves entirely to the Holy Spirit, we probably wouldn’t know ourselves five years from now, so wonder
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