THE SPIRIT'S MANIFESTATIONS

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." Every (spiritual) man has some manifestation of the Spirit. The manifestation of the Spirit is given for the recipient's profit and the glory of God.

Let me call attention to the fact that Christ did not speak in other tongues as the evidence of His being anointed with the Holy Ghost. There was a voice accompanying his baptism, but it was not His, but the Father's, saying: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." It is true He did doubtless speak Hebrew, Greek and Arabic, but there is no evidence with which we are conversant, that these languages were miraculously conferred upon Him at the time He received the Holy Spirit. They were the vernacular of the day with many, and the presumption is strong that Jesus, being studious, learned these languages by application, or His pure mind absorbed a working acquaintance with them from contact.

To say that the speaking in tongues at the time of the reception of the anointing of the Holy Ghost, is an accompaniment in every instance, is to say that the Son of God was never properly anointed with the Holy Ghost. True He said others would speak in other tongues, and it is true that rile said that the Father dwelling in Him spoke the words, and He may have been inspired by Him to speak in other tongues, but we are simply saying of His case that it is not recorded.

On the day of Pentecost there seems to have been given a known language with the Holy Ghost baptism, or the miracle of understanding, (the word "hearing" being so translated) another's language as though it were one's own.

This phenomena seems to have dropped out of the church with the exception of sporadic instances. Bishop Taylor tells of one instance where one of his missionaries to Africa was miraculously endowed with the dialect of a tribe to whom he preached. Our own personal observation is limited to one case of a real language being conferred and the interpretation being instantly given and sealed by the Spirit in conviction of the hearers. In permitting this phenomena to drop out, it does seem that the Lord has allowed a most rapid way for the evangelization of the world to pass, "But known unto God are all His ways," and "shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" And by this we are not saying that there are not numerous instances of speaking it, a real language as the Spirit gives utterance, but are simply recording our limited observations.

But there is another tongue spoken of in Corinthians, sharply contrasted with the type of speaking in tongues at Pentecost. It is the unknown tongue, outside altogether the realm of salvation or sanctification (the Pentecostal baptism being sanctifying) which no one is convicted for not having; which all men do not, or cannot have; which is altogether in the realm of the sovereign disposal of God, and divided as He wills, and classified with eight other Supernatural Gifts of the Spirit, of which a man may receive when, or after he has received the sanctifying baptism with the Holy Ghost. But this tongue is not the evidence that he has the baptism of the Holy Ghost proper; it is only the evidence that he has the gift of this tongue; no more is it the evidence that He has the baptism of Pentecost than the conferring on him by the Lord of the gift of healing, or any other of the nine supernatural gifts of the Spirit. These gifts are simply gifts and not works of the Spirit, like regeneration or sanctification. They have no reference to our salvation. They are the evidence of the possession of themselves -- gifts.

Paul said of the unknown tongue that he had tongues more than all: he thanked God for it: he would that they spake in tongues -- all of them: let them speak by course. His final word was -- "forbid not to speak with tongues."

Some moderns are wiser than Paul. If he were here today and should write or speak the regulations given the Corinthians, he would be adjudged a tongues' man, heretic and fanatic. He said that he who spake in a tongue edified himself. There should be no objection to this. Thank God for edification! But there is something higher than self-edification. He said that the man who prophesied unto the edification of others was greater than the man who merely edified himself, unless he had the Divine interpretation given to him, and then he was promoted to the rank of the man who had the gift of prophecy.

All the disciples had the phenomena received on the day of Pentecost. Of the unknown tongue of the Corinthians he said: "Do all speak with tongues?" Such is our observation today -- no matter how much they seek. Is this also not the observation of the reader?

On the day of Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Ghost and its attendant manifestations, (which Wesley said might again be restored as the Lord's coming drew near) was directly used for the conviction of others. The manifestation of unknown tongues was for the edification of self -- the man through whom spoken.

At Pentecost, all understood the speaker. Of the Corinthian type, no man understands him: further, he does not understand himself what the Spirit is saying, unless God gives him the gift of interpretation. Only the God who inspires him, understands him. His mind is not at work, but unfruitful, his spirit is prayer through, the understanding being suspended during the operation.

Because Paul gives such a strong statement as to the comparative value of speaking in tongues and prophesying -- he would rather speak five words in his native tongue for the instruction of the people than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue, there is a disposition to minimize or ignore altogether, this Scriptural truth. Let us remember that no Word of God is void of power and that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. The gift of tongues serves the purpose of self edification and inspiration, Paul regulated its exercise and advised others to forbid not its manifestation; he said that when it is accompanied by the gift of interpretation of the Spirit's utterance, it is equal to the valuable gift or prophesying, unto comfort and edification of others. This writer does not speak in tongues, known or unknown, save his mother tongue; he is trying, however, to be free from all prejudice and to be fair with all. There are many grievous things in the wake of the movement called the Tongues Movement, but hardly more grievous than can be found in any other movement. It is not fair to indulge in wholesale condemnation because of single instances of inconsistency. This course would repudiate every existing religious organization. Let us welcome good when it comes to us in lowly guise. It is a truism that so much counterfeit implies the genuine somewhere. This is not the same as countenancing all the wild, weird manifestations evident with many of these people.

If the Bible had not over a score of references to the speaking in tongues, I would follow the lead of many others and say that the entire movement is of the devil, but well I know that some of the most Christ-like Christians are among them and I could give eminent instances of great usefulness and revival power in their midst. A great M. E. Church in Washington, whose pastor has received the gift of tongues and speaks in tongues, has had two thousand find the Lord in the regular services the past two years, including the writer's brother. They have been used of God to answer prayer for the writer when in deep need.

If only from the motive of my own soul's sake I am unwilling to say that the entire movement is of the devil; I would as soon place my neck on the guillotine; I have literally seen the Spirit of God grieved and quenched by a preacher while preaching, for such an un-Christlike statement. I do not want to take chances on committing the unpardonable sin; for if just one of all the tens of thousands who claim to speak in tongues, do it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I have said the Holy Ghost is the devil and that His manifestations are the manipulations of the devil. If I am altogether wrong in this caution I have lost nothing; my judgment is imperfect, as we teach, my discernment is not entirely dependable, as prejudice, unfairness and unwillingness to see God outside of my movement may color its operations, and I at least feel restful over suspending my judgments until the final day. I am not supposed to be a judge but a doer of the Word. The Father has committed all judgment into the hands of the Son; in this matter, He too, relieves me of the responsibility. In this conclusion I have lost nothing except the senseless opposition of unfair souls.

On the other hand, if the one who assumes the opposite position is wrong he is dreadfully wrong and he exposes himself to terrible contingencies! He grieves the Holy Ghost by grieving those whom God has not grieved and He is found to fight against those whom God has accepted. If through prejudice or jealousy we despise even one of the little ones which believe in Jesus, better a millstone, He said, were tied around our neck and we cast into the depths of the sea.

May we, dear reader, if this message is for you, beg you for your own sake to have towards those oft despised and persecuted people the attitude you wish the missionary to Africa to have towards the poor deceived natives? If some of them are deceived, let us remember that the atonement was made for them, and pray that God will use us to win those of them whom Satan has taken captive at his will; it is a fearful thing to be snared by the fowler; and were we in that sad deception, I am sure we would rejoice when someone with light, love and power was used of God to rescue us from our sad plight. It was the author's privilege recently to labor in a Methodist Church where a number were led off into giving undue prominence to the Spirits' manifestations; and through the lifting up of Christ, to see a goodly number rescued from the snare of the fowler.