1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

True, some of the gifts are departed, but the chief ones remain.We still have the apostles and prophets. These being dead, yetspeak to us, and that more clearly and forcibly than to ourbrethren who saw them face to face. The word declares that"there are differences of administration, but the same Lord." OurLord has, to some extent, changed His administration, but he, ashead, is still ruling over his body. The same spirit continues, butwith diversities of operations. It does not now operate (usually)by the lower gifts ofR183 : page 6tongues, cures, etc., probably because the ignorance which madeit expedient then, has now given place to knowledge, so thatinstead of coming together and speaking or praying ignorantly,in an unknown tongue, we can now, when we assembleourselves, speak to one another of the teachings of the Lord andHis apostles. God still continues, to some extent, the gifts ofteachers (called prophets 1 Cor. 14:3-5) evangelists, shepherds.The manner of imparting the Holy Ghost used to be by thelaying on of hands of the apostles, or sometimes, of othersdesignated. (Acts 9:1-17.) Here again we see a "difference ofadministration," [but the same Lord and same spirit] for now,without laying on of hands [even as Cornelius] we, when weconsecrate ourselves, fully receive the spirit of adoption,whereby we can recognize God as our Divine Father as well ascreator. We find ourselves "Led of the Spirit" and guided intothe truth day by day, and we know that "as many as are led bythe spirit of God, these are the sons of God." And wherever wefind the fruits of the spirit we may be sure that the spirit dwellsthere, else the fruits could not exist. We should be more anxiousto possess the fruits, than the gifts, of the spirit. Paul exalts oneof the fruits, LOVE, as being more desirable than any or all thegifts without it.Let us for a moment look at the type which seems given toillustrate our anointing of the spirit, viz.: The anointing ofAaron. (Lev. 8.) The holy oil type of the spirit was poured uponhis head in profusion. So the spirit was given to our head, Jesus,without measure. As the oil ran down all over Aaron, "even tothe skirts of his garments," so in due time-- Pentecost--the (oil)spirit descended from our exalted head upon us, his body, andall through this age, it has flowed down, down, touching everychild of God. Now, to ask God for a fresh baptism would be toask amiss, for if His word abide in us, we should remember thathe said: "The Father shall give you another comforter, that hemay abide with you forever (aion the age), even the spirit oftruth." John 14:16.Now, while it would be no more proper for us to pray foranother baptism of the spirit than it would have been for Mosesto have anointed Aaron twice, still as individuals, you and I maynot have our hearts as full of the spirit of truth as it is our