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•liII30 THB EABNEBT CHBISTIAN.EDITORIAL.PENTECOST. •The disciples did not need the baptismof the Holy Spirit which theyreceived at Pentecost to heal them ofbacksUdings. They were not backsUdden.Their spiritual conditionwas never better than it was afterthe ascension of our Lord. Therewere no dissensions among them tobe healed. No spurit of envy hadbeen manifested in unkind thrusts atone another. One did not stay awayfrom meetings because anothei went,or keep silent when there, beeausesome one whom he did not like, led inprayer. They were all with one accordin one place. Peter was not shut outbeeause he had denied the Lord, andcursed and swore. His bitter repentance,accepted of God, had restoredhim to the confidence of the brethren.Christ had said to him, '•^Feedmy lambs"—" Feed my sheep." Promthe heart of Thomas all doubts hadbeen removed. A more orthodox,united assembly of Christians wasnever seen.These disciples were charged with themost important mission ever entrustedto mortals. The world was asleepin the arms of the wicked oue, it wastheir's to awaken them: it.wa^s walkingin darkness to eternal night, itwas their's to turn them to the lightof salvation; it was sitting in thevery shadow of death, it was their'sto open before tbem the gates of eternallife.Why did riot these disciples, thuscommissioned, whose work was somuch needed, begin their mission ?They were not waiting to completetheir education. They had been •withthe Master from the beginning of hisministry, and were weU instructed inthe things of the kingdom. Theywere not sent to study humau philosophyor the words of worldly wisdom.Nor were they waiting for the "developmentof their characters." Whatthey needed to move the world fromits Old superstitions to the li^eing God,was something that does not comemerely •with lapse of days, or fromforce of circnmstances. It was somethingthat schools cannot impart : aninfluence that godly li-ving alone cannever give.When Christ commanded them togo out and disciple all nations, headded: " But tarry ye in Uie city ofJemsalem, until ye be endued withpowei- from on high."—Lnke xsdv, 49.For this, then, were tbey waiting.They undoubtedly had an indefiniteidea as to what this power would be.But they felt confident that when,they received it they would kuow it.For this they waited, and prayed, andbelieved. At last it came, in its over-•whelming influence, upon themselves.It was felt at once by others, andthree thousand souls were convertedin a day.This great revival was a pattern forthe churoh in all ages. Reduced or enlargedas the pattern may be, itshould stUl be followed. And themore closely it is followed, the m'oreglorious will be the results.A formal church may have a formal,fashionable revival, •without this baptismof the Spirit. The Phariseeswere without the Spirit—but theyhad zeal, and they made converts.But our Savionr said to the Phariseesot their, converts, " They are two-foldmore the children of heU than yourselves."So the converts of a fashionable,formal church are stUl more formaland fashionable.But a Holy Ghost revival, in whichmen and women are bom of the Spirit,and become new creatures, is quiteanother thing. This always begins, asdidthe work on Pentecost, •with theoutpouring of the Spirit on God'*people. If they-wiU not humble themselvesand get baptized •with the Spirit,an interest may be excited and sinnersmay be awakened, but the work•will not go much farther. The preach-