Patriarchs and Prophets

you into all truth.” Chapter 16:13. And after Christ had risen from the dead, he
said to the disciples, “Behold, I send the promise of my father upon you: But tarry ye
in the city of jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49.
On the day of pentecost the disciples were thus endued with power from on high.
But this promise of Christ’s was not, any more than the prophecy of joel, confined to
that occasion. For he gave them the same promise in another form by assuring them
that he would be with them always, even to the end of the world. Matthew 28:20.
Mark tells us in what sense and what manner the Lord was to be with them. He
says, “and they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them,
and confirming the word with signs following.” Mark 16:20. And Peter, on the day
of pentecost, testified concerning the perpetuity of this operation of the spirit which
they had witnessed. When the convicted jews said unto the apostles, “what shall we
do?” Peter answered, “repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost. For the
promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:37-39. This certainly provides for the operation
of the holy spirit in the Church, even in its special manifestations, to all coming time,
as long as mercy shall invite men to accept the pardoning love of Christ.
Twenty-eight years later in his letter to the corinthians, Paul set before that church
a formal argument on the question. He says (1 Corinthians 12:1), “Now concerning
spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant”—so important did he deem
it that this subject should be understood in the Christian Church. After stating that
though the spirit is one it has diversities of operation, and explaining what those
diversities are, he introduces the figure of the human body, with its various members,
to show how the Church is constituted with its different offices and gifts. And as the
body has its various members, each having its