We ask then, "Will it do the same things it did anciently?" If not, why
not? What has caused it to lose its power, and become the uncertain
teacher it is to-day? For if the Christian world of the present age is
in possession of this blessing, why does it teach the people of one
church that a certain principle is true, and the people of another
church that the same principle is untrue? What of the multiplied
thousands of beliefs, creeds, faiths, dogmas and doctrines that flood
the land? Are they all inspired by the Spirit of God, the gift of the
Holy Ghost, and sustained by the doctrines of the Bible? If not, which
are right and which wrong?
{289} These are questions of great importance, and should be well
considered. Let the word of God speak for itself in the following
quotations:
"And when Paul had _laid his hands_ upon them, the Holy Ghost
came on them; and they spake with tongues and prophesied" (_Acts
xix._, 6). "Then laid they their _hands_ on them, and they received
the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through _laying on of the
Apostles' hands_ the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money"
(_Acts viii._, 17-19). "Neglect not the gift that is in thee,
which was given thee by prophecy, with the _laying on of hands_
of the _presbytery_" (_I. Tim. iv._, 14). "Wherefore I put thee
in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in
thee by the _putting_ on of my hands" (_II. Tim. i_. 6). "Of the
doctrine of baptisms, and of _laying on of hands_" (_Heb. vi._,
2). "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have
you ignorant. * * * For to one is given by the Spirit the word of
wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to
another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing
by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another
prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another, divers
kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues" (see
context, _I. Cor. xii_). "Our Gospel came, in power * * and in the
Holy Ghost" (_I. Thess. i._, 5). "And ye SHALL receive the _gift_ of
the Holy Ghost" (_Acts ii._, 38).
We here introduce the testimony of some of the Christian writers who
wrote immediately after the death or banishment of the Apostles:
Tertullian, in the second century, says: "After baptism, succeeds the
_laying on of hands_, with prayer, calling for the Holy Ghost."
Cyprian, writing in the third century, says: "Our practice is, that
those who have been baptized in to the church should be presented that
by prayer and _imposition of hands_ they may receive the Holy Ghost."
Augustine, in the fourth century, says: "We still do what the Apostles
did when they _laid their hands_ on the Samaritans and called down the
Holy Ghost upon them" (_Gahan's Church History, page 73; Mosheim's
Church History, volume I, page 91_).