"I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that
he may abide with you forever."--_John 14:16._
[Illustration]
OUR Lord had told the apostles that though He was going to heaven, He
would send them another Comforter, who would be with them for ever,
and in whom He Himself should be present with them--even God the Holy
Ghost, who is One with God the Father and God the Son.
Ten days after He had ascended up to heaven, on the great day of the
feast of weeks (or, as we call it, Whitsunday), as the disciples were
together in one place at Jerusalem, they heard a sound like the noise
of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house; and there came
flames like tongues divided in the midst, and sat on the head of each
disciple--not burning, but shining.
And wonderful knowledge came to all of them--they understood all
they could not understand before; and they could speak all sorts of
different languages, without ever having learnt them. These wonders
were to show them that God the Holy Ghost had come down from heaven to
be with them, and to dwell in them, and help them, and make them strong
for ever and ever.
[Illustration: TONGUES OF FIRE RESTING ON THE DISCIPLES.--Acts 2:2-4.]