GIFT OF TONGUES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 86, 4 January 1908, Page 6

GIFT OF TONGUES.

. ... • ' Remarkable . scenes are being witnessed nightly at Monkwearmoutk, ■ Sunderland, ■ in connection with a -Revival Mission,' con-' ducted by the Rev. A. ,A. Boddy, vicar of All Saints, and Mr. T. B. Barrett, described as a Norwegian pastor, although, of English birth. . A feature of Mr. Barrett's preaching- is' an apparentlyprofouiid belief in tho "gift of. tongues." Ho declares that .'during,his" .Norwegian mission" pcoplo' were suddenly fiven the power .of speaking in English, 'rencli, and German.; 'Services'aro at pro. sent being held twice a day, and nt tlies« many strango scenes'liavo been witnessed, women falling on the ' floor, rolling about, babbling "Lai lal," and "Coo coo," ', arid , then-breaking into , hysterical screams ""*<d ■laughter. • . Their babblings are interpreted by Mrs. - ■Boddy, tho vicar's wife, as distinct messages from tho Holy Ghost. ,At a recent meeting a young juan wont into. the hall half-nn-hour before tho sorvico began; and falling on his knees remained in <v rigid position, like an- Indian fakir,, all. through . tho service', which lasted over two hours. ' At one part of the sci-vico lio broko out * into prayer, which consisted mostly of two words, which were repeated until ..the • preachers themselves had to cut him short by starting a hymn. A woman related how she had been a martyr to rheumatism for two years; and how,' having come to one of Mr. .Baddy's meetings, slip was confronted with tho Lord in person, who said, "Go homo, and thou shalt suffer no more." She went- straight home and had never since, had either in- • tornal or external pain. In the emirso of an interview, tho Rev. A, A. Boddy,-Mrs. Boddy, . and Past-or Barrett, all expressed their implicit belief in tho power.of the Holy Ghost to invest-.believers with tho ' power of speaking languages of 'which thoy were hitherto ignorant. Asked as to the i utility of the gift of tonguo, tlioy said it was valuable as an outward demonstration of tho power of tho Spirit.