SPECIAL ADDRESS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 78, 1 March 1929, Page 2

SPECIAL ADDRESS.

evangelical mission. Pastor Wm. Mallis, General Director of ths South Seas Evangelical Mission, delivered a special address to Christians at the Baptist Church last evening on the “Filling of the Holy Spirit’ from Acts I. 11., and other Scriptures. On the platform ivere also Mr E. Mallis, jnr., missionary on furlough from India; Rev. F. A. Cravrshaw and Mr L. 0. Stanton, of the Oriental Mission. This filling, said Mr Mallis, should be the normal cxperienco of every child of God; anything subnormal or abnormal was not God-planned or provided. The spirit dwells in every believer, but how much of the Christian, queried the speaker, does He possess? “It is God’s purpose that you should be ‘filled’ with tlio Holy Spirit. This is Scriptural. No experience can be satisfactory that is not Scriptural. It matters not how beautiful in theory, attractive, or popular—if not Scriptural it is unsatisfactory and unsafe—building upon sand. It may be as I speak,” continued Mr Mallis, “there spring up in the mind visions of extravagances and the use of very unseemly language. Some of us are not likely to bo caught by scarecrows in this way. We build on foundations _ that can never be shaken by such opposition of the enemy. ‘Filled’ is the word consistently used by tho Spirit in Acts 2,4, and not ‘baptised.’ Some people can never get beyond the phenomena of ‘fire’ and ‘tongues’; and imagine if these signs are not present the experience is not genuino. What the Holy Spirit requires is full control of the utterances of tho Christian. ‘They spoko, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ When this i 3 realised tho Church speaks with authority, convicting power, saving power, and sanctifying power. Is our message Spirit controlled? Don’t bo sidetracked on this important subject—the filling of tho Spirit. Tho 4th chap., verse 31, records that the placo was ‘shaken,’ and they were all filled with tho Holy Ghost; another phenomenon—the placo shaken. Don’t be anxious about the church shaking. Let this be your trouble: Am I filled with tho Holy Spirit? What was the result. They spoke God’s word with boldness.

“Tho Spirit first takes control, then he gives tho message. ‘They spoke the Word of God.’ When reading tho Bible don’t slur the little words or jump to conclusions. Wait for tho Spirit of God to teach. I have seen cannibal head-hunters, depraved men and women, absolutely changed by the Spirit of God. We teach nothing else in our schools and churches, but tho Word of God. Tho islanders repeat it like children, read it over, and over again until the word grips the heart, and the result is transformed lives; not soft or sentimental, but strong characters, men of great strength of thought, will and control because taught by the Word of God. “Don’t you think there is a message here for tho Church in New Zealand. What place has tho Word of God in our ministry? I can always judge it by the production lof Bibles at services. When, in the Solomons, I give out a text, every man gets his Bible. Those who aro quick help tho others. I wait until all find the' place, asking ‘You catch it?’ ‘I catch it,’ comes the reply. Then I can begin. All controversy in the South Seas ends in tho question; ‘ls it in the Bible ?’ Teach and preach the ‘word’ and Jesus Christ will loom large in your life and service. “The man who discredits tho word is not filled with tho Spirit, for the Holy Spirit speaks not critically, but with authority. “Acts 9, 18, deals with another outward phenomenon, (scales fell from Paul’s eyes.’ I wonder why there is not a sect called ‘scales.’ Scales then might fall during the evening, and he swept out into tho street noxt morning! But Saul of Tarsus became

a man mighty in tho Scriptures. He carried this dynamic force in his soul and changed tho world. Now wo have results—tho number of disciples multiplied’ increase always follows Spirit-filled ministry, and a run on Bibles succeeds a revival. Disciples, -‘Op the wiord, not converts, followers, or adherents. The disciple—one who is taught—is the type we want; and such, taught of God, will evangelise the world. Another result of filling. ‘They magnified God,’ Acts 10, 44. Self is dwarfed when the Holy Spirit enters. The natural man lovos selfexaltation, but tho Holy Spirit nails him to the cnoss as a criminal and leaves him there.” In conclusion, the speaker urged the need for unconditional surrender for, said he: “you negative all your giving by what you are withholding .‘Oh God,’ says the Island boy, ‘me give you the keys of all tho boxes of my heart’.”