The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 174

— THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY

134

that then

it

was quite ordinary.

That the

gift of

SPIRIT

tongues mentioned

Paul and the sign of which St. Luke speaks in Acts ii. are In the first substantially one and the same can not be doubted.

by

St.

prophecy is general " They shall speak with new tongues." Secondly, both phenomena are said to have made irreThirdly, both are treated as sistible impressions upon unbelievers. And lastly, to both is applied the same name. spiritual gifts. Yet there was a \Qxy perceptible difference between the two: the miracle of tongues on the day of Pentecost was intelligible to a place, Christ's

large

:

number

of hearers of different nationalities; while in the

apostolic churches interpreters.

it

was understood only by a few who were called

Connected with

this is the fact that the miracle

on

Pentecost made the impression of speaking at once to different hearers in different tongues so that they were edified. However, Altho in the apostolic churches this is no fundamental difference. there were but few interpreters, yet there were

some who under-

stood the wonderful speech.

There was, moreover, a marked difference between the men thus some understood what they were saying others did not. For St. Paul admonishes them, saying: " Let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret" (i Cor. xiv. 13). Yet even without this ability, the speaking with tongues had an edifying effect upon the speaker himself; but it was an edification not understood, the effect of an unknown operation in the soul.

endowed

From

;

:

this

we

gather that the miracle of tongues consisted in the

uttering of extraordinary sounds which from existing data could.be

explained neither by the speaker nor by the hearer

another grace was sometimes added,

viz.,

;

and

to

which

that of interpretation.

Hence three things were possible that the speaker alone understood what he said; or, that others understood it and «^/ himself or, that both speaker and hearers understood it. This understanding has reference to one or more persons. :

;

On

the ground of this

we comprise

these miracles of tongues in

with this distinction, however, that on the day of PenteAs there cost the miracle appeared perfect, but later on incomplete. is in the miracles of Christ in raising the dead a perceptible increase

one

of

class;

power:

first,

Jairus), then, of lastly, of

the raising up of one just dead (the daughter of one about to be buried (the young man of Nain), and

one already decomposing (Lazarus)

miracle of tongues a difference of power

;

so there is also in the

not increasing, but decreas-

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