(Scripture Reading Exercises continued.)

SPIRIT BAPTISM (Continued.)

SPECIAL TEXT: "Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come dozen, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." (Acts viii:14-17.)

DISCUSSION.

1. The Manner of Spirit Baptism: The manner in which the saints under the teachings of the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Ghost was through the laying on of hands. In proof of this I call attention once more to the labors of Philip in the city of Samaria.

It is already known how he taught them the gospel, how they believed it and were baptized; then we are informed that "when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost (for as yet he was fallen on none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."^[A]

[Footnote A: Acts viii:14-17.]

Previous to the labors of Philip among the Samaritans one Simon Magus, a magician, had given it out that he himself was some great one, and his influence among the people was considerable. But he, too, became converted to the teachings of Philip, and was astonished at the power which attended his administrations, for the sick were healed, the lame were cured, and unclean spirits were cast out of those who were possessed of them. Afterwards, when the apostles Peter and John, came and conferred the Holy Ghost upon those whom Philip had baptized, Simon was present:

"And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money."^[A]

[Footnote A: Acts viii:18-20.]

Paul, it will be remembered, found a number of men at Ephesus who claimed to have been baptized unto John's baptism, but when Paul questioned them as to the Holy Ghost, they had not heard even that there was such a Spirit. So doubting the validity of their baptism he rebaptized them; after which, "when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied."^[A]

[Footnote A: Acts xix:1-6.]

The same apostle, also, in writing to Timothy, exhorts him to stir up the gift of God which was in him, and which he had received by putting on of his (Paul's) hands, alluding, no doubt, to the time that Paul bestowed the Holy Ghost upon him by the laying on of hands.^[A]

[Footnote A: II Tim. i:6.]

That this practice of laying on hands for the bestowal or baptism of the Holy Ghost continued in the primitive Christian Church for a long time—at least for three centuries—is evident from the following testimony:

6. Testimony of the Early Church to the Manner of Spirit Baptism: Of the rites and ceremonies of the third century Mosheim says:

"The effect of baptism was supposed to be the remission of sins: And it was believed that the bishop, by the imposition of hands and by prayer conferred those gifts of the Holy Spirit which were necessary for living a holy life."

[Footnote A: Mosheim's Church History (Murdock), Vol. I, p. 189.]

In a note on the foregoing question, Murdock, the most accurate translator of Dr. Mosheim's great work on church history, says:

This may be placed beyond all controversy by many passages from the fathers of this century. And as it will conduce much to an understanding of the theology of the ancients, which differed in many respects from ours, I will adduce a single passage from Cyprian. It is in his epistle. No. 73, p. 131: "It is manifest where and by whom the remission of sin conferred in baptism is administered. They who are presented to the rulers of the church, obtain by our prayers and imposition of hands the Holy Ghost."^[A]

[Footnote A: Mosheim's Church History, Vol. I, p. 189.]

In another passage Cyprian writes:

"Our practice is that those who have been baptized into the Church should be presented, that by prayer and imposition of hands they may receive the Holy Ghost."

While Augustine, in the fourth century, says:

"We still do what the apostles did when they laid their hands on the Samaritans and caled down the Holy Ghost upon them."^[A]

[Footnote A: Laying on hands was employed in the Church for other purposes than imparting the Holy Ghost. It was the manner of administering to the sick, (Mark xvi:18; Acts xxviii:8); and also of conferring authority or priesthood on men. (See Acts vi:5, 6; viii: 17; xiii:3); but as we here are only dealing with the ordinance as it relates to a means of imparting the Holy Ghost, I do not stop to discuss the other purposes for which it was employed.]

In subsequent centuries, however, this part of the gospel was lost, or neglected by some of the sects of Christendom, and when announced among them today, it is not unfrequently regarded as a new doctrine.^[A] Yet it is not. We have seen that it was a doctrine practiced by the apostles and their immediate successors. Indeed, it is named directly as one of the principles of the doctrine of Christ by Paul. The following is the passage:

[Footnote A: It is a mistake to suppose all Christendom to have neglected the practice of this ordinance. The Catholics teach that "Confirmation (by the laying on of hands) is a sacrament instituted by our Lord, by which the faithful, who have already been made children of God by baptism, receive the Holy Ghost by prayer, unction (or anointing with holy oil called chrism), and the laying on of the hands of a bishop, the successor of the apostles. It is thus they are enriched with gifts, graces and virtues, especially with the virtue of fortitude, and made perfect Christians and valiant soldiers of Jesus Christ to stand through life the whole warfare of the world, the flesh and the devil. The first recorded instance of confirmation being administered to the faithful is in the eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, where St. Peter and St. John confirmed the Samaritans who had been already baptized by St. Philip. 'They prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost. . . . Then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost.'" (Catholic Belief, Bruno, pp. 97, 98). The Church of England, and, of course, the Episcopal churches in the colonies and the United States, teach practically the same thing.]

"Therefore not leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment."^[A]

[Footnote A: Heb. vi:1, 2.]

And here it may be well to call attention to the fact, that it is written that "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God."^[A] And since a large part of the religious world has lost sight of this important doctrine of the laying on of hands for imparting the Holy Ghost, it is one evidence, among many others, that they have not God; for the absence of this part of the gospel proves that they have not continued in the doctrine of Christ.

[Footnote A: II John 9.]

7. The Manner of Spirit Baptism in the New Dispensation: In restoring the gospel to earth in the present dispensation, it seems, from the frequency with which it is mentioned, that particular prominence is given to this doctrine and ordinance through which the Holy Ghost is imparted. Out of the many passages in the Doctrine and Covenants relating to the subject I select the following:

In April, 1830, the same month and year in which the Church of Christ in this dispensation was organized, the Lord in explaining the office and calling of an apostle, said:

"An apostle is an elder, and it is his calling to baptize. * * * And to confirm those who are baptized into the Church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, according to the scriptures."^[A]

[Footnote A: Doc. and Cov., Sec. xx:38, 41.]

In a revelation to James Covill, given in January, 1831, calling him to obedience to the gospel and appointing him to be God's servant, even a minister for Jesus Christ, the Lord said:

"And this is my gospel: repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom."

After calling him to be his servant, the Lord said:

"And again, it shall come to pass, that on as many as ye shall baptize with water, ye shall lay your hands, and they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."^[A]

[Footnote A: Doc. and Cov., Sec. xxxix:6, 23.]

Then in a revelation given to Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt and Lemon Copley, through Joseph the Prophet, on the occasion of these men being sent with the Gospel to the Shakers, the Lord said:

"Go among this people and say unto them, like unto mine apostle of old, whose name was Peter; believe on the name of the Lord Jesus. * * * repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the holy commandment, for the remission of sins; and whoso doeth this shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of the hands of the elders of this Church."^[A]

[Footnote A: Doc. and Cov., Sec. xlix:11-14.]

As this last is a general law, I do not consider it necessary to cite further passages, though the revelations of the Lord contained in the Doctrine and Covenants are replete with them. Sufficient has been said to show that the doctrine has been made prominent in this dispensation.

8. The Philosophy of Spirit Baptism by Laying on of Hands: To my mind this ordinance is the most philosophical of any in the gospel. On one occasion as Jesus passed through a throng of people, a woman who had been troubled with an issue of blood for twelve years, and had spent all her living upon physicians, but received no benefit from them, came up behind him, saying in her heart, if I can but touch the hem of his garment I shall be healed. And it was so, even according to her faith; for pressing through the crowd she laid hold of his garment and was immediately made whole. "And Jesus said, who touched me?" When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, "Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?" And Jesus said, "Somebody hath touched me; for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me."^[A]

[Footnote A: Luke viii:43, 46.]

Now, what had happened? And why the expression—"Somebody hath touched me; for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me?" My answer would be that the person of Jesus, aye, and also the very garments he wore, were so charged with that divine influence—the holy Spirit, that when the woman with the issue of blood touched him, so much of that Spirit left him to heal her that it was perceptible to him, and he exclaimed, "Virtue is gone out of me."

So, when a servant of God, who has the companionship of the Holy Ghost, is filled with that Spirit, and possesses authority to act in the name of Jesus Christ, lays his hands upon one who has prepared himself through faith, repentance, and baptism, the Holy Spirit is conferred by the one who administers to him upon whom he lays his hands, and he is baptized of it. These are the laws by which the Holy Ghost is received; these are the conditions that must exist, in order that man may walk within the circle of his influence, and in the full and free enjoyment of his companionship. The transmission of the influence of the Holy Ghost from one person to another by an observance of the principles and ordinances of the Gospel we have now considered, is as natural and philosophical in the spiritual things of the universe, as it is for electricity or steam to perform the wonders which these forces are now made to enact in the commercial and mechanical worlds, when the laws upon which the manipulation of them depend are complied with; but which they will not perform unless the conditions by which their power is made available are complied with.

As stated by Elder Parley P. Pratt—whose language, however I slightly modify—to impart a portion of the influence of the Holy Spirit by the touch or by the laying on of hands; or to impart a portion of the element of life from one animal body to another by an authorized agent who acts in the name of God, and who is filled therewith, is as much in accordance with the laws of nature as for water to seek its own level; air its equilibrium; or heat and electricity their own mediums of conveyance. . . . An agent possessed of this heavenly influence cannot impart of the same to another, unless that other is qualified, washed, cleansed from all his impurities of heart, affections, habits or practices by the blood of the atonement, which is generally applied in connection with the baptism of remission. A man who continues in his sins, and who has no living faith in the Son of God, cannot receive the gift of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of any agent, however holy he may be. The impure spirit of such a one will repulse the pure influence, upon the natural laws of sympathetic affinity, or of attraction and repulsion.^[A]

[Footnote A: Key to Theology, pp. 96, 97, 98.]

In other words, the Spirit of God will not dwell in unholy temples, hence sincere repentance and baptism for the remission of sins go before the baptism of the Spirit, that men may be cleansed from their sins, justified before God, and their bodies, by these means, made fit dwelling places for the Holy Ghost—the living temples of God.