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 " suddenly  there  came  a  sound,  as  of  a  mighty  wind, and  there  appeared  parted  tongues,  as  it  were  of  fire, which  alighted  upon  every  one  of  them,  and  they were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  began  to speak  with  divers  tongues." The manner  of  His coming is  significant  of  knowledge,  zeal,  the  gift  of tongues  and  the  power  of  miracles,  symbolized respectively in  the  brightness  and  heat  and  form  of the  falling  fire,  and  in  the  rushing  sound  of  its descent. The Apostles  as  the  preachers  of  the  new dispensation, had  especial  need  of  these  four  gifts. An unlettered  preacher  is  a  blind  man  leading  the blind, and  both  are  sure  to  fall  into  the  pit. A minister, learned,  but  without  zeal  or  virtue,  either abandons his  flock  like  the  hireling,  or  scatters  them by the  scandal  of  his  life. How necessary  in  a preacher  is  the  gift  of  speech  you  know  full  well — you on  whom  we  inflict  our  clumsy  harangues. And, lastly, the  power  of  miracles  is  God's  seal  on  the credentials of  His  earthly  ambassadors. Prior to  the foundation of  the  Christian  Church,  the  Synagogue had been  His  duly  accredited  representative,  so  that it was  of  the  first  importance  that  the  authority  of the  Apostles  should  be  so  plainly  certified  to  as  to command  the  respect  and  submission  of  both  Jews and Gentiles. But the  same  necessity  for  miracleworking  does  not  exist  to-day,  except,  perhaps,  on the  part  of  those  who  are  continually  introducing new forms  of  belief. To ask  the  Church  to  prove  her divinity by  miracles  at  this  late  day  is  unreasonable, especially in  those  individuals  and  nations  who  have