Agreeable to the language of these quotations, there is a distinct separation between the personality of the Savior and that of the Holy Ghost. Jesus, in speaking of those who should believe and obey Him, used this language: "He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified." (John vii:38, 39.) It appears from this statement that while Jesus was the representative of the Godhead to men in the flesh, at least for a period of time, the Holy Ghost had not come to officiate at that time as a personal witness of the Father and the Son to the children of men. To corroborate this idea, we quote from the sixteenth chapter of John, seventh verse: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you." That this Comforter is the Holy Ghost is evident from the fourteenth chapter of St. John, sixteenth and twenty-sixth verses: "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Further: "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me." (John, xv:26.)
These promises are so definite that no one could reasonably mingle the personality of the Holy Ghost with that of either the Father or the Son. After the crucifixion and resurrection of the Savior, and when He had spent forty days with His disciples before His ascension, instructing them preparatory to their great mission, before He allowed them to go out, He reminded them of the promise which He had made to them, and commanded them to tarry at Jerusalem "until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke xxiv:49.) This promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, when the powers of the Holy Ghost were manifest through His glorious gifts which attended the apostles on that occasion. On that great day the Holy Ghost as a gift for their permanent guidance, was promised to all without distinction of time or place, if they would have faith, repent and be baptized by divine authority.
The personality of the Holy Ghost as a minister for God has been enjoyed in every dispensation of the Gospel. "Men and brethren, this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake." (Acts i:16.) Again: "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye." (Acts vii:51.) This is proof that David and the prophets spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, as did the disciples in the dispensation of Christ; also that the ancients rejected the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, as did the people in the days of the apostles. The apostle Peter says: "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (II Peter i:21.) No one by reading the Scriptures can reasonably deduce therefrom that divinely authorized men were justified in their official ministrations in speaking by any other power than that of the Holy Ghost. Paul says: "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost." (I Cor. xii:3.)
The great gifts of the Spirit have been referred to in earlier pages of this work, and need not be repeated here; but the character of those gifts and the constant necessity for their existence, together with the passages quoted here, are positive proof that the Holy Ghost is one of the Deity and a separate personage from the Father and Son. At the Baptism of the Messiah He was present in the waters of the Jordan with John the Baptist. The Father was in the heavens above, and His voice was heard, while the Holy Ghost descended upon the Savior, as witnessed by its appearance in the form of a dove. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The three constitute the great, supreme Godhead, yet are as separate and distinct in their personalities as any earthly parents and the children.
REVELATION.
For eighteen centuries the people of this world have been groping in spiritual darkness. They have had the Bible, it is true, but what have they learned from it? In letter, many things. In the true spirit of divine inspiration, they have learned little. "The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (II Cor. iii:6.) They are "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (II Tim. iii:7.) These statements of Holy Writ are fully corroborated by human experience in religious matters. The world is divided and sub-divided into many contending factions, professing Christianity, yet not having a unity of faith. Many ideas of the Lord, many faiths in baptism. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Eph. iv:5), was the doctrine of Paul. "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew vii:14.)
What is the cause of all this uncertainty respecting the glorious plan of eternal life? If one was or is right, all opposing methods must be wrong. We answer that the lack of unity, the ignorance in relation to the Gospel, and finally skepticism and infidelity, are due to substituting the wisdom of men for the revelation of God, using human learning instead of the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
We desire to show in this article that without direct and continuous revelation from God, the Gospel cannot be understood and properly applied for the salvation of mankind, nor can the purposes of God be accomplished on the earth. First, we take direct statements of Scripture: "Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." (Prov. xxix:18.) The law of God has never been kept without the Spirit of God to enlighten those who sought to keep it. The history of the human family, from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Moses, from Moses to the Lord Jesus Christ, and in all subsequent ages, proves beyond cavil that where there was no vision from heaven, no inspired voice, no revelation, the people utterly perished in darkness and unbelief. The combined wisdom and learning of men could not save them from spiritual darkness.
That there may be an authorized channel of communication between the heavens and the earth, the Lord has, whenever His Church has existed on the earth, appointed men to receive His will and make it known to the people. "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secrets unto His servants, the prophets." (Amos iii:7.) This literally might be understood as equivalent to saying that where no prophet was, there the Lord was doing nothing that would result in man's salvation. Without being technical respecting the language of Amos, the history of the world from Adam down proves his statements true. When there has been no prophet there has been no revelation from God. When there has been no revelation or vision the people have wandered to and fro, have tossed upon the billows of clashing opinion, perished in darkness and have been buried in the great ocean of doubt and uncertainty. On the other hand, when authorized prophets have existed among men we may exclaim with the ancient Scriptures: "I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets. And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved." (Hosea xii:10, 13.) And we affirm that without prophets Israel never was preserved and never will be.