"I have got it, I have got it," was all Kate could say about her new experience. She seemed to be very happy, yet she looked as if she were in a tremendous strain and lines were drawn in her face which denoted care and anxiety.
"My dear, did you come to the Lord for more of His grace?" asked Mary. "If so, we have a sure promise, but what is this 'tongues' that you have received?"
"That is proof that I have the Holy Ghost," said Kate. "Don't you know that the apostles spoke in tongues?" But Kate did not know the theology of the new religion very well.
Robert Davis was determined to know the theological basis of the new outburst, if it had any; so he went to see the ministers and asked them for their doctrinal belief.
"Very well, sir, sit down," replied one of the ministers.
"The first Scripture text is a prediction by Christ (Mark 16:17): 'They shall speak with new tongues.' The second is where the prophecy was fulfilled (Acts 2:4): 'And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.' Next in Acts 10:46: 'For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.'
"Now the doctrine is this: everybody must speak in tongues as the evidence of having received the Holy Spirit. This is the evidence. Do you have the Holy Ghost? If so, then you have spoken in tongues."
"But," said Robert, "why should one manifestation of the Spirit be any more of a witness than another manifestation?"
"Oh, you have got to get the 'tongues,'" replied the preacher. "Come tonight and seek the Holy Ghost. Hallelujah!"
But Robert noticed a peculiar accent to this "hallelujah," and also that every one present seemed to be moved by one dominating, overwhelming spirit or power. Among these people there seemed to be more seeking for something to exhilarate them than seeking the face of God for more grace and love. There was an amazing brazenness about most of those who had the "tongues," an air of superiority, a sort of spiritual pride that disgusted him. When he attempted to reason with them he found them unreasonably impervious to argument or logic. He finally concluded that the doctrine was based on a false claim, a misconception of Scripture.