the _peculiarity of those early years in the humanity of the now risen, l\scended, glorified Master himself. There was a time when it was said that" Jesus increased, . , in favour with God and man." It is even so now with the family of his followers, i:r:he analogy is striking, And it is striking as one novel indication of the condescen- swn of the great Lord, who so closely shared, who still so closely shares, his Church's fortunes. For the resemblance must be quoted, not as one that shows the Church sharing its Founder's fortunes, but the Founder anticipating his Church's fortunes, In both examples how gratefully are we reminded of the legitimate influence, even in this ,vorld, of goodness ! And how gratefully are we, by a mere foretaste, as it were, assured of that "favour" that Jesus and his truth and his faithful disciples must eventually command from the judgment of the world, whenever the time shall come] Nor was the Di'l'i_ne rnntentment that spread over and that evidently interpenetrated this newly fashwne<l society one which looked to mere selfishness then or to mere picturesqueness no,v. The favourable impression that it made on them that were without was useful as well as beautiful. It was attractive. And the very same qualities that made it attractive made it a safe refuge, home, school, nursery, to those that might own to the Divine attraction. To such a society the Lord added daily. And, let it with reverence be said, it could not be otherwise; but if it could, it would not. This is what the Church of Christ must be. It must be these all in one. The refuge for the sinner " saved; " his home on earth; his school; for many, because of their tender years, also the nur- sery of piety and devotion; but for all, young or old, a nursery, from which heaven is looked t.o as the introduction to the presence and abiding society of the Father himself. Thus, now, not the abstraction of a perfection of Christianity unlikely to be yet reached, but the oft-erring, oft-deficient embodiment of it in the lives of frail sinful, men, gave clear and beautiful proofs of what is the genius of it, of what it has in itself to do, and no obscure foreshadowing of the reign of love and peace and joy that Jesus is hastening on.-B.
Vers. 1---4.-The symbols of tl1e Spirit's presence. It is important that we mark with some precision what actually occurred on this memorable day. On the day of Pentecost the company of disciples met together as usual at the customary hour of morning prayer, but whether in one of the thirty rooms which Josephus tells us were connected with the courts of Herod's temple, or in the private house where they lodged, is uncertain. As we know that they attended morning prayer in the temple (see eh. iii. 1), there is much in favour of the scene occurring within the temple precincts. There a large company could be readily and conveniently assembled, and there the high priest and Levitical guard would have the necessary authority to arrest "dis- turbers of the peace." While the apostolic company was engaged in prayer, a sudden rushing sound was heard, like that which accompanies an earthquake. It seemed to sweep through the room, and .fill it with a new and inspiring atmosphere; and then, as ea.eh one of them looked in astonishment upon hie companion, he saw a central flame come and part, settling in divided streams upon each head. The mystic symbols soon passed away, but they left the disciples conscious of a new life; they were as men moved beyond themselves by a mighty in ward impulse. The glow of a Divine kindling was upon their faces, the passion of a Divine urging was within their souls, the freedom of a Divine utterance was upon their lips; they began to speak to the people around about the Messiahship of Jesus, the crucified. The rumour soon spread among the excitable multitudes, gathered from all parts, who were present at the feast. They c~owded round the apostles; they felt the influence of their enthusiasm; they heard one and another of them speaking in the familiar language of their birthplace ; they were moved by the power of a Divine presence, and that day three thousand bowed the knee to Christ. 1'hose disciples had been told to wait for spiritual power-inward, heart-power. And the signs that attended the gift were designed to indicate the kinrl of power that came. It was a mighty breath filling them with larger life. They were caught up, and encircled as with a great wind of Divine energy, and in this atmosphere they breathed more freely, and lived more nobly. F. W. Robertson well expresses this in the following note :-"Just as if the temperature of this northern atmosphere were raised suddenly, and a mighty tropical river were to pour its fertilizing inundatfon 4Wer the country, the re,ult woulli l>e the mipartation of a vigorous aud gigant(Q olr. n. 1-47.J THE AC'fS OF THE APOSTLES. 85