eth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that
believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with
new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly
thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and
they shall recover."[1393] In contrast with their earlier commission,
under which they were sent only "to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel,"[1394] they were now to go to Jew and Gentile, bond and free, to
mankind at large, of whatever nation, country, or tongue. Salvation,
through faith in Jesus the Christ, followed by repentance and baptism,
was to be freely offered to all; the rejection of the offer thenceforth
would bring condemnation. Signs and miracles were promised to "follow
them that believe," thus confirming their faith in the power divine; but
no intimation was given that such manifestations were to precede belief,
as baits to catch the credulous wonder-seeker.

Assuring the apostles anew that the promise of the Father would be
realized in the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Lord instructed them to
remain in Jerusalem, whither they had now returned from Galilee, until
they would be "endued with power from on high";[1395] and He added: "For
John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy
Ghost not many days hence."[1396]

In that last solemn interview, probably as the risen Savior led the
mortal Eleven away from the city toward the old familiar resort on the
Mount of Olives, the brethren, still imbued with their conception of the
kingdom of God as an earthly establishment of power and dominion, asked
of Him, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to
Israel?" Jesus answered, "It is not for you to know the times or the
seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall
be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in
Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."[1397] Their duty was
thus defined and emphasized: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen."[1398]

When Christ and the disciples had gone "as far as to Bethany," the L