of a nation, or of a world, do not change the Word of God. He is
the third person in the trinity without controversy. The Holy Spirit is
not a mere emanation or influence, but a person or being, capable of
works, or the performance of a mission. As a person he guides: "Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth."
John 16:13. He as a person teaches: "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." John 14:26.

This teacher and guide is not a mere influence, such as love. The
Scriptures in speaking of the Holy Spirit use the personal pronoun. The
Holy Spirit as the third person in the trinity is the special gift of God
unto his children: "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon
you." Luke 24:49. God gave this promise by the mouth of his prophet Joel,
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon
all flesh." Joel 2:28. This promise was the gift of the Holy Spirit. See
Acts 2:17, 18, 38.

Upon whom this gift is bestowed is a subject of more controversy perhaps
than any other Bible theme. There need be no confusion upon this point if
all would take the plain statements and examples in the New Testament.
Jesus declares the world can not receive the Spirit, John 14:17. The
disciples enjoyed the experience of regeneration all through the Lord's
ministry. Some will take issue with us here, but we have the whole of the
Word on our side, or rather we are on the side of the Word of God. They
preached, they east out devils, they healed the sick, they rejoiced, they
prayed, the Lord administered unto them the newly instituted ordinance of
the Lord's Supper, and originated the precious ordinance of feet-washing.
He told them their names were written in heaven. He said he had chosen
them out of the world, and that they were not of the world, even as he was
not of the world. He prayed God to keep them from the evils of the world,
and said that the glory the Father gave him he had given them, and that he
had kept them in his Father's name, and none of them was lost. What more
proof do you require to convince you that they were not sinners? Some who
endeavor to overthrow the doctrine of receiving the Holy Spirit as the
sanctifier subsequent to regeneration, say that "the justification of the
disciples was an Old Testament justi