ecessity for us people down in the ranks, and
that we are to expect the same power as these others, do you?" Will you
please call to mind that original Pentecost company? There were one
hundred and twenty of them. And while there was a Peter being prepared
to preach that tremendous sermon, and a John to write five books of the
New Testament and probably a James to preside over the affairs of the
Jerusalem Church, and possibly a Stephen, and a Philip, yet these are
only a few. By far the greater number, both men and women, are unnamed
and unknown. Just the common, every-day folk, the filling-in of society;
aye, the very foundation of all society. They had no prominent part to
play. But they accepted the Master's promise of power, and His command
to wait, _as made to them_. And as a result _they, too_, were filled
with the Holy Spirit, that wonderful morning. I think, very likely, "the
good man of the house" whose guest Jesus was that last night was there,
and all the Marys, including the Bethany Mary, who simply sat at His
feet, and the Magdalene Mary, and housekeeper Martha, and maybe that
little lad whose loaves and fishes had been used about a year before.
That was the sort of company that prayerfully, with one accord, not only
waited but _received_ that never-to-be-forgotten filling of the Holy
Spirit.

Certainly, as some of you think, the preacher must have this power
peculiarly for his leadership. But just as really he needs it _because
he is a man for his living_, to make him sweet and gentle and patient
down in his home: to make him sympathetic and strong in his constant
contact with the hungry hearts he must meet. That young mechanic must
have this promised power if he is to live an earnest, manly life in that
shop. That school girl, whose home duties crowd her time so; that
keen-minded student working for honors amid strong competition; these
society young people; these all need, above all else, this promised
power that in, and through, and around and above all of their lives may
be a wholesomely sweet, earnest Christliness, pervading the life even as
the odor of flowers pervades a room.

Do you remember Paul's list of the traits of character that mark a
christian life--love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
meekness, faithfulness, self-control?[3] Suppose for a moment you think
through a list of the opposites of those nine
characteristics--bitterness, envy, hate, low-spiritedness, sulkiness,