QUES. 21.-What do you think about this speaking in different tongues, which started in Los Angeles, and is now going on in different places in the world ?
ANS.-The movement referred to had its origin, not in California but in Kansas, among a small and fanatical sect of so-called holiness people. They claim a "Pentecostal baptism " evidenced by the gift of tongues. Under some strange influence they begin to talk a weird gibberish which so far as known bears no relation to any language spoken anywhere in the world. Great excitement pervades their meetings, and false doctrines of every kind find a congenial soil among them. Annihilationism, soul-sleeping, sinless-perfectionism, the denial of the believer's eternal security, and the teaching that they are the elect 144,000 of Rev. 7 and 14 are widely disseminated in their meetings. Women take a leading part in avowed and unblushing defiance of God's order as set forth in 1 Cor. 11 and 1 Tim. 2. The whole movement is stamped with the denial of the all-sufficiency of Scripture to guide the believer through this scene.
The tongues are clearly of the same nature as the rapt utterances of early Irvingites and present-day Mormons, and indicate rather Satanic possession than divine power, after allowing much that is simply an aggravated form of hysteria.
It is clearly another of Satan's efforts to delude and ruin poor ignorant people, who are uninstructed in the ways of God.
QUES. 22.-Please give explanation of 1 Cor. 2 :6, and especially of the word "perfect." To whom does it apply, and in what way?
ANS.-The "perfect" are evidently those referred to in vers. 9, 10,12; also, in chap. 1:24,30, 31; who are put in contrast with " the wise," " the princes of this world "-they who rejected and crucified the One in whom believers are " perfect" in God's sight.
It is not here, as in Phil. 3 :15, a question of apprehending that for which also we are apprehended of Christ Jesus, which is a matter of spiritual growth-a contrast between those saints who have the apostle's mind and those who yet need to acquire it. In Corinthians, to be perfect is to fall in with God's mind about Christ- that which marks all His people.
In Heb. 10 :1, to be perfect is to have so realized the eternal value of the one sacrifice of our Lord that we have "no more conscience of sins. "
How beautiful and varied are the lessons of Scripture !
QUES. 23. – In considering Gen. 37, vers. 25, 28, 36 ; also, chap. 39, ver. 1, I would like to know which of these two classes of people, Midianites and Ishmaelites, sold Joseph to Potiphar.
ANS.- The Midianites (descendants of Abraham, Gen. 25 :2, 4) and the Ishmaelites (descendants of Ishmael, also son of Abraham, Gen. 25 :12) are distinguished, yet intimately associated, and are called now by one name, and now by the other (Gen. 37 :25, 28, 36, and 39 :1). Those children of Abraham by Hagar and Keturah more or less blended together (see Judges 7 :12 and 8 :22, 24), and therefore are called now by one, and now by another of their names.
The Arabian geographers place the land "Madian " (Acts 7 :29) on the Elamitic or east branch of the Red Sea.
We would take this occasion to say that much information of this kind might be had ready at hand by our brethren if they would supply themselves with a good Bible dictionary, which costs only $1.50. How often we have been in the houses of God's people where scarcely a thing was to be found to help search and enjoy the vast fields of Scripture ! We have longed at such times to suggest that an investment of a few dollars might be a greater boon to themselves and their families than much beside. For the guidance of any one desirous to possess such a library, but who find a difficulty in making the selection, we publish on our cover this month three different selections, and their respective cost.