THE PROBLEM OF FAITH 229 



way to secure what is commonly desired — a bap- 

 tism of the Holy Spirit — is to put ourselves where 

 the prevailing influences will be spiritual. If the 

 example of the early Christians on the day of 

 Pentecost be cited as illustrating the reverse, I 

 must remind my readers that the Holy Ghost fell 

 on those who were separated temporarily from the 

 world, and who were all together in one place with 

 one mind and one heart, seeking a common bless- 

 ing. But no general conclusion can be drawn from 

 exceptional illustrations. The Scripture represents 

 the Spirit of God as universal, constant, and for 

 all ; and when I am asked, as I have been. How 

 do you reconcile the ministry of the Spirit with 

 the evident facts concerning heredity and environ- 

 ment .'' I reply, the Spirit is a part of all envi- 

 ronment; a power as constant and pervasive as 

 solar energy ; therefore the chief privilege of all 

 who have that knowledge, and have yielded to 

 that sway, is to endeavour to help others to see 

 and to respond to the Being who never has to be 

 sought, and who besets all men behind and before. 

 A consideration of questions in dispute in theology 

 is unnecessary now. Whether the Holy Spirit is 

 a person or only a power ; whether He is present 

 in the church as not in the world, and whether, 

 since the day of Pentecost He has been efficient 



