The Comforter Is Come

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< > Chapter One The value and use of the gift of tongues We will now consider the value and use of the gift of tongues as shown by the Word of God and Christian experience. The gift of tongues is the supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to speak in a tongue that is unknown to the speaker. The primary purpose of this gift is devotional; it is intended to be a divine aid to the prayer life. For though this gift can be used by God to speak to people in their own language, the person who speaks in an unknown tongue almost always "Speaks not to men, but to God; for no man understands him." 1Cor.14v2. The gift of tongues can also be used by the Holy Spirit to give a message to the Church when it is accompanied by the gift of interpretation. However, only a small percentage of those who speak with tongues have the ministry in the Church of "divers kind of tongues," 1Cor.12v10., and this is what Paul is referring to in 1Cor.12v30., when he asks, "Do all speak with tongues?" It is a proven fact that only a comparatively small percentage of Spirit-filled Christians speak in a tongue that is for interpretation in the Church. The failure to distinguish between tongues that are for private edification and tongues that are to be interpreted for the Church, has caused some critics of the Pentecostal experience to seize upon 1Cor.12v30. as an excuse for not speaking in tongues. However, Paul in 1Cor.12v27-31., is speaking of ministries that God has set in the Church to build up the Church, he is speaking of ministries in the body of Christ. The gift of tongues that is interpreted and ministers to the needs of the Church is an enlargement of the ability to speak in a tongue or tongues, which a Christian receives when they receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. N.B. The apostle Paul places the following limitations on the use of the gift of tongues. The aim in a Church should be public, not private edification. Therefore, we should curtail excessive speaking in tongues and seek God for a prophecy. 1Cor.14v5,18,19. We can use this gift in a Church but we should speak quietly to ourselves and to God. A background murmur in tongues is quite all right as long as it does not hinder others praying or prophesying, for Paul says in 1Cor.14v28. that speaking in tongues in the Church should generally be quietly between ourselves and God. However, on occasions the whole Church may break out in praise and worship and speak or sing in tongues. Acts.2v4. 10v44-46. 1Cor.14v15. This brings us to the second limitation upon this gift. When the unconverted or unlearned in spiritual gifts are present, we must restrain loud outbursts in tongues. If there is to be a public manifestation of the gift of tongues in such circumstances it should be by tongues and interpretation, and this is quite in order, however, Paul makes it quite clear that prophecy is by far the best gift to manifest under such circumstances. The prolonged noisy use of the gift of tongues when an "outsider" is in a meeting will almost invariably produce consternation and criticism, whereas the use of the gift of prophecy may result in the conviction and conversion of the "outsider." 1Cor.14v22-25. The gift of tongues is only a sign to the unbeliever when he can understand the language. Utterances in a tongue in the Church that are for interpretation should be limited to three utterances. 1Cor.14v27,28. If there is no interpreter in the Church there must be no public utterances, the person must speak to themselves and to God. If tongues are interpreted only one person should interpret each utterance even though several might be able to do so. The reasons why some Christians do not want to speak in tongues. Some Christians are ignorant of the great blessing that this great gift can bring. They say, "What is the good of speaking with tongues? It is the least of the gifts." They feel that it is of real benefit. This attitude shows that a person is ignorant of the Scriptures on the subject, for the great benefits of this gift are clearly shown in the Scriptures. But even if a Christian does not know the benefits of this gift as they are revealed in the Scriptures, they should not question the wisdom of God in the giving of this gift. They should say, "My Heavenly Father has given this gift, so there must be some very good reason for it and some very profitable results of its manifestation, for God only gives good and perfect gifts." James.1v17. The gift of tongues may be the least important gift as regards to public ministry, but it is the greatest gift in relation to the devotional life and prayer life, which is the source of an anointed public ministry, so we can see that there is nothing little about the gift of tongues. Some Christians love the praise of men more than the praise of God. Jn.12v42,43. Many count the cost of losing their anti Pentecostal friends and so they reject this lovely gift of tongues. The young men who had dictated to the Lord, "We want the baptism in the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues," were asked why they prayed in this manner, they replied that it was because tongues were unpopular. It is a sad thing that many Christians are choosing to please men more than God by despising and condemning the gift of tongues given by their Saviour and Heavenly Father. Acts.2v4,33. Some Christians have a fear of the supernatural and they cannot trust God to give them " good gifts." Just as Israel feared to enter Canaan because of the giants, some Christians cannot trust God to preserve them from the foes and dangers in the spiritual realm, so they prefer to stop in the wilderness instead of conquering their spiritual Canaan. Jesus stated that this attitude is due to lack of faith in our Heavenly Father's love and power. Mt.7v7-11. Lk.11v9-13. Heb.3 & 4. To say that speaking with tongues by a blood washed, Spirit-filled, Christian is "gibberish," or "of the Devil," is to come very close to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Nothing could be further from the truth than to call speaking with tongues, "gibberish," those who have been able to understand the languages spoken, say that they are perfect. A ten-year-old girl named Irene Piper was enabled by the Holy Spirit to speak to a Chinese man in his own language. He was told that he was to come to Church and accept salvation. He said that "her accent was perfect, and her forms of speech were so exact that ten years study would not give the average Occidental such knowledge of the language." Sometimes even Christians who have been filled with the Spirit and spoken in tongues doubt their experience because they seem to repeat again and again certain sentences or phrases in their unknown tongue. These Christians should realise that in their native tongue when they are praising the Lord they do not use an extensive vocabulary. Many Christians just say, "Praise the Lord," "Wonderful Jesus," etc., they do not use a great many words to express their worship and praise. Here is an extract from page 32 and 33 of W.F.P. Burton's book "Signs Following," which shows that on occasions the Holy Spirit may inspire us to speak only a few words, but that these words can reach the highest levels of praise and express the deepest devotion and love. William Burton writes, "In 1921 the Pastor of a meeting in Toronto, Canada, confided in me, "Brother Burton, there is something I do not understand in our assembly. When the meeting is warmed up to a real fervency of Spirit a woman bursts out into an ejaculation. It never varies, and it seems to me like nonsense. She says in a kind of intonation 'Kalombooo Vidye. Vidyeeee Kalombo.' I don't like to stop her. What would you do about it?' I said, 'Oh, do let me hear it, brother. That is an expression used by our natives in highest respect to their big chiefs.' On my return to Lubaland I was much struck by the monotonous regularity with which the village counsellors keep up an exited 'Kalombo Vidye,' in reverence to their chiefs during sessions of the court, and one can well understand both what an ejaculation of loving worship it was on the woman's part and also how it might have puzzled her Pastor." End of quote. A diligent use of the gift of tongues in the private prayer life will result in a very blessed and fluent use of this gift. On occasions the Holy Spirit will give a completely new language, which has all the phonetics and rhythm of a perfect and complete language. However, whether the Holy Spirit gives us many, or few words, to express our praise or prayer, the exercise of this lovely gift of tongues will bring great blessing. Let us now go on to consider the blessings that come through the manifestation of this gift of God the Holy Spirit. This will clearly show us why every Christian should desire to speak in tongues, and why God desires that every Christian should speak in tongues. Speaking with tongues brings into play the highest faculty of the Christian, the spirit. Christ said that we must worship God with our spirit if we are to worship Him acceptably; "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." Jn.4v23,24. The most elaborate worship is only a dead form if the spiritual worship that Jesus spoke of is missing. However, the Holy Spirit, by the simple act of speaking with tongues enables us to worship God on the very highest level, it is truly acceptable worship. When the Holy Spirit enables us by this gift to magnify and bless God, and give Him the love and worship of our hearts, He enables us to do the greatest thing that a Christian can do. Acts.10v46. Mt.22v35-40. Mk.12v28-34. The worship of God is the greatest act of the creature, and the use of the gift of tongues enables us to worship God to the limit of our capacity. Eph.4v18. Rom.8v26,27. We can also pray with our spirit as we speak in tongues, "If I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prays." 1Cor.14v14. We can sing with the spirit, "I will sing with the spirit." 1Cor.14v15. We can bless with our spirit, "Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit." 1Cor.14v16. So we can see that the gift of tongues enables us to worship God in spirit and in truth, the most important act of the Christian life; how then can the Christians who despise spiritual gifts call the gift of tongues, "The least of the gifts." The gift of tongues brings into the personal life the ability of the Holy Spirit. You are not limited by your own ability, God the Holy Spirit takes our needs, praise, prayer and desires, and the needs of other people and brings them to the Father. When we are praying in tongues we can pray for the deep needs which would shatter or overwhelm us if we knew them. Burdens that would be to great for us to bear, and which would worry or crush us if we knew them, can be brought to God and victory assured through praying with tongues. The gift of tongues is just as important in the personal prayer life as prophecy is in the Church. In the secret place tongues is the most important gift for personal edification, the youngest converts by this gift can build themselves up in their holy faith, and the most mature Christian also needs to build up their spiritual life by the use of this lovely gift of tongues. Jude.v20,21. 1Cor.14v4,18. In 1Cor.13v1. Paul implies that it is possible for the Holy Spirit to speak in the tongues of angels. If an angelic tongue can express the praise and worship of a great angelic being living in the uncreated and eternal glory of the dazzling majestic presence of God, it can surely express the praise of the redeemed children of God living in this dark world. How wonderful to speak our praise on such a high plane. How wonderful to be freed from the limits of our own small vocabulary and limited eloquence into the excellence and eloquence of earthly and even heavenly languages by the aid of the Holy Spirit. A gift that is of such importance in the prayer life of the Christian should not be disparaged or termed little, least, or unimportant. The gift of tongues nourishes the spirit with Divine truth. The gift of tongues is a stone of stumbling to many Christians; it is a tragedy that they are not grateful for their Heavenly Father’s provision. Some people have said that the gift of tongues is the least of the gifts, and that it is "infant prattling" and not for mature Christians. The apostle Paul, 24 years after his conversion, was speaking in tongues more than the verbose Corinthians, and he was certainly not immature. 1Cor.14v18. We are told that when we speak in tongues we speak "mysteries," “musteria,” the hidden counsels and secrets of God that were once hidden, but which are now revealed in the Gospel to the children of God. Mt.13v11. Lk.8v10. Rom.11v25. 16v25. 1Cor.2v1,7. 4v1. 14v2. 15v51. Eph.1v9. 3v3,4,9. 5v32. 6v19. Col.1v26,27. 4v3. 2Thes.2v7. 1Tim.3v9. Rev.10v7. Ps.25v14.. Speaking in tongues is an exalted sphere of utterance, we speak hidden and exalted spiritual truths, the hearers at Pentecost called these "mysteries," "the wonderful works of God." They looked upon it as anything but "infant prattling." In 1Cor.13v11,12. Paul speaks of our present limited intellectual knowledge of the future Heavenly "mysteries" as "infant prattling," but he never refers to speaking in tongues in this way. Our minds are limited in their ability to appreciate spiritual and heavenly realities; our spirits are not limited in the same way. Speaking in tongues enables our spirits to appreciate and feed on spiritual realities and Divine mysteries, and our spirits grow through the spiritual truths and blessings that come to us through speaking with tongues. This bypasses and rests the mind, so that even when we are too tired to think upon truth with our minds, our spirits and souls are nourished by the use of this gift. See Is.28v11,12. with 1Cor.14v21.However, we must have Scripture truth for our minds, for we cannot grow in God if we neglect the Scriptures, its truths feed both our minds and spirits, so we should, "As new-born babes, for the pure milk that is for the mind eagerly crave, that thereby ye may grow unto salvation." 1Pet.2v2. Rotheram. Here are two instances where people have actually heard Christians speaking of "the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven." H. Horton tells on page 160 of his book "The Gifts of the Spirit" what a missionary in the Congo heard when he was present at the baptism in the Spirit of a young coloured man. The missionary was amazed to hear the young man speaking in perfect English and repeating Old Testament instances of creation and history. The young man did not know a word of English and what is more, nothing of the accounts of Scripture that he was repeating. The missionary left the hut to search for his wife so that she could witness this remarkable manifestation of the Spirit. When he returned with his wife the young man was still speaking in English and was speaking of the New Testament revelation concerning the second coming of Christ. W.F.P. Burton gives an account of another inspiring incident that occurred at Mwanza in the Congo, on page 30, 31 of "Signs Following." When the Churches were getting spiritually cold it was their practice to gather the believers together for several days of prayer, ministry of the Word and waiting upon God. During one such occasion Mr. Burton was keeping "a quiet eye" on the meeting to make sure that there was no "undue excitement or extravagance," he was struck by the earnest expression of a young man named Ziba, who was obviously being deeply moved by the power of the Spirit moving upon the men gathered there. Mr. Burton quietly moved around to where the young man sat and was surprised and moved to hear Ziba speaking in perfect English of Christ's second coming to earth to reign and of the glories of His millennial kingdom. Ziba was a simple village lad without any knowledge of the English language, but here he was speaking in English without any ungrammatical expressions or any trace of foreign accent, and what he said was absolutely true to the Scriptures. So we can see that when a person speaks in tongues inspired by the Holy Spirit they nourish their spirit with Divine truths and build themselves up spiritually. This is a good and lovely gift of God the Holy Spirit, and God ordained that we should have this gift and use it for our spiritual benefit. It is foolish and wrong to forbid Christians to speak with other tongues, 1Cor.14v39., for this is one of the good gifts given to us by our Heavenly Father. Speaking in tongues brings into operation the other gifts of the Spirit. Prayer in tongues builds up the spiritual life of the Christian to the place where they are able to manifest the other gifts of the Spirit. The greater a person's ministry is the more they need to speak in tongues. One internationally known evangelist found that miracles were getting fewer in his prayer lines, because he had been neglecting speaking with tongues. After giving some remarkable instances of answers to prayer through intercession in tongues, on page 43 of his book "Spiritual Gifts,” W.V. Grant makes the following observation: "Even in revival services today when I go into a service without praying for hours in the Holy Ghost, (he means in tongues) I do not expect much, and cannot edify anyone. Speaking with other tongues makes the Lord Jesus very precious to us, Those who use this gift diligently in the secret place can testify that it really brings one close to the Lord Jesus, and deepens our love for Him. What a precious gift this is! If we have no other reason for desiring to speak in tongues this would be sufficient. Jn.16v13-15. Speaking with tongues edifies the Church when it is interpreted. 1Cor.14v5. An anointed message in tongues can bring a really wonderful blessing to a Christian meeting, and the interpretation can bring great comfort, solace and needful instruction. God has set this gift in the Church as a valuable means of public as well as private edification. Speaking with tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Spirit. Acts.2v4. 10v45,46. 11v17. 19v6. In the above outpourings of the Spirit, when Christians received the baptism of the Spirit they spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. They received one common evidence that they had been baptised in the Spirit, speaking with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. With the exception of the outpouring at Ephesus we do not read of any other manifestations of the gifts, and there they prophesied after speaking with tongues. From humble housewives to mighty apostles the initial evidence of the baptism in the Spirit was speaking with tongues. At the baptism in the Spirit of these believers the Holy Spirit did not give the various gifts as the evidence of the baptism in the Spirit, He gave the gift of tongues to all. When Paul speaks in1Cor.12v11. of the gifts being given "severally as He will," he is referring to the manifestations of the Spirit in a Church meeting or the other activities of the Church. He is not speaking of the baptism in the Spirit, for at Pentecost, the house of Cornelius and Ephesus the gift given to all was the gift of tongues. In the other two cases in the Acts where it is stated that Christians received the baptism in the Spirit, Acts.8v14-20. 9v17., even non-Pentecostal commentators agree that what Simon saw, v18, was the Samaritan Christians speaking in tongues, and we know that Paul spoke in tongues from 1Cor.14v18.. To those who question that tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Spirit we would ask, "What other evidence can you supply from the Scriptures that will prove that a person is filled with the Spirit?" All the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, except the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues, were available, and were manifested, by the Old Testament prophets and the apostles before Pentecost. If a great ministry or many conversions were to be used as a claim for the possession of the baptism in the Spirit, John Baptist and the apostles could have claimed that they were baptised in the Spirit before Pentecost, however, Jn.7v39. assures us that this was not so. The Spirit was with them but not in them with His permanently abiding presence, they had not received the baptism of the Spirit. Jn.14v16,17. Cornelius received words of wisdom, knowledge and a discerning of spirits before he was converted or baptised in the Spirit. Peter did not say that the household of Cornelius had received the Spirit because they were filled with joy, or were living sanctified lives, desirable as these are; Peter said they were unmistakably filled with the Holy Spirit because they had spoken in tongues like the 120 at Pentecost. Acts.10v1-6,43-48. 11v17,18. Joy, peace, sanctification or love for the brethren cannot be looked upon as a claim for being filled with the Spirit; these are the result of abiding in Christ and being led of the Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a conscious experience and should be an overwhelming experience, to be immersed in the almighty power of God the Holy Spirit should be just as real an experience and spiritually more uplifting than being baptised in water. Speaking with tongues gives one unmistakable evidence that one is filled with the Spirit and it also enables one to express the "unutterable gushings" of praise, worship and adoration that fill the soul when one receives a mighty baptism in the Spirit. The other spiritual gifts and graces do not certify that a Christian has received a Pentecostal baptism in the Spirit, the only certain Scriptural proof of a Pentecostal baptism in the Spirit is a Pentecostal gift of tongues. We do not always need a word of wisdom or a gift of healing, or some other gifts, however, we always need to build up our selves in our most Holy faith, and this is why after the baptism in the Spirit God enables us to manifest this gift whenever we desire to do so. The apostolic band did not quibble about the gift of tongues, or God's choice of it as the initial evidence of the baptism of the Spirit, they accepted it and rejoiced in the use of it, and all Christians should do the same. The only safe pattern of Christian experience is that written in the New Testament, the good and best can lead us far astray. God has given this lovely gift of tongues to His children and those who oppose this manifestation of the Holy Spirit are in spiritual peril, for they are fighting God. Paul desired that every Christian should receive their personal Pentecost and speak with other tongues. 1Cor.14v5. This must be the will of God or Paul would not have dared to say such a thing. Paul esteemed this gift very highly; he thanked God that he spoke in tongues more than the verbose Corinthians. He was sad that Christians of his day were neglecting their Pentecostal heritage, and those of us who have received a Pentecostal experience are sad that many Christians are ignorant, neglecting, despising, or rejecting their Pentecostal heritage. Tongues as a sign. Speaking with tongues can be used by God as a sign to those who understand the languages. Though this is not the normal use of the gift of tongues it can produce remarkable results when God manifests this gift as a sign as He did on the day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit enables the Christian to speak with tongues in a known language it can convict and convert the sinner, and be a sign and encouragement to the believer. 1Cor.14v22. Acts.2v4-12. Mk.16v17-20. The gift of tongues is not intended to replace the preaching of the Gospel, however on rare occasions God does use the gift of tongues to confirm the Gospel message by speaking in a language that the listener understands. This may expose the heart of the listener and reveal their need of salvation and the way of salvation, and this sign is intended to prepare the listeners for further preaching of the Gospel. The disciples at Pentecost spoke in tongues, which were unknown to themselves; but many listeners recognised the languages and were captivated and amazed at hearing the rapturous praise of God and His wonderful works. The tongues gained the attention of the people and prepared their hearts for the preaching of Peter. Some instances where tongues have been understood and have been a sign. We will now give some well-documented instances where the Lord has used the gift of tongues as a sign to convert the unbeliever and encourage the believer. In an article in "The Pentecostal Evangel, Crusade Issue," Robert L. Brandt gives several instances where the gift of tongues was used in these ways, and we will also give several other outstanding incidents from other sources. "The late J. Narver Gortner of Berkeley, California., has left this testimony regarding a friend who was miraculously saved from suicide, converted, and shortly afterwards filled with the Holy Spirit. He wrote: "My friend went down to the service at the Upper Room Mission. As opportunity was given to testify, he rose to his feet and began to tell how the Lord had saved him, and of his marvellous experience that afternoon. Suddenly God took his English away.... and he began to speak in another language, a language he was utterly unfamiliar with, and which he did not remember having heard before. Words were formed into sentences under the inspiration of the Spirit, and he continued to speak for two or three minutes. He ceased and sat down. At the close of the service three educated Hindus came to him and inquired where he had learned their language. He assured them that he had never learned it. They insisted he must have been in India. They said he had spoken their language perfectly; they had never heard a foreigner speak so perfectly; they thought that he must have been instructed there by a very competent teacher, and when they became convinced that he was utterly unfamiliar with their language, and that it was the Spirit who had moved him to speak, they gave their hearts to the Lord and became Christians. They afterwards received the Baptism and went to carry the message to their own people in faraway India." End of quote. W.F.P. Burton a missionary to the Congo, gives the following testimony. "We used to hold gospel services beside Lytham lifeboat house on Sunday evenings. One Sunday when a big crowd was listening to the preaching, the power of God fell on a Mrs. Whiteside, and she began to speak in a strange language. This dear sister would certainly not mind my stating that under ordinary circumstances she was far from grammatical, even in her own language, and had never learned any other. As she spoke I found that I could understand all that she was saying. A solemn silence fell on the crowd as Mrs. Whiteside spoke in tongues, and I gave the interpretation in English. As soon as we had finished a big, middle-aged man stepped into the ring of listeners and, falling on his knees, cried to God to save his soul. He had been a prominent tailor in Lytham, with a big business, but had lost practically everything through his craving for liquor. He was more often inebriated than sober, but now he was as sober as a judge and declared that every word of that message in tongues and interpretation went straight to his heart. Now it happened that a young Japanese man, who was studying shipbuilding in Lytham shipbuilding yard, had stood listening among the crowd outside the lifeboat house. He went home and asked his landlady, "Who are those people who preach and sing on Lytham beach?" She replied, "They are a lot of fanatical, religious enthusiasts. Some say that they are religion mad." "Well they may be mad," he remarked, "but I heard a most remarkable thing. One spoke in perfect Japanese, while another gave the exact equivalent in English. There one had both the tongue and the interpretation corroborated, while the result, in a soul won for the Lord Jesus, was ample evidence that the thing was from God." End of quote. From Amelia J. Bullock, Lakeland, Fla., formerly of the Greek Orthodox Church, we have the following two accounts: "My first experience of understanding 'tongues' happened in a youth convention in Jeannette, Pa., in November, 1935. I had been saved a short time. I was attending an Assembly of God, but was not willing to leave the Greek Orthodox Church, which had been the faith of my parents and forefathers of generations. During the service Mrs. J. R. Flower spoke in tongues and her message was in French. Having studied several languages with the intention of becoming a linguist, I was able to translate the tongues before the interpretation was given. When the interpretation was given I found that it agreed with my translation. Since neither Mrs. Flower nor the interpreter knew French, I thought surely this was of God. Fear gripped me. I vowed before the Lord that if He would baptise me in the Holy Spirit and cause me to speak in a tongue that I had never learned, I would step out of the Greek Orthodox Church and join the Pentecostals. Five days later I received the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues. The other occasion took place in a revival at Central Bible Institute, Springfield, Mo., in 1937. One of my classmates, Paul, now a missionary in India, received the Baptism during this glorious outpouring. The first words he spoke were in Arabic, 'Ya rubool koona,' meaning, 'O God of the universe.' These are three powerful words in Arabic. My joy knew no bounds. It was another glorious proof that this experience is supernatural and genuine." End of quote. Pastor Glenn M. Horst of Seattle, Wash., gives the following affidavit. "The Sunday before Easter of 1950 in the Full Gospel Tabernacle of Gary Ind., a Mrs. Novak stood up in the meeting and spoke in a language she did not understand. She scarcely was seated before one of the men in my Church, whom I recognised to be Italian, sprang to his feet and excitedly said 'She is speaking my language; I understood everything she said,' I replied, 'What did she say?' This man gave the translation of what Mrs. Novak had just spoken: 'O King Eternal, Thou art our King Eternal! Lead on, O King. Withersoever Thou leadest us we will follow Thee. If Thou leadest us through the valleys deep, or if thou leadest us up the mountains steep, withersoever Thou wilt lead us, we will follow Thee. Lead on, O King Eternal, lead on. On the following Sunday (Easter), Paul Goodwin, now a missionary in Jamaica, spoke in the Italian language also through the power of the Spirit. There were several Italians in my Church that morning who understood the language that was being spoken, but for a few minutes they said nothing. Immediately following Paul Goodwin's speaking in tongues, a young man by the name of Phil Peterzak, who has since changed his name to Pearson, stood and gave the interpretation of the message that Paul Goodwin had given. At the close of the interpretation a young man by the name of Leo Pilla said, 'I know Paul Goodwin, and he does not speak my language, but he spoke in perfect Italian, as though he had graduated from a college in Italy.' Then I said to Leo Pilla, 'How about the interpretation?' Leo replied, 'Of course it was just as perfect as Paul Goodwin's Italian.' End of quote. A missionary to Africa, John F. Hall, has related the following incident. "During a missionary convention with Pastor Russell Olson in Minneapolis, Minn., I was sitting by Fred Vogler, our assistant general superintendent, with whom I was travelling at the time. While the ushers were standing during the prayer by Brother Olson, he burst out in tongues. He spoke in Mossi, an African language that I understood. He said the giving would not finish with this. Startled, I told Brother Vogler what had been said in Mossi, and suggested we should just keep quiet and see what would happen. While one of the missionaries was speaking, a brother in the audience rose and with much earnestness said 'brother Olson, I feel we should take another offering.' Many called out 'Yes! 'Yes!' So the ushers took a second missionary offering in that same service. After the service I went to Brother Olson and related to him what had happened. A strange look came over his face and he began to cry. He said that for about six weeks he had been doubting that there was anything to tongues and now the Lord had rebuked him severely." End of quote. I. Rosser, in his book "Grace Gifts," tells on pages 105 and 106 how the Holy Spirit brought about the conversion of a Frenchman in 1934 through the use of the gift of tongues. While he was at his sister's house, a French onion seller came to the door, and Mr. Rosser felt led of God to speak to him in tongues. The Frenchman was amazed that a person who had never been to France or learned French could speak French fluently. They asked the Frenchman what Mr. Rosser had said, he said in broken English that Mr. Rosser was a good man and a minister of Jesus Christ and that Mr. Rosser had been telling him that Christ is to return and set up His kingdom on earth. But before He returns, things on earth will get worse, and that repentance is the only way back to God and forgiveness. The man was broken by this remarkable manifestation of the Spirit and accepted Christ as Saviour. C.L. Parker, in his book "Covert Earnestly," quotes another incident where this gift was used to bring a person to Christ. "As I write, my attention is drawn to an instance given in the C.E.M. magazine (page 7) for March, 1960 in which a young native boy, speaking in a native language that neither he nor the others around understood, was yet speaking to a native woman who happened to come from where that language was spoken. She understood him and found that through him God was answering all the arguments she had used against Christianity. As a consequence she gave her heart to the Lord." End of quote. A well educated friend of mine, testifies that he heard someone speaking in perfect Latin in other tongues, the theme of the utterance was the power of the blood of Jesus. This person had no knowledge of Latin and yet he was speaking better Latin than my friend, who had spent years studying and teaching Latin. The writer knows other people who have spoken in known languages as they have spoken in tongues, and there are many other instances that could be quoted to confirm the fact that God can, and still does, use the gift of tongues as a sign to speak to those who understand the languages. From the facts, which we have considered, we can see that the Scriptures clearly show that the nature of the gift of tongues is predominantly devotional, it is for personal edification, and is a divine aid in prayer and worship. However, God can and does use this gift for public edification when it is interpreted. We have also seen that on some occasions it can be greatly used of God in evangelism, as it was on the day of Pentecost. When we use this gift in our devotional life, we always pray, praise and worship in the way that God wants us to do, the Holy Spirit enables us to do the thing that is most needful. We always pray for the right things in tongues, we can pray selfishly, ignorantly, or even with unsanctified ambition in our own tongue, but in other tongues we pray as the Holy Spirit directs. This is indeed prayer, praise and worship on the very highest level. We can clearly see that there are many important reasons why every Christian should desire to speak with other tongues; however, I feel that I have given enough reasons to satisfy the honest heart and mind. Every Christian should desire to speak with tongues, if only for the sake of their devotional life. Rom.8v26,27. Let us now consider other aspects of the gift of tongues. THE RECEPTION OF TONGUES THAT ARE FOR INTERPRETATION. In 1Cor.12v10. Paul is speaking of the manifestation of the gift of tongues that God desires to be interpreted, so that Christians can be edified and blessed. We will now briefly consider the reception of this manifestation of the Spirit and show how we know that we have a tongue that the Holy Spirit desires to interpret. We can be informed that we have a tongue for interpretation by a sudden powerful impulse of the Holy Spirit, or by a command of the Holy Spirit to speak in tongues. However, we do need to distinguish between a surge of emotion and love for Christ during a meeting and the moving of the Spirit that directs us to speak in tongues. After an outstanding sermon or an anointed solo or hymn, some Christians feel so moved and blessed that they feel that this is an indication for them to speak in tongues. However, surge of emotion or genuine blessing of the Holy Spirit does not always mean that we should speak out a tongue to the Church, it may be a blessing to uplift us, or help us to pray and praise and worship the Lord. Without a doubt there will be some intensity of feeling when there is a powerful manifestation of tongues for interpretation, and a lack of holy emotion and loving spirit when this gift is manifested will leave one almost unmoved. Once a Christian has received an experience of giving tongues that are for interpretation, they will be able to tell the difference between an impulse of the Spirit to speak in tongues and the normal blessing of the Spirit. On some occasions we will feel the power of God upon us and the distinct command to speak with tongues will come from the Holy Spirit, when this happens it leaves us in no doubt that we must speak out a message to the Church. The interpretation of tongues can take the form of a prayer for Heavenly help, or a prayer of dedication, or a statement of faith and assurance, or an expression of praise and worship, or words of exhortation, edification and comfort. The interpretation can be addressed to God as well as to man, and sometimes the interpretation can be the answer to the prayer, or statement of faith, etc., that has been spoken out in tongues, and on these occasions it would be more accurate to call it a prophecy than an interpretation. However, we do not have to be too technical in our definitions, it is the powerful manifestation of the gifts that counts, not a correct definition, the Holy Spirit will interpret the tongue as He thinks best. C.L. Parker makes the following helpful comment on the gift of interpretation of tongues on pages 19, and 20 of his book "Covert Earnestly": "The Greek word translated "interpretation" does not primarily mean "translation." It is used for example in Lk.24v27, (see 32,45.) of our Lord "expounding" the Old Testament Scriptures; it is normally translated, "expound" and "explain," or "give the meaning of." The interpretation may then be longer or shorter than the tongue of which it may give a longer or shorter exposition. The interpreter may receive his gift before, during, or after, the tongue: he may launch out upon a single sentence, and receive the rest by thought as he is speaking. In any case he recognises the reception of the gift, whenever and however it is given, by the unction, which is coming upon him; and this unction abides also upon those listeners who are filled with the Spirit. As Peter says,2Pet.1v21., "Holy men of God spake as they were carried along by the Spirit." There is no effort in such speaking: no searching for words, no wondering what to say next. As long as the unction is upon you, you speak with ease and delight. When it lifts you have no more to say and come to a stop. This is a beautiful gift since it brings two members of an Assembly into combined ministry of love and edification for the rest of the Church. The one member may not have the faith to speak in his own language words which can be understood, and yet be perfectly free to speak in a tongue words of which he does not know the meaning. For as soon as one utters words which one understands, one is responsible for what one says: but when one speaks in a tongue the responsibility for the meaning of the words rests upon the interpreter, and it is indeed a very responsible thing to utter words which purport to come from the Almighty.” End of quote The interpretation of tongues should reveal the person of Jesus, and His great love for His Church. In 1Cor.12v10., “interpretation,” is “hermeneia” 2058,-an interpretation of what has been spoken by others. However, in 1Cor.12v30., “do all interpret?” is “mee” 3361, “pantes” 3956, “diermeneuousin” 1329., the third person plural present active indicative of “diermeneuo” 1329, to explain thoroughly, to expound, interpret. “Diermeneuo” 1329, is the very same word that Jesus used in Lk.24v27. to speak of Jesus revealing the truth of the Scriptures about Himself to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. In Luke 24:27. the Majority Text and Received Text has “diermeneuen” 1329, the third person singular imperfect active indicative of “diermeneuo” 1329, to explain thoroughly, expound. The two disciples heard a continuous and most wonderful and thorough exposition of the Scriptures concerning Jesus. How we wish that we could have heard it. Jesus showed that the Old Testament was full of references to Him. How strange it is that some modern scholars fail to see Him there. (In Lk.24v27., the Minority text for “expounded” is “diermeneusen,” the aorist active indicative of “diermeneuo” 1329.) We also read in Lk.24v45. that Jesus “opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” (NKJ) “Opened their understanding,” is “dienoixen” 1272, “auton” 846, “ton” 3588, “noun” 3563. “Dienoixen” is the third person singular aorist active indicative of “dianoigo” 1272, to open thoroughly, to revive and inspire someone’s mind. It is the same verb that is used in Lk.24v31,32., to speak of how Jesus opened the eyes of the two disciples from Emmaus, and how they said that they had burning hearts when Jesus opened the Scriptures to them. Jesus had tried for many years to open their minds to understand the Scriptures about His Messiahship and had failed, but the resurrected Christ now explains His Cross and Resurrection, and His exposition of the Scriptures makes their hearts burn. Our preaching and the interpretation of tongues should bring the manifest overwhelming presence and love of Jesus, and make people’s hearts burn with love for God. If we abide in the shadow of the Almighty, and love spending time with Him, our lives and gifts will be filled with His presence. Then we will be the blessing that He, and we, desire, and people’s hearts will burn within them as they meet with Jesus through us. Tongues that are interpreted can be a great blessing to the Church, and if Christians would pray much at home they would find that God would use them to lift meetings into real blessing by the use of tongues and the gift of interpretation. THE RELATION OF CHRISTIAN LOVE TO SPEAKING WITH OTHER TONGUES. Even the loveliest spiritual gifts fail in their purpose unless they are accompanied by Christian love and consecration. The Holy Spirit can give us the most wonderful languages to speak, and words that reach the very highest levels of prayer and devotion, but without love we will not impart or receive any real blessing. Without love we will be "but echoing brass and clanging cymbal." 1Cor.13v1. We may have a great flow of language with perfect phonetics and diction, but without love it will be hard and empty and it can chill instead of bless. The tongues of men can be very beautiful to listen to, and the tongues of angels are infinitely more splendid, but without love the most beautiful and exalted of inspired language is only an empty sound and lacks the power to bless. The Holy Spirit breathes into our heart and mind these beautiful and exalted words and they are laden with love and grace, but as they go through the human channel they can lose this divine benediction, the human personality can "sieve out" all the beauty, love and tenderness that the Holy Spirit puts into His utterance. The beautiful gift that God has given can be tainted and marred by the nature of the person who manifests the gift and it can fail to bless, as God desires. But how beautiful an utterance in tongues can be when a person passes on the love, beauty and grace that the Holy Spirit breathes into His message, it can bring the very atmosphere of heaven into a meeting. The word translated as "sounding" in 1Cor.13v1., is also translated "roar" once in the New Testament, and the word "tinkle" can be translated "clash," "clanking," or "wail," so the verse could be translated "roaring brass or clashing cymbal." Some however, would suggest that "tinkling cymbal" should be translated "tinkling bell," suggesting that there is a hint of beauty in the sound. Others think that Paul is referring to the piercing high note of the finger cymbals or castanets. Whatever this second instrument may have been, the whole impression of this verse is of a hard and harsh noise without any depth or beauty, and jarring and unpleasant. So we can see that the gift of tongues which is given specifically to build up a Christian’s character, to build up faith and love and strengthen the spiritual life, can fail to accomplish these things if we are unconsecrated and live carelessly. I feel that Christians who minister their gift of tongues on this low level of unblessed noise are Christians who fail to use their gift as it should be used in their private time of devotion. The Bible makes it quite clear that the gift of tongues should be used most in our times of private devotion and if it is so used in love and consecration, a Christian cannot help but grow in grace and be openly blessed. 1Cor.14v2,4. Mt.6v5,6. The use of the gift of tongues in the secret place will do wonders for our spiritual life and character. God has given the gift of tongues to His Church because He has considered that it is absolutely indispensable and necessary for the welfare of His Church. God does not give any gifts that are mean or paltry, they are all priceless, magnificent, good and beautiful, and we should bow the knee to His wisdom, love and authority. Who are we to criticise the "good and perfect gifts" that our Heavenly Father has given to us? He is the Lord, let us recognise the value and importance of what He has given. How dare we criticise His gifts, or neglect to seek them, when He has commanded us not only to pursue love, but earnestly seek spiritual gifts as well. 1Cor.14v1. The exercise of the gift of tongues in the life of the believer will enable the Lord to do His will more perfectly in the life of the believer, for, as the apostle Paul tells us, it will build love, faith and spiritual strength in the possessor of the gift, if it is used diligently and devotionally. Indeed, it is the one gift whose primary aim is the spiritual well being of the possessor, and more than any other gift, the gift of tongues will produce spiritual strength, character and the fruits of the Spirit in the Christian believer. A Christian cannot prophesy, or manifest the other gifts of the Holy Spirit when he desires, and when he does it will nearly always be for the benefit of others, but he can speak in tongues when he desires and be spiritually edified as a result. So we can see that when Paul is speaking of prophecy and the other gifts as being "greater gifts" than the gift of tongues, he is thinking of meetings of Christians. Paul makes it quite clear that the greatest gift in the devotional life of the believer is the gift of tongues. The diligent, devotional and loving use of the gift of tongues in the secret place will result in the other gifts being manifested in public. 1Cor.14v2,4,18. with 2Cor.12v12. Paul the apostle spoke more in tongues than the verbose and talkative Corinthians so that he might edify his fellow-Christians in public; this was one of the secrets of Paul's spiritual power. So we can see that the determined and devotional use of the gift of tongues can meet the need of the whole personality it can result in the mind being relieved from stress and the body being delivered from sickness as well as the soul and spirit being renewed and the work of God extended. For God the Holy Spirit comes to bring wholeness to every part of the personality, and as He manifests the gift of tongues through us the needs of our whole personality can be met. The possession of the gift of tongues will not produce a lack of love; it is given to produce love. Indeed, a lack of this gift is far more likely to result in a lack of love and spiritual power, for every gift of God and means of grace are essential. Opposition, scorn, ridicule, or even indifference towards the gift of tongues shows that our love is lacking and obedience is lacking. The contrite and devotional use of the gift of tongues will produce a spiritual sweetness and spiritual power that are unattainable without this gift. However, even this gift, which is specifically given for the enrichment of our spiritual life and the building of character and love, will not profit us if there is malice and sin in our hearts and we are unconsecrated. However with love we shall use the gift of tongues with real blessing and profit, and it will edify not only ourselves but the Church as well. Any Christian who uses this gift in love will be infinitely richer for its manifestation. All Christians can know the inspiration, joy and blessing of not only earthly languages but Heavenly languages as well. The Holy Spirit through these languages can cause us to pray or praise according to the will of God. The Holy Spirit can bring our praise, needs and desires to God our Father; He can cause us to give thanks, to bless, to worship and even to pray for needs that we do not know. It is God directing the prayer-life of the believer on the highest level. The whole effect of the gift of tongues when manifested in love is to produce character, love, fruit and blessing. The "more excellent way" that 1Cor.12v31. tells us to walk in, is not the way of love separate and distinct from other gifts, graces, attributes and talents; it is love as the motivating force and guiding principle of all these desirable and lovely things. It is certainly not, as some would have us believe, love in opposition to the gifts, or even love without the gifts of the Holy Spirit; it is love as the guiding and guarding influence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is the gifts being sought and used out of love for others. Some may say, "You can seek for gifts, but I am going to seek for love." But this is very foolish, for the Bible commands us to seek after both love and gifts. Those who are seeking love from the God of love will also seek HIS gifts. The fact that a person has spiritual gifts does not mean that they lack love, and the fact that a person lacks spiritual gifts does not mean that they possess love, indeed it may mean the very opposite, for it is impossible to follow after love and despise or criticise spiritual gifts. If we really desire and follow after love we shall desire, follow after and encourage spiritual gifts. These spiritual gifts are the gifts of our Heavenly Father, and the last thing that we should do is hurt our Heavenly Father by disdaining or positively condemning the lovely gifts that He has given. We are not glorifying God by extolling love at the expense of the gift that He has given. Paul does not say in 1Cor.13., that the gifts are profitless without love, he says that without love they do not profit the person who possesses them or manifests them, they may certainly profit others whose needs are met through them, e.g. a gift of healing, an interpretation of tongues. It is not the gifts that are "nothing" without love, for they are given by the God of love and are wonderful; it is the possessor that is "nothing." However, spiritual gifts ministered in love profit both the possessor and the recipients of the gifts. We need to remember that it is not only spiritual gifts that lose much of their value and profit without love; knowledge of sacred things, gifts to the needy and even martyrdom for Christ's sake are profitless to us without love. Though spiritual gifts lose some of their value without love, love is helpless without them. Love needs power to meet the needs of the broken in heart, the sick in body and the oppressed, and in the ministry of the Lord Jesus we see the lovely co-ordination of divine love and divine power meeting the needs of suffering humanity. If we have love and yet do not have power to meet the needs of suffering humanity we shall be crushed and broken-hearted, the gifts of the Spirit have a vital part to play in the ministry of love, for they are one of the main channels of the love of God and the ministry of Christ to a needy Church and world. The fact that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are temporary does not mean that they are of little use or value. On the contrary the correct use of the gifts of the Spirit will prepare us for the use of the powers of the eternal kingdom. In Heb.6v5. the baptism and gifts of the Spirit are spoken of as "the powers of the age to come," so we can see that gifts of the Spirit are temporary and partial use of the powers of the eternal kingdom. The gifts of the Holy Spirit do not cease, fall away, or fail in the sense that there will never again be any miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit; the temporary manifestations of the Spirit and the partial revelations of God are swallowed up in continuous and eternal enjoyment and appreciation of the supernatural power and divine nature of God. The part is swallowed up in the whole. In the same way our present knowledge will come to nought, or vanish away, in the sense that our limited knowledge will be swallowed up in the infinite knowledge of the kingdom of God. The temporary and occasional manifestations of divine power through the gifts will be swallowed up in the continual, permanent and eternal manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The temporary gifts have produced eternal love and then give way to the eternal and permanent manifestations of divine power and wisdom. Paul emphasises the need for gifts as well as love until the Lord Jesus comes and the kingdom of God is set upon the earth. We can now enjoy and rejoice over the manifestations of the Spirit knowing that they are ideally suited to our present circumstances. We can also look forward with joyful anticipation to the time when the temporary gives way to the permanent and complete, and we enjoy the full glory of the revelation of God’s power and love. Until that “perfect” day comes let us follow after love and earnestly desire the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 1Cor.13v10. I will now close this study on the gift of tongues with the following observations. The apostle Paul lead Christians into a Pentecostal experience right throughout his ministry, and this he did in all the Churches that he founded, and in 1Cor.14v18 we read that Paul is still speaking in tongues and in the same chapter he is giving instructions regarding spiritual gifts to the Corinthians 26 years after the outpouring at Pentecost. Just before Paul died he was exalting Timothy not to neglect or despise the revelations that had been given by spiritual gifts and the ministry of spiritual gifts, this was 33 years after Pentecost. The apostle John, about 63 years after Pentecost, was still experiencing the gifts of the Spirit. Indeed he experienced a greater revelation of spiritual gifts than he had ever known before in his life. Through him the Lord Jesus was exhorting Christians to take heed to the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church. We cannot do better than to follow the example of these great men of God in relation to spiritual gifts, and we should "covert earnestly" the lovely gifts of the Holy Spirit and this means that we should desire to speak with tongues "as the Holy Spirit gives utterance." 2Tim.1v6. Rev.2v7,11,17. etc. 1Cor.14v1. < >
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Chapter One

The value and use of the gift of tongues

We will now consider the value and use of the gift of tongues as shown by the Word of God and Christian experience. The gift of tongues is the supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to speak in a tongue that is unknown to the speaker. The primary purpose of this gift is devotional; it is intended to be a divine aid to the prayer life. For though this gift can be used by God to speak to people in their own language, the person who speaks in an unknown tongue almost always "Speaks not to men, but to God; for no man understands him." 1Cor.14v2. The gift of tongues can also be used by the Holy Spirit to give a message to the Church when it is accompanied by the gift of interpretation. However, only a small percentage of those who speak with tongues have the ministry in the Church of "divers kind of tongues," 1Cor.12v10., and this is what Paul is referring to in 1Cor.12v30., when he asks, "Do all speak with tongues?" It is a proven fact that only a comparatively small percentage of Spirit-filled Christians speak in a tongue that is for interpretation in the Church. The failure to distinguish between tongues that are for private edification and tongues that are to be interpreted for the Church, has caused some critics of the Pentecostal experience to seize upon 1Cor.12v30. as an excuse for not speaking in tongues. However, Paul in 1Cor.12v27-31., is speaking of ministries that God has set in the Church to build up the Church, he is speaking of ministries in the body of Christ. The gift of tongues that is interpreted and ministers to the needs of the Church is an enlargement of the ability to speak in a tongue or tongues, which a Christian receives when they receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

N.B. The apostle Paul places the following limitations on the use of the gift of tongues.
The aim in a Church should be public, not private edification. Therefore, we should curtail excessive speaking in tongues and seek God for a prophecy. 1Cor.14v5,18,19. We can use this gift in a Church but we should speak quietly to ourselves and to God. A background murmur in tongues is quite all right as long as it does not hinder others praying or prophesying, for Paul says in 1Cor.14v28. that speaking in tongues in the Church should generally be quietly between ourselves and God. However, on occasions the whole Church may break out in praise and worship and speak or sing in tongues. Acts.2v4. 10v44-46. 1Cor.14v15. This brings us to the second limitation upon this gift.

When the unconverted or unlearned in spiritual gifts are present, we must restrain loud outbursts in tongues.
If there is to be a public manifestation of the gift of tongues in such circumstances it should be by tongues and interpretation, and this is quite in order, however, Paul makes it quite clear that prophecy is by far the best gift to manifest under such circumstances. The prolonged noisy use of the gift of tongues when an "outsider" is in a meeting will almost invariably produce consternation and criticism, whereas the use of the gift of prophecy may result in the conviction and conversion of the "outsider." 1Cor.14v22-25. The gift of tongues is only a sign to the unbeliever when he can understand the language.

Utterances in a tongue in the Church that are for interpretation should be limited to three utterances. 1Cor.14v27,28.
If there is no interpreter in the Church there must be no public utterances, the person must speak to themselves and to God. If tongues are interpreted only one person should interpret each utterance even though several might be able to do so.

The reasons why some Christians do not want to speak in tongues.
Some Christians are ignorant of the great blessing that this great gift can bring.
They say, "What is the good of speaking with tongues? It is the least of the gifts." They feel that it is of real benefit. This attitude shows that a person is ignorant of the Scriptures on the subject, for the great benefits of this gift are clearly shown in the Scriptures. But even if a Christian does not know the benefits of this gift as they are revealed in the Scriptures, they should not question the wisdom of God in the giving of this gift. They should say, "My Heavenly Father has given this gift, so there must be some very good reason for it and some very profitable results of its manifestation, for God only gives good and perfect gifts." James.1v17. The gift of tongues may be the least important gift as regards to public ministry, but it is the greatest gift in relation to the devotional life and prayer life, which is the source of an anointed public ministry, so we can see that there is nothing little about the gift of tongues.

Some Christians love the praise of men more than the praise of God. Jn.12v42,43.
Many count the cost of losing their anti Pentecostal friends and so they reject this lovely gift of tongues. The young men who had dictated to the Lord, "We want the baptism in the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues," were asked why they prayed in this manner, they replied that it was because tongues were unpopular. It is a sad thing that many Christians are choosing to please men more than God by despising and condemning the gift of tongues given by their Saviour and Heavenly Father. Acts.2v4,33.

Some Christians have a fear of the supernatural and they cannot trust God to give them " good gifts."
Just as Israel feared to enter Canaan because of the giants, some Christians cannot trust God to preserve them from the foes and dangers in the spiritual realm, so they prefer to stop in the wilderness instead of conquering their spiritual Canaan. Jesus stated that this attitude is due to lack of faith in our Heavenly Father's love and power. Mt.7v7-11. Lk.11v9-13. Heb.3 & 4. To say that speaking with tongues by a blood washed, Spirit-filled, Christian is "gibberish," or "of the Devil," is to come very close to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Nothing could be further from the truth than to call speaking with tongues, "gibberish," those who have been able to understand the languages spoken, say that they are perfect. A ten-year-old girl named Irene Piper was enabled by the Holy Spirit to speak to a Chinese man in his own language. He was told that he was to come to Church and accept salvation. He said that "her accent was perfect, and her forms of speech were so exact that ten years study would not give the average Occidental such knowledge of the language."

Sometimes even Christians who have been filled with the Spirit and spoken in tongues doubt their experience because they seem to repeat again and again certain sentences or phrases in their unknown tongue. These Christians should realise that in their native tongue when they are praising the Lord they do not use an extensive vocabulary. Many Christians just say, "Praise the Lord," "Wonderful Jesus," etc., they do not use a great many words to express their worship and praise. Here is an extract from page 32 and 33 of W.F.P. Burton's book "Signs Following," which shows that on occasions the Holy Spirit may inspire us to speak only a few words, but that these words can reach the highest levels of praise and express the deepest devotion and love.

William Burton writes, "In 1921 the Pastor of a meeting in Toronto, Canada, confided in me, "Brother Burton, there is something I do not understand in our assembly. When the meeting is warmed up to a real fervency of Spirit a woman bursts out into an ejaculation. It never varies, and it seems to me like nonsense. She says in a kind of intonation 'Kalombooo Vidye. Vidyeeee Kalombo.' I don't like to stop her. What would you do about it?' I said, 'Oh, do let me hear it, brother. That is an expression used by our natives in highest respect to their big chiefs.' On my return to Lubaland I was much struck by the monotonous regularity with which the village counsellors keep up an exited 'Kalombo Vidye,' in reverence to their chiefs during sessions of the court, and one can well understand both what an ejaculation of loving worship it was on the woman's part and also how it might have puzzled her Pastor." End of quote.

A diligent use of the gift of tongues in the private prayer life will result in a very blessed and fluent use of this gift. On occasions the Holy Spirit will give a completely new language, which has all the phonetics and rhythm of a perfect and complete language. However, whether the Holy Spirit gives us many, or few words, to express our praise or prayer, the exercise of this lovely gift of tongues will bring great blessing. Let us now go on to consider the blessings that come through the manifestation of this gift of God the Holy Spirit. This will clearly show us why every Christian should desire to speak in tongues, and why God desires that every Christian should speak in tongues.

Speaking with tongues brings into play the highest faculty of the Christian, the spirit.
Christ said that we must worship God with our spirit if we are to worship Him acceptably; "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." Jn.4v23,24. The most elaborate worship is only a dead form if the spiritual worship that Jesus spoke of is missing. However, the Holy Spirit, by the simple act of speaking with tongues enables us to worship God on the very highest level, it is truly acceptable worship. When the Holy Spirit enables us by this gift to magnify and bless God, and give Him the love and worship of our hearts, He enables us to do the greatest thing that a Christian can do. Acts.10v46. Mt.22v35-40. Mk.12v28-34. The worship of God is the greatest act of the creature, and the use of the gift of tongues enables us to worship God to the limit of our capacity. Eph.4v18. Rom.8v26,27.

We can also pray with our spirit as we speak in tongues, "If I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prays." 1Cor.14v14. We can sing with the spirit, "I will sing with the spirit." 1Cor.14v15. We can bless with our spirit, "Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit." 1Cor.14v16. So we can see that the gift of tongues enables us to worship God in spirit and in truth, the most important act of the Christian life; how then can the Christians who despise spiritual gifts call the gift of tongues, "The least of the gifts."

The gift of tongues brings into the personal life the ability of the Holy Spirit.
You are not limited by your own ability, God the Holy Spirit takes our needs, praise, prayer and desires, and the needs of other people and brings them to the Father. When we are praying in tongues we can pray for the deep needs which would shatter or overwhelm us if we knew them. Burdens that would be to great for us to bear, and which would worry or crush us if we knew them, can be brought to God and victory assured through praying with tongues. The gift of tongues is just as important in the personal prayer life as prophecy is in the Church. In the secret place tongues is the most important gift for personal edification, the youngest converts by this gift can build themselves up in their holy faith, and the most mature Christian also needs to build up their spiritual life by the use of this lovely gift of tongues. Jude.v20,21. 1Cor.14v4,18.

In 1Cor.13v1. Paul implies that it is possible for the Holy Spirit to speak in the tongues of angels. If an angelic tongue can express the praise and worship of a great angelic being living in the uncreated and eternal glory of the dazzling majestic presence of God, it can surely express the praise of the redeemed children of God living in this dark world. How wonderful to speak our praise on such a high plane. How wonderful to be freed from the limits of our own small vocabulary and limited eloquence into the excellence and eloquence of earthly and even heavenly languages by the aid of the Holy Spirit. A gift that is of such importance in the prayer life of the Christian should not be disparaged or termed little, least, or unimportant.

The gift of tongues nourishes the spirit with Divine truth.
The gift of tongues is a stone of stumbling to many Christians; it is a tragedy that they are not grateful for their Heavenly Father’s provision. Some people have said that the gift of tongues is the least of the gifts, and that it is "infant prattling" and not for mature Christians. The apostle Paul, 24 years after his conversion, was speaking in tongues more than the verbose Corinthians, and he was certainly not immature. 1Cor.14v18. We are told that when we speak in tongues we speak "mysteries," “musteria,” the hidden counsels and secrets of God that were once hidden, but which are now revealed in the Gospel to the children of God. Mt.13v11. Lk.8v10. Rom.11v25. 16v25. 1Cor.2v1,7. 4v1. 14v2. 15v51. Eph.1v9. 3v3,4,9. 5v32. 6v19. Col.1v26,27. 4v3. 2Thes.2v7. 1Tim.3v9. Rev.10v7. Ps.25v14..

Speaking in tongues is an exalted sphere of utterance, we speak hidden and exalted spiritual truths, the hearers at Pentecost called these "mysteries," "the wonderful works of God." They looked upon it as anything but "infant prattling." In 1Cor.13v11,12. Paul speaks of our present limited intellectual knowledge of the future Heavenly "mysteries" as "infant prattling," but he never refers to speaking in tongues in this way. Our minds are limited in their ability to appreciate spiritual and heavenly realities; our spirits are not limited in the same way. Speaking in tongues enables our spirits to appreciate and feed on spiritual realities and Divine mysteries, and our spirits grow through the spiritual truths and blessings that come to us through speaking with tongues. This bypasses and rests the mind, so that even when we are too tired to think upon truth with our minds, our spirits and souls are nourished by the use of this gift. See Is.28v11,12. with 1Cor.14v21.However, we must have Scripture truth for our minds, for we cannot grow in God if we neglect the Scriptures, its truths feed both our minds and spirits, so we should, "As new-born babes, for the pure milk that is for the mind eagerly crave, that thereby ye may grow unto salvation." 1Pet.2v2. Rotheram.

Here are two instances where people have actually heard Christians speaking of "the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven."

H. Horton tells on page 160 of his book "The Gifts of the Spirit" what a missionary in the Congo heard when he was present at the baptism in the Spirit of a young coloured man. The missionary was amazed to hear the young man speaking in perfect English and repeating Old Testament instances of creation and history. The young man did not know a word of English and what is more, nothing of the accounts of Scripture that he was repeating. The missionary left the hut to search for his wife so that she could witness this remarkable manifestation of the Spirit. When he returned with his wife the young man was still speaking in English and was speaking of the New Testament revelation concerning the second coming of Christ.

W.F.P. Burton gives an account of another inspiring incident that occurred at Mwanza in the Congo, on page 30, 31 of "Signs Following." When the Churches were getting spiritually cold it was their practice to gather the believers together for several days of prayer, ministry of the Word and waiting upon God. During one such occasion Mr. Burton was keeping "a quiet eye" on the meeting to make sure that there was no "undue excitement or extravagance," he was struck by the earnest expression of a young man named Ziba, who was obviously being deeply moved by the power of the Spirit moving upon the men gathered there. Mr. Burton quietly moved around to where the young man sat and was surprised and moved to hear Ziba speaking in perfect English of Christ's second coming to earth to reign and of the glories of His millennial kingdom. Ziba was a simple village lad without any knowledge of the English language, but here he was speaking in English without any ungrammatical expressions or any trace of foreign accent, and what he said was absolutely true to the Scriptures.

So we can see that when a person speaks in tongues inspired by the Holy Spirit they nourish their spirit with Divine truths and build themselves up spiritually. This is a good and lovely gift of God the Holy Spirit, and God ordained that we should have this gift and use it for our spiritual benefit. It is foolish and wrong to forbid Christians to speak with other tongues, 1Cor.14v39., for this is one of the good gifts given to us by our Heavenly Father.

Speaking in tongues brings into operation the other gifts of the Spirit.
Prayer in tongues builds up the spiritual life of the Christian to the place where they are able to manifest the other gifts of the Spirit. The greater a person's ministry is the more they need to speak in tongues. One internationally known evangelist found that miracles were getting fewer in his prayer lines, because he had been neglecting speaking with tongues.

After giving some remarkable instances of answers to prayer through intercession in tongues, on page 43 of his book "Spiritual Gifts,” W.V. Grant makes the following observation: "Even in revival services today when I go into a service without praying for hours in the Holy Ghost, (he means in tongues) I do not expect much, and cannot edify anyone.

Speaking with other tongues makes the Lord Jesus very precious to us,
Those who use this gift diligently in the secret place can testify that it really brings one close to the Lord Jesus, and deepens our love for Him. What a precious gift this is! If we have no other reason for desiring to speak in tongues this would be sufficient. Jn.16v13-15.

Speaking with tongues edifies the Church when it is interpreted. 1Cor.14v5.
An anointed message in tongues can bring a really wonderful blessing to a Christian meeting, and the interpretation can bring great comfort, solace and needful instruction. God has set this gift in the Church as a valuable means of public as well as private edification.

Speaking with tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Spirit. Acts.2v4. 10v45,46. 11v17. 19v6.
In the above outpourings of the Spirit, when Christians received the baptism of the Spirit they spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. They received one common evidence that they had been baptised in the Spirit, speaking with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. With the exception of the outpouring at Ephesus we do not read of any other manifestations of the gifts, and there they prophesied after speaking with tongues. From humble housewives to mighty apostles the initial evidence of the baptism in the Spirit was speaking with tongues. At the baptism in the Spirit of these believers the Holy Spirit did not give the various gifts as the evidence of the baptism in the Spirit, He gave the gift of tongues to all. When Paul speaks in1Cor.12v11. of the gifts being given "severally as He will," he is referring to the manifestations of the Spirit in a Church meeting or the other activities of the Church. He is not speaking of the baptism in the Spirit, for at Pentecost, the house of Cornelius and Ephesus the gift given to all was the gift of tongues. In the other two cases in the Acts where it is stated that Christians received the baptism in the Spirit, Acts.8v14-20. 9v17., even non-Pentecostal commentators agree that what Simon saw, v18, was the Samaritan Christians speaking in tongues, and we know that Paul spoke in tongues from 1Cor.14v18..

To those who question that tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Spirit we would ask, "What other evidence can you supply from the Scriptures that will prove that a person is filled with the Spirit?" All the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, except the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues, were available, and were manifested, by the Old Testament prophets and the apostles before Pentecost. If a great ministry or many conversions were to be used as a claim for the possession of the baptism in the Spirit, John Baptist and the apostles could have claimed that they were baptised in the Spirit before Pentecost, however, Jn.7v39. assures us that this was not so. The Spirit was with them but not in them with His permanently abiding presence, they had not received the baptism of the Spirit. Jn.14v16,17.

Cornelius received words of wisdom, knowledge and a discerning of spirits before he was converted or baptised in the Spirit. Peter did not say that the household of Cornelius had received the Spirit because they were filled with joy, or were living sanctified lives, desirable as these are; Peter said they were unmistakably filled with the Holy Spirit because they had spoken in tongues like the 120 at Pentecost. Acts.10v1-6,43-48. 11v17,18. Joy, peace, sanctification or love for the brethren cannot be looked upon as a claim for being filled with the Spirit; these are the result of abiding in Christ and being led of the Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a conscious experience and should be an overwhelming experience, to be immersed in the almighty power of God the Holy Spirit should be just as real an experience and spiritually more uplifting than being baptised in water.

Speaking with tongues gives one unmistakable evidence that one is filled with the Spirit and it also enables one to express the "unutterable gushings" of praise, worship and adoration that fill the soul when one receives a mighty baptism in the Spirit. The other spiritual gifts and graces do not certify that a Christian has received a Pentecostal baptism in the Spirit, the only certain Scriptural proof of a Pentecostal baptism in the Spirit is a Pentecostal gift of tongues.

We do not always need a word of wisdom or a gift of healing, or some other gifts, however, we always need to build up our selves in our most Holy faith, and this is why after the baptism in the Spirit God enables us to manifest this gift whenever we desire to do so. The apostolic band did not quibble about the gift of tongues, or God's choice of it as the initial evidence of the baptism of the Spirit, they accepted it and rejoiced in the use of it, and all Christians should do the same. The only safe pattern of Christian experience is that written in the New Testament, the good and best can lead us far astray. God has given this lovely gift of tongues to His children and those who oppose this manifestation of the Holy Spirit are in spiritual peril, for they are fighting God. Paul desired that every Christian should receive their personal Pentecost and speak with other tongues. 1Cor.14v5. This must be the will of God or Paul would not have dared to say such a thing. Paul esteemed this gift very highly; he thanked God that he spoke in tongues more than the verbose Corinthians. He was sad that Christians of his day were neglecting their Pentecostal heritage, and those of us who have received a Pentecostal experience are sad that many Christians are ignorant, neglecting, despising, or rejecting their Pentecostal heritage.

Tongues as a sign.
Speaking with tongues can be used by God as a sign to those who understand the languages. Though this is not the normal use of the gift of tongues it can produce remarkable results when God manifests this gift as a sign as He did on the day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit enables the Christian to speak with tongues in a known language it can convict and convert the sinner, and be a sign and encouragement to the believer. 1Cor.14v22. Acts.2v4-12. Mk.16v17-20.

The gift of tongues is not intended to replace the preaching of the Gospel, however on rare occasions God does use the gift of tongues to confirm the Gospel message by speaking in a language that the listener understands. This may expose the heart of the listener and reveal their need of salvation and the way of salvation, and this sign is intended to prepare the listeners for further preaching of the Gospel. The disciples at Pentecost spoke in tongues, which were unknown to themselves; but many listeners recognised the languages and were captivated and amazed at hearing the rapturous praise of God and His wonderful works. The tongues gained the attention of the people and prepared their hearts for the preaching of Peter.

Some instances where tongues have been understood and have been a sign.
We will now give some well-documented instances where the Lord has used the gift of tongues as a sign to convert the unbeliever and encourage the believer. In an article in "The Pentecostal Evangel, Crusade Issue," Robert L. Brandt gives several instances where the gift of tongues was used in these ways, and we will also give several other outstanding incidents from other sources.

"The late J. Narver Gortner of Berkeley, California., has left this testimony regarding a friend who was miraculously saved from suicide, converted, and shortly afterwards filled with the Holy Spirit. He wrote:

"My friend went down to the service at the Upper Room Mission. As opportunity was given to testify, he rose to his feet and began to tell how the Lord had saved him, and of his marvellous experience that afternoon. Suddenly God took his English away.... and he began to speak in another language, a language he was utterly unfamiliar with, and which he did not remember having heard before. Words were formed into sentences under the inspiration of the Spirit, and he continued to speak for two or three minutes. He ceased and sat down.

At the close of the service three educated Hindus came to him and inquired where he had learned their language. He assured them that he had never learned it. They insisted he must have been in India. They said he had spoken their language perfectly; they had never heard a foreigner speak so perfectly; they thought that he must have been instructed there by a very competent teacher, and when they became convinced that he was utterly unfamiliar with their language, and that it was the Spirit who had moved him to speak, they gave their hearts to the Lord and became Christians. They afterwards received the Baptism and went to carry the message to their own people in faraway India." End of quote.

W.F.P. Burton a missionary to the Congo, gives the following testimony.
"We used to hold gospel services beside Lytham lifeboat house on Sunday evenings. One Sunday when a big crowd was listening to the preaching, the power of God fell on a Mrs. Whiteside, and she began to speak in a strange language. This dear sister would certainly not mind my stating that under ordinary circumstances she was far from grammatical, even in her own language, and had never learned any other. As she spoke I found that I could understand all that she was saying. A solemn silence fell on the crowd as Mrs. Whiteside spoke in tongues, and I gave the interpretation in English.

As soon as we had finished a big, middle-aged man stepped into the ring of listeners and, falling on his knees, cried to God to save his soul. He had been a prominent tailor in Lytham, with a big business, but had lost practically everything through his craving for liquor. He was more often inebriated than sober, but now he was as sober as a judge and declared that every word of that message in tongues and interpretation went straight to his heart.

Now it happened that a young Japanese man, who was studying shipbuilding in Lytham shipbuilding yard, had stood listening among the crowd outside the lifeboat house. He went home and asked his landlady, "Who are those people who preach and sing on Lytham beach?" She replied, "They are a lot of fanatical, religious enthusiasts. Some say that they are religion mad." "Well they may be mad," he remarked, "but I heard a most remarkable thing. One spoke in perfect Japanese, while another gave the exact equivalent in English.
There one had both the tongue and the interpretation corroborated, while the result, in a soul won for the Lord Jesus, was ample evidence that the thing was from God." End of quote.

From Amelia J. Bullock, Lakeland, Fla., formerly of the Greek Orthodox Church, we have the following two accounts:
"My first experience of understanding 'tongues' happened in a youth convention in Jeannette, Pa., in November, 1935.
I had been saved a short time. I was attending an Assembly of God, but was not willing to leave the Greek Orthodox Church, which had been the faith of my parents and forefathers of generations. During the service Mrs. J. R. Flower spoke in tongues and her message was in French. Having studied several languages with the intention of becoming a linguist, I was able to translate the tongues before the interpretation was given. When the interpretation was given I found that it agreed with my translation. Since neither Mrs. Flower nor the interpreter knew French, I thought surely this was of God. Fear gripped me. I vowed before the Lord that if He would baptise me in the Holy Spirit and cause me to speak in a tongue that I had never learned, I would step out of the Greek Orthodox Church and join the Pentecostals. Five days later I received the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues.

The other occasion took place in a revival at Central Bible Institute, Springfield, Mo., in 1937. One of my classmates, Paul, now a missionary in India, received the Baptism during this glorious outpouring. The first words he spoke were in Arabic, 'Ya rubool koona,' meaning, 'O God of the universe.' These are three powerful words in Arabic. My joy knew no bounds. It was another glorious proof that this experience is supernatural and genuine." End of quote.

Pastor Glenn M. Horst of Seattle, Wash., gives the following affidavit.
"The Sunday before Easter of 1950 in the Full Gospel Tabernacle of Gary Ind., a Mrs. Novak stood up in the meeting and spoke in a language she did not understand. She scarcely was seated before one of the men in my Church, whom I recognised to be Italian, sprang to his feet and excitedly said 'She is speaking my language; I understood everything she said,' I replied, 'What did she say?' This man gave the translation of what Mrs. Novak had just spoken: 'O King Eternal, Thou art our King Eternal! Lead on, O King. Withersoever Thou leadest us we will follow Thee. If Thou leadest us through the valleys deep, or if thou leadest us up the mountains steep, withersoever Thou wilt lead us, we will follow Thee. Lead on, O King Eternal, lead on.

On the following Sunday (Easter), Paul Goodwin, now a missionary in Jamaica, spoke in the Italian language also through the power of the Spirit. There were several Italians in my Church that morning who understood the language that was being spoken, but for a few minutes they said nothing. Immediately following Paul Goodwin's speaking in tongues, a young man by the name of Phil Peterzak, who has since changed his name to Pearson, stood and gave the interpretation of the message that Paul Goodwin had given. At the close of the interpretation a young man by the name of Leo Pilla said, 'I know Paul Goodwin, and he does not speak my language, but he spoke in perfect Italian, as though he had graduated from a college in Italy.' Then I said to Leo Pilla, 'How about the interpretation?' Leo replied, 'Of course it was just as perfect as Paul Goodwin's Italian.' End of quote.

A missionary to Africa, John F. Hall, has related the following incident.
"During a missionary convention with Pastor Russell Olson in Minneapolis, Minn., I was sitting by Fred Vogler, our assistant general superintendent, with whom I was travelling at the time. While the ushers were standing during the prayer by Brother Olson, he burst out in tongues. He spoke in Mossi, an African language that I understood. He said the giving would not finish with this. Startled, I told Brother Vogler what had been said in Mossi, and suggested we should just keep quiet and see what would happen. While one of the missionaries was speaking, a brother in the audience rose and with much earnestness said 'brother Olson, I feel we should take another offering.' Many called out 'Yes! 'Yes!' So the ushers took a second missionary offering in that same service.

After the service I went to Brother Olson and related to him what had happened. A strange look came over his face and he began to cry. He said that for about six weeks he had been doubting that there was anything to tongues and now the Lord had rebuked him severely." End of quote.

I. Rosser, in his book "Grace Gifts," tells on pages 105 and 106 how the Holy Spirit brought about the conversion of a Frenchman in 1934 through the use of the gift of tongues. While he was at his sister's house, a French onion seller came to the door, and Mr. Rosser felt led of God to speak to him in tongues. The Frenchman was amazed that a person who had never been to France or learned French could speak French fluently. They asked the Frenchman what Mr. Rosser had said, he said in broken English that Mr. Rosser was a good man and a minister of Jesus Christ and that Mr. Rosser had been telling him that Christ is to return and set up His kingdom on earth. But before He returns, things on earth will get worse, and that repentance is the only way back to God and forgiveness. The man was broken by this remarkable manifestation of the Spirit and accepted Christ as Saviour.

C.L. Parker, in his book "Covert Earnestly," quotes another incident where this gift was used to bring a person to Christ. "As I write, my attention is drawn to an instance given in the C.E.M. magazine (page 7) for March, 1960 in which a young native boy, speaking in a native language that neither he nor the others around understood, was yet speaking to a native woman who happened to come from where that language was spoken. She understood him and found that through him God was answering all the arguments she had used against Christianity. As a consequence she gave her heart to the Lord." End of quote.

A well educated friend of mine, testifies that he heard someone speaking in perfect Latin in other tongues, the theme of the utterance was the power of the blood of Jesus. This person had no knowledge of Latin and yet he was speaking better Latin than my friend, who had spent years studying and teaching Latin. The writer knows other people who have spoken in known languages as they have spoken in tongues, and there are many other instances that could be quoted to confirm the fact that God can, and still does, use the gift of tongues as a sign to speak to those who understand the languages.

From the facts, which we have considered, we can see that the Scriptures clearly show that the nature of the gift of tongues is predominantly devotional, it is for personal edification, and is a divine aid in prayer and worship. However, God can and does use this gift for public edification when it is interpreted. We have also seen that on some occasions it can be greatly used of God in evangelism, as it was on the day of Pentecost. When we use this gift in our devotional life, we always pray, praise and worship in the way that God wants us to do, the Holy Spirit enables us to do the thing that is most needful. We always pray for the right things in tongues, we can pray selfishly, ignorantly, or even with unsanctified ambition in our own tongue, but in other tongues we pray as the Holy Spirit directs. This is indeed prayer, praise and worship on the very highest level.

We can clearly see that there are many important reasons why every Christian should desire to speak with other tongues; however, I feel that I have given enough reasons to satisfy the honest heart and mind. Every Christian should desire to speak with tongues, if only for the sake of their devotional life. Rom.8v26,27. Let us now consider other aspects of the gift of tongues.

THE RECEPTION OF TONGUES THAT ARE FOR INTERPRETATION.
In 1Cor.12v10. Paul is speaking of the manifestation of the gift of tongues that God desires to be interpreted, so that Christians can be edified and blessed. We will now briefly consider the reception of this manifestation of the Spirit and show how we know that we have a tongue that the Holy Spirit desires to interpret.

We can be informed that we have a tongue for interpretation by a sudden powerful impulse of the Holy Spirit, or by a command of the Holy Spirit to speak in tongues. However, we do need to distinguish between a surge of emotion and love for Christ during a meeting and the moving of the Spirit that directs us to speak in tongues. After an outstanding sermon or an anointed solo or hymn, some Christians feel so moved and blessed that they feel that this is an indication for them to speak in tongues. However, surge of emotion or genuine blessing of the Holy Spirit does not always mean that we should speak out a tongue to the Church, it may be a blessing to uplift us, or help us to pray and praise and worship the Lord. Without a doubt there will be some intensity of feeling when there is a powerful manifestation of tongues for interpretation, and a lack of holy emotion and loving spirit when this gift is manifested will leave one almost unmoved. Once a Christian has received an experience of giving tongues that are for interpretation, they will be able to tell the difference between an impulse of the Spirit to speak in tongues and the normal blessing of the Spirit. On some occasions we will feel the power of God upon us and the distinct command to speak with tongues will come from the Holy Spirit, when this happens it leaves us in no doubt that we must speak out a message to the Church.
The interpretation of tongues can take the form of a prayer for Heavenly help, or a prayer of dedication, or a statement of faith and assurance, or an expression of praise and worship, or words of exhortation, edification and comfort. The interpretation can be addressed to God as well as to man, and sometimes the interpretation can be the answer to the prayer, or statement of faith, etc., that has been spoken out in tongues, and on these occasions it would be more accurate to call it a prophecy than an interpretation. However, we do not have to be too technical in our definitions, it is the powerful manifestation of the gifts that counts, not a correct definition, the Holy Spirit will interpret the tongue as He thinks best.

C.L. Parker makes the following helpful comment on the gift of interpretation of tongues on pages 19, and 20 of his book "Covert Earnestly": "The Greek word translated "interpretation" does not primarily mean "translation." It is used for example in Lk.24v27, (see 32,45.) of our Lord "expounding" the Old Testament Scriptures; it is normally translated, "expound" and "explain," or "give the meaning of." The interpretation may then be longer or shorter than the tongue of which it may give a longer or shorter exposition. The interpreter may receive his gift before, during, or after, the tongue: he may launch out upon a single sentence, and receive the rest by thought as he is speaking. In any case he recognises the reception of the gift, whenever and however it is given, by the unction, which is coming upon him; and this unction abides also upon those listeners who are filled with the Spirit. As Peter says,2Pet.1v21., "Holy men of God spake as they were carried along by the Spirit." There is no effort in such speaking: no searching for words, no wondering what to say next. As long as the unction is upon you, you speak with ease and delight. When it lifts you have no more to say and come to a stop. This is a beautiful gift since it brings two members of an Assembly into combined ministry of love and edification for the rest of the Church. The one member may not have the faith to speak in his own language words which can be understood, and yet be perfectly free to speak in a tongue words of which he does not know the meaning. For as soon as one utters words which one understands, one is responsible for what one says: but when one speaks in a tongue the responsibility for the meaning of the words rests upon the interpreter, and it is indeed a very responsible thing to utter words which purport to come from the Almighty.” End of quote

The interpretation of tongues should reveal the person of Jesus, and His great love for His Church.
In 1Cor.12v10., “interpretation,” is “hermeneia” 2058,-an interpretation of what has been spoken by others. However, in 1Cor.12v30., “do all interpret?” is “mee” 3361, “pantes” 3956, “diermeneuousin” 1329., the third person plural present active indicative of “diermeneuo” 1329, to explain thoroughly, to expound, interpret. “Diermeneuo” 1329, is the very same word that Jesus used in Lk.24v27. to speak of Jesus revealing the truth of the Scriptures about Himself to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. In Luke 24:27. the Majority Text and Received Text has “diermeneuen” 1329, the third person singular imperfect active indicative of “diermeneuo” 1329, to explain thoroughly, expound. The two disciples heard a continuous and most wonderful and thorough exposition of the Scriptures concerning Jesus. How we wish that we could have heard it. Jesus showed that the Old Testament was full of references to Him. How strange it is that some modern scholars fail to see Him there. (In Lk.24v27., the Minority text for “expounded” is “diermeneusen,” the aorist active indicative of “diermeneuo” 1329.)

We also read in Lk.24v45. that Jesus “opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” (NKJ) “Opened their understanding,” is “dienoixen” 1272, “auton” 846, “ton” 3588, “noun” 3563. “Dienoixen” is the third person singular aorist active indicative of “dianoigo” 1272, to open thoroughly, to revive and inspire someone’s mind. It is the same verb that is used in Lk.24v31,32., to speak of how Jesus opened the eyes of the two disciples from Emmaus, and how they said that they had burning hearts when Jesus opened the Scriptures to them. Jesus had tried for many years to open their minds to understand the Scriptures about His Messiahship and had failed, but the resurrected Christ now explains His Cross and Resurrection, and His exposition of the Scriptures makes their hearts burn. Our preaching and the interpretation of tongues should bring the manifest overwhelming presence and love of Jesus, and make people’s hearts burn with love for God. If we abide in the shadow of the Almighty, and love spending time with Him, our lives and gifts will be filled with His presence. Then we will be the blessing that He, and we, desire, and people’s hearts will burn within them as they meet with Jesus through us.

Tongues that are interpreted can be a great blessing to the Church, and if Christians would pray much at home they would find that God would use them to lift meetings into real blessing by the use of tongues and the gift of interpretation.

THE RELATION OF CHRISTIAN LOVE TO SPEAKING WITH OTHER TONGUES.
Even the loveliest spiritual gifts fail in their purpose unless they are accompanied by Christian love and consecration. The Holy Spirit can give us the most wonderful languages to speak, and words that reach the very highest levels of prayer and devotion, but without love we will not impart or receive any real blessing. Without love we will be "but echoing brass and clanging cymbal." 1Cor.13v1. We may have a great flow of language with perfect phonetics and diction, but without love it will be hard and empty and it can chill instead of bless. The tongues of men can be very beautiful to listen to, and the tongues of angels are infinitely more splendid, but without love the most beautiful and exalted of inspired language is only an empty sound and lacks the power to bless. The Holy Spirit breathes into our heart and mind these beautiful and exalted words and they are laden with love and grace, but as they go through the human channel they can lose this divine benediction, the human personality can "sieve out" all the beauty, love and tenderness that the Holy Spirit puts into His utterance. The beautiful gift that God has given can be tainted and marred by the nature of the person who manifests the gift and it can fail to bless, as God desires. But how beautiful an utterance in tongues can be when a person passes on the love, beauty and grace that the Holy Spirit breathes into His message, it can bring the very atmosphere of heaven into a meeting.

The word translated as "sounding" in 1Cor.13v1., is also translated "roar" once in the New Testament, and the word "tinkle" can be translated "clash," "clanking," or "wail," so the verse could be translated "roaring brass or clashing cymbal." Some however, would suggest that "tinkling cymbal" should be translated "tinkling bell," suggesting that there is a hint of beauty in the sound. Others think that Paul is referring to the piercing high note of the finger cymbals or castanets. Whatever this second instrument may have been, the whole impression of this verse is of a hard and harsh noise without any depth or beauty, and jarring and unpleasant. So we can see that the gift of tongues which is given specifically to build up a Christian’s character, to build up faith and love and strengthen the spiritual life, can fail to accomplish these things if we are unconsecrated and live carelessly. I feel that Christians who minister their gift of tongues on this low level of unblessed noise are Christians who fail to use their gift as it should be used in their private time of devotion.

The Bible makes it quite clear that the gift of tongues should be used most in our times of private devotion and if it is so used in love and consecration, a Christian cannot help but grow in grace and be openly blessed. 1Cor.14v2,4. Mt.6v5,6. The use of the gift of tongues in the secret place will do wonders for our spiritual life and character. God has given the gift of tongues to His Church because He has considered that it is absolutely indispensable and necessary for the welfare of His Church. God does not give any gifts that are mean or paltry, they are all priceless, magnificent, good and beautiful, and we should bow the knee to His wisdom, love and authority. Who are we to criticise the "good and perfect gifts" that our Heavenly Father has given to us? He is the Lord, let us recognise the value and importance of what He has given. How dare we criticise His gifts, or neglect to seek them, when He has commanded us not only to pursue love, but earnestly seek spiritual gifts as well. 1Cor.14v1. The exercise of the gift of tongues in the life of the believer will enable the Lord to do His will more perfectly in the life of the believer, for, as the apostle Paul tells us, it will build love, faith and spiritual strength in the possessor of the gift, if it is used diligently and devotionally. Indeed, it is the one gift whose primary aim is the spiritual well being of the possessor, and more than any other gift, the gift of tongues will produce spiritual strength, character and the fruits of the Spirit in the Christian believer.

A Christian cannot prophesy, or manifest the other gifts of the Holy Spirit when he desires, and when he does it will nearly always be for the benefit of others, but he can speak in tongues when he desires and be spiritually edified as a result. So we can see that when Paul is speaking of prophecy and the other gifts as being "greater gifts" than the gift of tongues, he is thinking of meetings of Christians. Paul makes it quite clear that the greatest gift in the devotional life of the believer is the gift of tongues. The diligent, devotional and loving use of the gift of tongues in the secret place will result in the other gifts being manifested in public. 1Cor.14v2,4,18. with 2Cor.12v12.

Paul the apostle spoke more in tongues than the verbose and talkative Corinthians so that he might edify his fellow-Christians in public; this was one of the secrets of Paul's spiritual power. So we can see that the determined and devotional use of the gift of tongues can meet the need of the whole personality it can result in the mind being relieved from stress and the body being delivered from sickness as well as the soul and spirit being renewed and the work of God extended. For God the Holy Spirit comes to bring wholeness to every part of the personality, and as He manifests the gift of tongues through us the needs of our whole personality can be met.

The possession of the gift of tongues will not produce a lack of love; it is given to produce love. Indeed, a lack of this gift is far more likely to result in a lack of love and spiritual power, for every gift of God and means of grace are essential. Opposition, scorn, ridicule, or even indifference towards the gift of tongues shows that our love is lacking and obedience is lacking. The contrite and devotional use of the gift of tongues will produce a spiritual sweetness and spiritual power that are unattainable without this gift. However, even this gift, which is specifically given for the enrichment of our spiritual life and the building of character and love, will not profit us if there is malice and sin in our hearts and we are unconsecrated. However with love we shall use the gift of tongues with real blessing and profit, and it will edify not only ourselves but the Church as well. Any Christian who uses this gift in love will be infinitely richer for its manifestation.

All Christians can know the inspiration, joy and blessing of not only earthly languages but Heavenly languages as well. The Holy Spirit through these languages can cause us to pray or praise according to the will of God. The Holy Spirit can bring our praise, needs and desires to God our Father; He can cause us to give thanks, to bless, to worship and even to pray for needs that we do not know. It is God directing the prayer-life of the believer on the highest level. The whole effect of the gift of tongues when manifested in love is to produce character, love, fruit and blessing.

The "more excellent way" that 1Cor.12v31. tells us to walk in, is not the way of love separate and distinct from other gifts, graces, attributes and talents; it is love as the motivating force and guiding principle of all these desirable and lovely things. It is certainly not, as some would have us believe, love in opposition to the gifts, or even love without the gifts of the Holy Spirit; it is love as the guiding and guarding influence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is the gifts being sought and used out of love for others. Some may say, "You can seek for gifts, but I am going to seek for love." But this is very foolish, for the Bible commands us to seek after both love and gifts. Those who are seeking love from the God of love will also seek HIS gifts. The fact that a person has spiritual gifts does not mean that they lack love, and the fact that a person lacks spiritual gifts does not mean that they possess love, indeed it may mean the very opposite, for it is impossible to follow after love and despise or criticise spiritual gifts. If we really desire and follow after love we shall desire, follow after and encourage spiritual gifts. These spiritual gifts are the gifts of our Heavenly Father, and the last thing that we should do is hurt our Heavenly Father by disdaining or positively condemning the lovely gifts that He has given. We are not glorifying God by extolling love at the expense of the gift that He has given.

Paul does not say in 1Cor.13., that the gifts are profitless without love, he says that without love they do not profit the person who possesses them or manifests them, they may certainly profit others whose needs are met through them, e.g. a gift of healing, an interpretation of tongues. It is not the gifts that are "nothing" without love, for they are given by the God of love and are wonderful; it is the possessor that is "nothing." However, spiritual gifts ministered in love profit both the possessor and the recipients of the gifts. We need to remember that it is not only spiritual gifts that lose much of their value and profit without love; knowledge of sacred things, gifts to the needy and even martyrdom for Christ's sake are profitless to us without love. Though spiritual gifts lose some of their value without love, love is helpless without them. Love needs power to meet the needs of the broken in heart, the sick in body and the oppressed, and in the ministry of the Lord Jesus we see the lovely co-ordination of divine love and divine power meeting the needs of suffering humanity. If we have love and yet do not have power to meet the needs of suffering humanity we shall be crushed and broken-hearted, the gifts of the Spirit have a vital part to play in the ministry of love, for they are one of the main channels of the love of God and the ministry of Christ to a needy Church and world.

The fact that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are temporary does not mean that they are of little use or value. On the contrary the correct use of the gifts of the Spirit will prepare us for the use of the powers of the eternal kingdom. In Heb.6v5. the baptism and gifts of the Spirit are spoken of as "the powers of the age to come," so we can see that gifts of the Spirit are temporary and partial use of the powers of the eternal kingdom. The gifts of the Holy Spirit do not cease, fall away, or fail in the sense that there will never again be any miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit; the temporary manifestations of the Spirit and the partial revelations of God are swallowed up in continuous and eternal enjoyment and appreciation of the supernatural power and divine nature of God. The part is swallowed up in the whole.

In the same way our present knowledge will come to nought, or vanish away, in the sense that our limited knowledge will be swallowed up in the infinite knowledge of the kingdom of God. The temporary and occasional manifestations of divine power through the gifts will be swallowed up in the continual, permanent and eternal manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The temporary gifts have produced eternal love and then give way to the eternal and permanent manifestations of divine power and wisdom. Paul emphasises the need for gifts as well as love until the Lord Jesus comes and the kingdom of God is set upon the earth. We can now enjoy and rejoice over the manifestations of the Spirit knowing that they are ideally suited to our present circumstances. We can also look forward with joyful anticipation to the time when the temporary gives way to the permanent and complete, and we enjoy the full glory of the revelation of God’s power and love. Until that “perfect” day comes let us follow after love and earnestly desire the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 1Cor.13v10.

I will now close this study on the gift of tongues with the following observations. The apostle Paul lead Christians into a Pentecostal experience right throughout his ministry, and this he did in all the Churches that he founded, and in 1Cor.14v18 we read that Paul is still speaking in tongues and in the same chapter he is giving instructions regarding spiritual gifts to the Corinthians 26 years after the outpouring at Pentecost. Just before Paul died he was exalting Timothy not to neglect or despise the revelations that had been given by spiritual gifts and the ministry of spiritual gifts, this was 33 years after Pentecost. The apostle John, about 63 years after Pentecost, was still experiencing the gifts of the Spirit. Indeed he experienced a greater revelation of spiritual gifts than he had ever known before in his life. Through him the Lord Jesus was exhorting Christians to take heed to the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church. We cannot do better than to follow the example of these great men of God in relation to spiritual gifts, and we should "covert earnestly" the lovely gifts of the Holy Spirit and this means that we should desire to speak with tongues "as the Holy Spirit gives utterance." 2Tim.1v6. Rev.2v7,11,17. etc. 1Cor.14v1.

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