needed to bring the soul that negotiates between God and man into its possession.

2. A Second Pentecost.

"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4. 31). This meeting for prayer, which was held subsequent to Pentecost, had for its object the obtaining of added power for service. It was not a protracted meeting, but was held in a brief pause in the thick of the battle by those who felt the need of the Spirit's fullness. They were too well instructed to pray for the Spirit's coming; they believed that he had come never to depart. What they prayed for was a larger infilling, a deeper baptism of his life-giving power. Their prayer was like that of Xavier in a later day-"Yet more, O my God, yet more." What had been already given they sought to obtain in greater measure, by a direct act of appropriating faith. Nor did they seek in vain, for as they prayed the blessing came in a wondrous way.

The prayer they offered is the first recorded prayer of the infant church. Driven to their knees by a sense of helplessness, "they lifted up their voice to God with one accord," making their common appeal to the sovereign power of Him "who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all that in them is." Their prayer is couched in elevated language, borrowed in part from the one

It

hundred and forty-sixth and twelfth Psalms. is a remarkable prayer-instinct with the spirit of adoration, strong in its grip upon God, full of faith in his overruling providence and in the final outworking of his purposes of grace. Above all, it is a thoroughly Christian prayer, being utterly unselfish, not making request for immunity from persecution and danger, but asking for the confounding of God's enemies, for the strengthening of his kingdom, and for the impartation of needed grace to those on the firing line, that their faith might not fail, and that through them the word of the Lord might prevail.

The shaking of the place of assembly was symbolic of the movement of the higher Power to which appeal had been made. These outward manifestations were not only signs of acceptance of their prayer, and the pledge of needed help, they were also the witness of the incoming and inworking of a new power, which each one was to receive to his utmost capacity, according to the measure of his faith. A fresh communication of divine power was given to all. "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit" the specialized prophetic gift of the Old Testament thus becoming the common gift of the new. Into every one of them entered a new power which enabled him to "speak the word of God with boldness," telling the story of the Christ who died and rose again with a new accent of conviction, and with a courage born of faith in its saving efficacy.

From these early days down to the present every increase of spiritual power and every revival of religion accompanying it has been preceded by prayer. A historical instance is furnished by John Wesley in his Journal, where he tells how a little group of Oxford students met for prayer, and adds "at three in the morning, as we continued instant in prayer, the Holy Ghost came mightily upon us, insomuch as overawed we fell to the ground. When we had somewhat recovered from the sense of the presence of the Majesty on High we broke out with one accord into the Te Deum-"We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord." From that holy place Methodism went out conquering and to conquer.

3. Fellowship in Prayer.

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2. 42). The first converts to Christ were not individualists. They did not remain in isolation from one another. They felt the need of the molding touch of association in order to live the highest, completest life. It is said that they "were together"-they lived together, they planned together, they prayed together, they worked together. They were of one heart and mind and aim. They were possessors of a common spiritual life and participants in a common spiritual service. Their fellowship was in the things of the spirit, the things that are deepest and closest. In the

best sense of the term they practiced close communion.

Four things were characteristic of their simple communal life:

(1) They continued as they had begun in the apostolic teaching, sitting at the apostles' feet, and being instructed in the deeper things of the kingdom of God.

(2) "They continued in the apostles' fellowship," participating with them in the worship of God and the service of man.

(3) They continued in "the breaking of bread"; that is, in the breaking together of the holy sacramental bread by which their souls were nourished.

(4) They continued "in prayer," or, more correctly, "in the prayers"-the use of the plural form indicating the fullness of their prayer life. It is a grievous mistake to render the words "they continued in the prayer," and to interpret them as meaning that they continued repeating the Lord's Prayer every time they met (So Dr. David Smith). Their prayers were not things of set form but were the spontaneous outflowing of overbrimming hearts.

In this common life of fellowship prayer was perhaps the most marked feature. They enjoyed together oft-recurring seasons of prayer, during which the enveloping fire of the Holy Spirit fused their hearts into one. In many respects they were a heterogeneous company. They differed in race, in language, and in previous religious training. Had they dwelt upon outward or non-essential things in

religion, they would have fallen apart. Their union was a thing of the spirit, and one of the chief means of promoting it was prayer. Those who pray together, who are burdened with the same desires, and who unite in asking the same things, are brought into the closest fellowship. There is no more powerful social solvent than prayer. When men bow their knees to the same Father all their outward differences melt away, all their estrangements cease, and they are led to dwell together and to walk together in unity. Whenever the experience of the early, undivided church is repeated, and the people of God are united in the fellowship of prayer, the saving power of God's right hand is manifested, and the Lord adds to them day by day those that are being saved (see Acts 2. 47, R. V.).

4. Making a Business of Prayer.

"But we will continue steadfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word" (Acts 6. 4). The time had come when a subdivision of labor had to be made; for the more complex life becomes, the more has labor to be divided. The first of the growing demands of that primitive religious society was the appointing of a new class of officers to look after the temporalities of the church, especially the daily ministrations to the poor, in order that the twelve might be kept free to give themselves up entirely to the spiritual interests of the church, namely, to prayer and teaching. Seven good men having been chosen, they were set before the apostles, who,