"And _to all them that are afar
off_." That does take us in. We are the Gentiles who were once "afar off,"
but now "made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Eph. ii. 13, 17). But lest
there be any mistake about it whatever, Peter adds "even as many as the
Lord our God shall call unto Him." So on the very day of Pentecost, Peter
declares that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is for every child of God
in every coming age of the church's history. Some years ago at a
ministerial conference in Chicago, a minister of the Gospel from the
Southwest came to me after a lecture on the Baptism with the Holy Spirit
and said, "The church to which I belong teaches that the baptism with the
Holy Spirit was for the apostolic age alone." "I do not care," I replied,
"what the church to which you belong teaches, or what the church to which
I belong teaches. The only question with me is, What does the Word of God
teach?" "That is right," he said. I then handed him my Bible and asked him
to read Acts ii. 39, and he read, "For the promise is unto you, and unto
your children and to all them that are afar off even as many as the Lord
our God shall call unto Him" (R. V.). "Has He called you?" I asked. "Yes,
He certainly has." "Is the promise for you then?" "Yes, it is." He took it
and the result was a transformed ministry. Some years ago at a students'
conference, the gatherings were presided over by a prominent Episcopalian
minister, a man greatly honoured and loved. I spoke at this conference on
the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, and dwelt upon the significance of Acts
ii. 39. That night as we sat together after the meetings were over, this
servant of God said to me, "Brother Torrey, I was greatly interested in
what you had to say to-day on the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. If your
interpretation of Acts ii. 39 is correct, you have your case, but I doubt
your interpretation of Acts ii. 39. Let us talk it over." We did talk it
over. Several years later, in July, 1894, I was at the students'
conference at Northfield. As I entered the back door of Stone Hall that
day, this Episcopalian minister entered the front door. Seeing me he
hurried across the hall and held out his hand and said, "You were right
about Acts ii. 39 at Knoxville, and I believe I have a right to tell you
something better yet, that I have been baptized with the Holy Spirit." I
am glad that I was right about Acts ii. 39, not that it is of any
importance that I should be right, but the trut