red them, "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not
away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will
send Him unto you" (S. John xvi. 7).

They did not understand the words at the time when they were spoken;
but at the time of the Ascension they knew that they were to "wait for
the promise of the Father" (Acts i. 4), of which He had told them; and
to "tarry in the city of Jerusalem until" they were "endued with power
from on high" (S. Luke xxiv. 49). Ten days of watching, suspense, and
prayer followed. At last, "when the day of Pentecost was fully come,
suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts ii. 1-4).
Hitherto the little band of believers had numbered "about an hundred
and twenty" (Acts i. 15) in Jerusalem. But now that the Holy Ghost was
given, who could move the hearts of men and change them, the Apostles
found themselves endued with the promised "power from on high," which
should give weight to their testimony; and the vast multitude, who
assembled to listen to S. Peter's sermon, were "pricked in their
heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and
brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts ii. 37).

The previous instructions which had been given them about "the things
pertaining to the Kingdom" (Acts i. 3) were now to be put into
practice. The Apostles had the answer ready: "Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the
promise"--of the Holy Ghost, who alone can change the heart and make
men to be born again as the children of God--is not to us only, said
the Apostle, but "is unto you, and to your children, and to all that
are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with
many other words," besides those which are recorded, "did he testify"
to the truth about the Lord Jesus being Messiah, the King; and with
such force did he "exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward
generation," that three thousand "gladly received his word and were
baptized" (Acts ii. 38-41), as subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven."

Thus the Kingdom was established amongst men by the power of the Holy
Ghost[17]. A spiritual Kingdom, but none the less a Kingdom upon
earth. A spiritual Kingdom, not established by an