g the other lessons of this strange book; but none of them is
more precious than its truly evangelic teaching of the blessedness of
true penitence, whether exemplified in the renegade Prophet returning
to his high mission, or the fierce Ninevites humbled and repentant, and
finding mercy from the God of the whole earth.

* * * * *

MICAH

IS THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD STRAITENED?

'O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the
Lord straitened? Are these His doings?'--MICAH ii. 7.

The greater part of so-called Christendom is to-day[1] celebrating the
gift of a Divine Spirit to the Church; but it may well be asked whether
the religious condition of so-called Christendom is not a sad satire
upon Pentecost. There seems a woful contrast, very perplexing to faith,
between the bright promise at the beginning and the history of the
development in the future. How few of those who share in to-day's
services have any personal experience of such a gift! How many seem to
think that that old story is only the record of a past event, a
transient miracle which has no kind of relation to the experience of the
Christians of this day! There were a handful of believers in one of the
towns of Asia Minor, to whom an Apostle came, and was so startled at
their condition that he put to them in wonder the question that might
well be put to multitudes of so-called Christians amongst us: 'Did you
receive the Holy Ghost when you believed?' And their answer is only too
true a transcript of the experience of large masses of people who call
themselves Christians: 'We have not so much as heard whether there be
any Holy Ghost.'

[1] Whitsunday

I desire, then, dear brethren, to avail myself of this day's
associations in order to press upon your consciences and upon my own
some considerations naturally suggested by them, and which find voice in
those two indignant questions of the old Prophet:--'Is the Spirit of the
Lord straitened?' 'Are these'--the phenomena of existing popular
Christianity--'are these His doings?' And if we are brought sharp up
against the consciousness of a dreadful contrast, it may do us good to
ask what is the explanation of so cloudy a day following a morning so
bright.

I. First, then, I have to ask you to think with me of the promise of the
Pentecost.

What did it declare and hold forth for the faith of the Church? I need
not dwell at any length upon this