True faith, genuine repentance, correct baptism, properly administered, are as surely to be followed by the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, through the laying on of hands, authoritatively administered, as the harvest is to come from seed sown in good soil and ripened by the rains and sunshine of heaven, or as the results of a chemical experiment are to be achieved when the needful elements are correctly compounded. The effects of this gift upon the recipient are not generally of a startling character. They are not necessarily physical. The chief office of the Holy Ghost is to enlighten the internal man or woman. It administers to the spirit. It brings peace, comfort and joy to the soul. It gives assurance of divine acceptance ; and it establishes inward strength to resist sin and evil and lay hold upon all that is good. But it does not convulse the system. It produces no contortions of the countenance. It will not throw people to the earth as if they were dead. Neither will it cause them to yell, shout, jump around in paroxysms or act in an unseemly manner. Its internal fruits are faith, knowledge, wisdom, joy, peace, patience, temperance, long sufFering, brotherly kindness and charity. Its external gifts are manifested in prophecies, visions, discernments, healings, miracles, power over evil spirits, speaking in various tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc.
As it is bestowed through obedience, so it may be withdrawn through disobedience. The condition of those who lose this gift after having enjoyed it is truly lamentable. The light that was within them becomes darkness, and their last state is worse than their first. Their spiritual tastes become dead or vitiated, light seems to them darkness, and that which was once their greatest delight becomes the object of their deepest aversion. They then become a prey to influences of evil ; hatred and malice spring up in their hearts towards the children of light ; and the culmination of their career, if persisted in and reclamation does not come, is the shedding of innocent blood, for which there is no forgiveness.