Present Joys

Note that the emblem was not only fire, but a tongue of fire, for God meant to have a speaking Church. Not a Church that would fight with the sword—with that weapon we have nothing to do—but a Church that should have a sword proceeding out of its mouth, whose one weapon should be the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I think, from what I know of some preachers, that when they had their Pentecost, the influence put upon them was in the form of tongues of flowers. But the Apostolic Pentecost knew not flowers, but flames! What fine preaching we have nowadays! What new thoughts and poetical turns! This is not the style of the Holy Spirit!