THE HOLY SPRIT (iii)

Eleven men were standing
Beside the fervent preacher;
But - he'd denied the Master!
How could they stand with Peter?
The Spirit's power commanded
New courage and fresh speaking
Transforming all their actions.
What kind of men were needed
To do the menial business?
Men who we filled, like Stephen,
With wisdom and the Spirit.
His service superseded:
Towards God's people, Israel,
He preached God's last appealing.
And such a man was Philip
Who, having served at tables,
Soon was evangelistic -
Directed to the waste-land
He listened to the Spirit
And preached the Christ as Saviour
Until he was uplifted.
The Spirit had selected
A "son of consolation"
From Antioch's assembly
To join with Paul's campaigning -
Subject to Him, their service
Towards those of the nations
Was powerful and effectual.
After he was forbidden
To speak the word in Asia,
Sensitive to the Spirit
Of Jesus, Paul first waited;
Then came the westward vision
And Europe was invaded
To spread the Saviour's kingdom.
Imprisoned for His Master
The great apostle listened
(Unwillingly laid fallow)
To promptings of the Spirit.
As living in their grandeur
He told in His epistles
God thoughts in all their vastness.
While on the Isle of Patmos,
Becoming in the Spirit,
John saw again his Master,
If in a changed condition.
He thus was undistracted
To hear of God's provisions
To settle Earth's transactions.