"By the laying on of hands. When Peter went down into Samaria for the purpose of bestowing this gift on those whom Philip had baptized, he did it by the laying on of hands. (Acts viii: 17.) Ananias conferred it upon Paul in the same manner (Acts ix: 17), and Paul did the same in the case of those who were baptized at Ephesus (Acts xix: 2-6); and when people received this birth of the Spirit (John iii: 5), they also received the promised blessings; they were entitled to the signs which He promised would follow; for said He, 'These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.' (Mark xvi: 17, 18.) We have now discovered the conditions: faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, with the promise of Christ that the signs will follow. Can you tell me now, which of all these different denominations has the gospel of Jesus Christ? Or as Wesley has questioned in one of his hymns which we may with profit quote in full: 'Show me where true Christians live.'" "Happy the souls that first believ'd, To Jesus and each other cleav'd, Joined by the unction from above, In mystic fellowship of love. "Meek, simple foll'wers of the Lamb, They liv'd, and spake, and thought the same; They joyfully conspir'd to raise Their ceaseless sacrifice of praise. "With grace abundantly endued, A pure believing multitude; They all were of one heart and soul, And only love inspir'd the whole. "Oh, what an age of golden days! Oh, what a choice, peculiar race! Wash'd in the Lamb's all-cleansing blood, Anointed kings and priests to God. "Where shall I wander now to find Successors they have left behind? The faithful, whom I seek in vain, Are 'minish'd from the sons of men. "Ye diff'rent sects, who all declare, 'Lo, here is Christ,' or 'Christ is there!' Your stronger proofs divinely give, And show me where true Christians live." "You must remember, my friend, that the signs were only given in order to establish the church in the day of the apostles, but now they are abrogated and are no longer needed." "'To the law and to the testimony,'" replied Durant "and give me chapter and verse to substantiate the assertion you have just made." "If you will read the 13th chapter of the 1st Corinthians, you will learn that 'whether there be prophecies they shall fail, and whether there be tongues they shall cease.'"