"And when Paul had _laid his hands_ upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues and prophesied" (_Acts xix._, 6). "Then laid they their _hands_ on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through _laying on of the Apostles' hands_ the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money" (_Acts viii._, 17-19). "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the _laying on of hands_ of the _presbytery_" (_I. Tim. iv._, 14). "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the _putting_ on of my hands" (_II. Tim. i_. 6). "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of _laying on of hands_" (_Heb. vi._, 2). "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. * * * For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another, divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues" (see context, _I. Cor. xii_). "Our Gospel came, in power * * and in the Holy Ghost" (_I. Thess. i._, 5). "And ye SHALL receive the _gift_ of the Holy Ghost" (_Acts ii._, 38). We here introduce the testimony of some of the Christian writers who wrote immediately after the death or banishment of the Apostles: Tertullian, in the second century, says: "After baptism, succeeds the _laying on of hands_, with prayer, calling for the Holy Ghost." Cyprian, writing in the third century, says: "Our practice is, that those who have been baptized in to the church should be presented that by prayer and _imposition of hands_ they may receive the Holy Ghost." Augustine, in the fourth century, says: "We still do what the Apostles did when they _laid their hands_ on the Samaritans and called down the Holy Ghost upon them" (_Gahan's Church History, page 73; Mosheim's Church History, volume I, page 91_). AUTHORITY. We believe that a man must be endowed with authority before God will recognize his acts as a minister of the Gospel. "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you" (_John xv._, 16). "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (_II. Peter i._, 21). {290} "He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me" (_John xiii._, 20). "As thou has sent me into the world" (_John xvii._, 18). "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (_Matt. xviii._, 18). "And when they had ordained them elders in every church" (_Acts xiv._, 23).