Just previous to his crucifixion, Jesus said to the apostles: "I will pray to the Father, and he shall give unto you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth, _whom the world cannot receive_ because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him."[C] It is evident from this that the world cannot receive the Holy Ghost. And now, who are the world? I answer, those who have not yet put on Christ; or, in other words, those who have not yet entered into the kingdom of God, through faith in God and Christ, repentance and baptism. They are the world; and, according to the word of the Master, they cannot receive the Holy Ghost. [Footnote C: John xiv: 16, 17.] Again: When Peter and other apostles were brought before the senate of the Jews, accused with intent to bring the blood of Messiah upon them, Peter answered: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost _whom God hath given to them that obey him_."[D] Not, mark you, to them who have not obeyed him. This is in harmony with the statement that the world cannot receive the Holy Ghost, and also with the other cases we cited where the order in presenting the Gospel to the people was faith in God and Christ, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and then the reception of the Holy Ghost. [Footnote D: Acts v: 24-32.] There is an exception, however, to this rule in the New Testament: the case of Cornelius the devout gentile;[E] and for this exception there was a special reason. It seems that the apostles applied the narrow and contracted views of the Jews to the Gospel. They thought it was to be confined to the house of Israel--to those of the circumcision. They appeared slow to understand that in Jesus Christ all the nations and peoples of the earth were to be blessed, the gentiles as well as the Jews. Consequently, when the time had come to send the Gospel to the gentiles, the Lord opened the way by sending an angel to Cornelius to tell him that his prayers and alms had come up for a memorial before the Lord, and to direct him to send men to Joppa for Peter, who would tell him what he ought to do.[F] He at once obeyed the heavenly injunction.