confusion of the tenses. Believe that ye have already received (past), and ye shall have afterwards (future). What nonsense.” Then I turned to my Greek Testament and I found whether sense or nonsense, the Revised Version was the correct rendering of the Greek, but what it meant I did not know for years. But one time I was studying and expounding to my church the First Epistle of John. I came to the fifth chapter, the fourteenth and fifteenth verses (R. V.) and I read, “And this is the boldness which we have towards Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him.” Then I understood Mark xi. 24. Do you see it? If not, let me explain it a little further. When we come to God in prayer, the first question to ask is, Is that which I have asked of God according to His will? If it is promised in His Word, of course, we know it is according to His will. Then we can say with 1 John v. 14, I have asked something according to His will and I know He hears me. Then we can go further and say with the fifteenth verse, Because I know He hears what I ask, I know I have the petition which I asked of Him. I may not have it in actual possession but I know it is mine because I have asked something according to His will and He has heard me and granted that which I have asked, and what I thus believe I have received because the Word of God says so, I shall afterwards have in actual experience. Now apply this to the matter before us. When I ask for the baptism with the Holy Spirit, I have asked something according to His will, for Luke xi. 13 and Acts ii. 39 say so, therefore I know my prayer is heard, and still further I know because the prayer is heard that I have the petition which I have asked of Him, _i. e._, I know I have the baptism with the Holy Spirit. I may not feel it yet but I have received, and what I thus count mine resting upon the naked word of God, I shall afterwards have in actual experience. Some years ago I went to the students’ conference at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, with Mr. F. B. Meyer, of London. Mr. Meyer spoke that night on the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. At the conclusion of his address, he said, “If any of you wish to speak with Mr. Torrey or myself after the meeting is over, we will stay and speak with you.” A young man came to me who had just graduated from one of the Illinois colleges. He said, “I heard of this blessing thirty days ago and have been praying for it ever since but do not receive. What is the trouble?” “Is your will laid down?” I asked. “No,” he said, “I am afraid it is not.” “Then,” I said, “there is no use praying until your will is laid down. Will you lay down your will?” He said, “I cannot.” “Are you willing that God should lay it down for you?” “I am.” “Let us kneel and ask Him to do it.” We knelt side by side and I placed my Bible open at 1 John v. 14, 15 on the chair before him.