The Prophet Joseph, in a discourse delivered at Nauvoo, 20th of March, 1842, refers to this case of Cornelius, and offers the suggestion that there is "a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost." That is to say, judging from the whole tenor of the passage to be quoted--a difference between the special manifestation of the Holy Ghost in the case of Cornelius for a particular purpose, and the permanent possession of the Holy Ghost as a gift from God coupled with a right to the manifestations of his powers following after observance of those laws and ordinances which make the necessary preparation for the constant fellowship of the Holy Ghost with man. Resuming now the quotation: "There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him. Until he obeyed these ordinances and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, according to the order of God, he could not have healed the sick or commanded an evil spirit to come out of a man, and it obey him; for the spirits might say unto him, as they did to the sons of Sceva: "Paul we know, and Jesus we know, but who are ye?"[A] [Footnote A: History of the Church, Vol. IV, p. 555.] LESSON XVIII. (Scripture Reading Exercise.) SPIRIT BAPTISM. ANALYSIS. I. Birth into the Kingdom: Water and Spirit Baptism. II. The Testimony of Enoch. III. Purification by Spirit Baptism. REFERENCES. The works and Scripture passages cited in the body of the lesson. _SPECIAL TEXT: "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven. * * * Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (St. John iii:3,5.)_ DISCUSSION. _1. The Birth of Water and of the Spirit:_ "There, cometh one mightier than I after me," said John the Baptist. "I have baptized you with water," he continued, "but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost."[A] Jesus said to Nicodemus: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God." At this the Pharisees marveled, and enquired, "How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" Then answered Jesus in way of explanation--"Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God."[B] This in plain allusion--it is universally conceded--to the baptism of water and of the Spirit essential to entrance into the Kingdom of God--into the Church of Christ. [Footnote A: St. Mark i:7, 8.] [Footnote B: St. John iii:3-5.]