To put the same truth in hortatory form, I would say to any one who has knowledge of Divine truth, who has experienced the graces of the Holy Spirit, and who has the gift of utterance:  You are called upon, by the fact of possessing these qualifications, to serve God as opportunity comes.  You ought not to be silent on the claims of Christ, nor should you refrain from leading others in prayer, while on every other topic you are fluency itself. “Neglect not the gift that is in thee,” whether it came by laying on of hands, or in some other way.  Every true convert should sometimes feel as the prophet Jeremiah felt, when he said, “The word of the Lord was within me as a burning fire shut up in my bones.  I was weary with forbearing and could not stay.”  The work assigned too often exclusively to the minister is really the work of the Church.

Happily, speech is not the only mode in which men can serve God.  It is clear from the Hebrew narrative that Eldad and Medad, like their brethren at the door of the Tabernacle, did not receive an abiding gift of prophecy, but a transient sign which seemed adequate to convince the people that they had been chosen and inspired.  Unfortunately, the Authorised Version gives us a phrase which is the exact opposite of the meaning of the Hebrew phrase in the twenty-fifth verse, rendering it thus, “They prophesied, and did not cease.”  The Revised Version sets this right in the phrase, “They prophesied, but they did so no more.”  In other words, the singular manifestation of power soon passed away.  It was not a permanent possession.

This is in harmony with the experience of the early Christian Church.  The miraculous power given to the apostles, as evidence of their Divine commission, was not always at their disposal.  The gift of tongues bestowed on them, and on others, soon ceased; for it was intended to show the supernatural origin of Christianity until written evidence was available, and then it was withdrawn.  The Holy Spirit still remained in the Church, and was revealed in a diversity of operations.  His presence was proved by the changed characters of converts more effectually than by abnormal gifts—­and similarly the religious ecstasy of Eldad and Medad and their comrades was soon exchanged for their abiding spirit of wisdom and justice.

Christians who at one time spoke for Christ are not always to blame if they speak publicly no more.  They may have withdrawn from Sunday School teaching, for example, but only to serve God in another form.  Their matured experience may be quite as valuable as their once fervent zeal.  The river which near its source noisily rushes over the pebbles, is not lessened in value when, full and deep, it silently glides onward to the sea.

Happily, there are diversities of operations, though they are all under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; and if we are faithful to our special calling, we may hope to receive our Lord’s “Well done,” just as did these seventy-two men, who sustained and aided Moses, though they left no record of their steady, useful work.  Indeed, there are those who in actual service can do very little, whose gracious and benign influence is the best proof of true inspiration.  Such was he of whom Cowper sings: