He was considered by some to be the best member of the congregation, but all he felt was an unsettling need to know for certain whether or not he had God's Spirit living in him. "Just take it by faith", some would say. But there was no example in the Scriptures of anyone "taking it by faith" that they had the Spirit. They received the Spirit by faith in God (Gal.3:2), yes, but that was an experience received because of their faith. It was not merely an assumption that the Spirit had come in.

Brother Earl's search led him to a prayer meeting where he heard remarkable testimonies of healing, saw people actually praising God, not after a form or pattern, but sincerely from the heart, and he heard people telling about receiving, or being baptized with, the holy Ghost. These people spoke plainly and forcefully about the experience of receiving the Spirit, just as the characters in the Bible did. Something in the sincere tone of their voices and the conviction of their spirits communicated the same faith which the Bible's pages had communicated to Earl. When he asked questions of these people, he got no contradictory or evasive answers. On the contrary, the answers he received challenged him to obey God and receive the baptism of the holy Ghost, as Paul challenged some Ephesian disciples nearly two millenia ago: "Have ye received the holy Ghost since ye believed?"

This young believer's curiosity and gnawing hunger to know God led him back to the little home prayer meeting again and again. About a year later, with the saints all praying, Earl received the Spirit, and like those in the Bible whose experiences had so often convicted his heart, he began to worship God in a language he had not learned. God has blessed Earl with a compelling testimony of his own, to help light the way for other searching souls who are humbly willing to go God's way, if they can only find it.

But the issue remains, how does one know when he receives the Spirit? Does everyone who receives the holy Ghost begin to speak in a language he has not learned? I have written down some thoughts on the matter, with an abundance of scriptual references, for those of you who want to study this. It is in the fifth and final chapter of my little book, Spiritual Light.

"The Pioneer Tract Society" is actually a body of believers, who, with tithes and offerings, support its publishing work and are committed to the standards of holiness which the Scriptures and the Spirit make clear. Every member is baptized with the holy Ghost. Every member is required to (and desires to) pay his or her bills, that the unbelieving community may not by our misconduct reproach the name of Jesus. This requirement also promotes living within one's means. Every member is required to behave, to dress, to speak as becomes holiness, in moderation and sensibleness. We have our occasional problems and issues, as do all the congregations in every place, but as pastor of the flock, I praise my God for the joyful, committed, loving, and discerning saints who labor with me at the Pioneer Tract Society for your sakes. And I wanted to take this opportunity to boast of them to you. If you ever have any questions concerning our work, let us have them. We really are blessed by the notes you send us, and every single prayer request, unless you desire otherwise, is read to the congregation when we meet, and we all pray.

Earl Pittman is one of the members of the Pioneer Tract Society. He and the rest of us want you to be blessed, and to know that God can resolve the puzzling questions of your heart. We are carrying on this publishing work out of gratitude for God's blessing on our lives. We know that God is more than able to give you the peace of a satisfied mind. We believe in prayer.