The-Person-and-Work-of-the-Holy-Spirit-by-R.A.-Torrey (continued)
with God, had given up the thing which had always come up when he got nearest to God, then he contin-
4 Brethren, I have received a more definite ued and said, 5 " Just such an experience is waiting many another, both minexperience than I had when I was converted. ister and layman, just as soon as he will judge his sin, just as soon as he will put away the thing that is a matter of controversy between him and God, no matter how small the thing may seem. If any one sincerely desires the baptism with the Holy Spirit, he should go alone with God and ask God to search him and bring to light anything in his heart or life that is displeasing to Him, and when He brings it to light, he should put it away. If after sincerely waiting on God, nothing is brought to light, then we may proceed to take the other steps. But there is no use praying, no use going to conventions, no use in reading books about the baptism with the Holy Spirit, no use in doing anything else, until we judge our sins.
3. The third step is an open confession of our renunciation of sin and our acceptance of Jesus Christ. After telling his hearers to repent in Acts ii. 38, Peter continues and tells them to be u baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins." Heart repentance alone was not enough. There must be an open confession of that repentance, and God's appointed way of confession of repentance is baptism. None of those to whom Peter spoke had ever been baptized, and, of course, what Peter meant in that case was water baptism. But suppose one has already been baptized, what then ? Even in that case,