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done. If it cannot be done then the question arises as to whether the so-called tongue is simply gibberish or, as we may say, double dutch - just a meddly of sounds that give the impression of being a language. The writer of this article has always been able to do this fluently, but as a prank or party piece, which is about all it is worth. I have heard of a missionary getting up in a charismatic meeting and speaking in a real native language. Then someone else got up and purported to give an interpretation which was nothing like the real meaning of what was said in the native language. All this throws doubt on the reality of the so-called tongues today and if exposed would be likely to lead to ridicule by infidels. They, of course, would not be likely to stop at debunking the tongues: they would reject Christianity, throwing out the baby with the bath water or, more exactly, rejecting the truth with the error.

As to gifts of healing: it is not unknown for persons today to have healing hands; persons who are not necessarily Christians. Children have sometimes been found with this ability. However, usually charismatics are not using such persons, but rely on so-called faith healing. The persons expecting to be healed by this means are usually, at least, nominal Christians rather than the heathen or persons of no religious profession. In the New Testament the cases of healing were to a large extent carried out on persons who had not yet embraced the Christian faith. Tabitha (Acts 9:36) would appear to be an exception. Christians such as Epaphroditus (Philippians 2: 25-27) and Trophimus (2 Timothy 4:20) were not the subject of healing miracles so far as the record goes. The danger is that the healings that are said to take place may be just the result of auto (self) suggestion. The illnesses may be psychosomatic (originating in the mind) and what is being advocated as a way of healing may be simply the use of mind over matter. That a positive outlook may have beneficial effects on the body is very likely, but it is unlikely to cure persons who, for instance, are born paralysed or blind. In the New Testament healings were demonstrations of the Spirit and of power (1 Corinthians 2:4); not some rather dubious healings done in a corner or in an emotional atmosphere.

It is noticeable that companies of Christians engaging in the practices dealt with above tend to also take on board other practices such as the so-called Toronto Blessing. This has the effect of making people fall down backwards. This is not a good feature, as the only cases of people falling down backwards in Scripture are Eli (1 Samuel 4:18) who died as the result of his fall and the rider in Jacob's final address to his sons (Genesis 49:17). In this last case the cause of the fall was Dan, the apostate tribe (Judges 18). In this connection it may be noted that the tribe of Dan does not appear as one of the twelve tribes in Revelation 7:4-8, perhaps because of his apostasy. However, neither of the passges considered would indicate that falling backwards is a thing to be desired. Usually persons fall on their faces (1 Corinthians 14:25) or on their knees (Matthew 17:14). It may be noted that the persons who came to take Christ did not fall backwards, but went away backward and fell to the ground (John 18:6).

We must remember that not every age is a time of dramatic spiritual happenings. Sometimes God works quietly and, we may say, behind the scenes. The state of God's people may be such that he cannot work overtly on their behalf without appearing to accept their wrong doings or at least to make light of their sins. God may leave his people for a time to their own devices as when he left Saul (1 Samuel 8:5/6). Previously in the time of Eli it was said: "The word of Jehovah was rare in those days; a vision was not frequent" (1 Samuel 3:1). For several hundred years before the coming of Christ there does not appear to have been any great overt interventions of God. This made Christ's incoming stand out in stark contrast to the history of the

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