The gift of speaking in tongues - what was it?

Having been brought up in pentecostal circles tongues speaking was a matter of fact, something taken without question. When I became inqusitive I was told that my tongue would come a word at a time and it would be a heavenly prayer language.
Since leaving the pentecostal movement I have given sincere and considerable study to this subject. This message forms the fruit of that study. It is not aimed against pentacostalists, it is aimed objectively at arriving at a Biblical understanding of this subject. I hope it will be a help to all who will listen to it.