The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-30
Second Quarter; Lesson Tx; Romans
 viii, 1-14; May 31, 1903.
The Life-Giving Spirit.

The very position of the Epistle to the Romans among the books of the New Testament is in itself significant. It stands &rst of its kind. Rome is the talis- manic name which greets the eye after I he historical portion closes. The very Circumstance signines that the Church ,ent on universal conquest recognizes the trategic position of the city of the Caes- rs What Is said to the mistress Of the world" is said to the world.
 Paul gives frequent expression of his de- l lire to preach in Rome. At this time in his missionary journeys he was nearer to he city than ever before. But before he 8ould realize his hearts desire he had Hutv which he felt he must perform to- 3yard his suffering fellow countrymen in Jerusalem. He wished to bridge the hasm between Jew and Gentle in the Christian Church by an offering from the utter to the former. So as ne cannot Nd immediately to Rome he does what he 7birks to be the next best thing. but which we from our point of view can per eive to be even a better thing. He sits own and writes a letter. He employs in 8 his way the interval in which he waits Nj Corinth the reopening of navigation. 3 The letter is worthy its author, worthy ! he citv addressed, worthy the theme on vhich 1t dwells. It is most catholic ol NCDistles. Though addressed to Romans. X Is all mems epistle. It afiirms' dennes' s illustrates, and applies the chlet ooctrlnes Nf Christianity. It has been aptly called Nhe most complete coilPositioii oA 'ie H reatest apostle.
 U With the unerring fidelity of a skilled Shysician, Paul in the opening of the epis- NIe diagnoses the moral malady Of the Mace. He consistently describes every de- ail. The revolting portraiture is still so faithful that the heather tax the mis- Hionaries with having written IL them Nslves after their arrival in the mission z " field. After having described the dis-
 ase the Apostle turns to his Materia &fedica and shouts for joy. for he finds #l 1t the Divine specific which will cer- Natnly save every one who will take it. Me puts no patent-right on the remedy
 Pn the contrary he feels 1t his duty to Hive 1t to every class of suffering hu- < hanity. The best heathen thought had
 gregiously failed to supply even an al-
 .viation for human misery, much less
 lre. The system of the philosopher could
 ot save the people wh6 lived on the
 nme street with him, let alone the race.
 haul as the conscious poss@ssor of a spe-
 inc of Divine energy was kager to apply
 on a large scale at the Scenter of em-
 lire and in full view of hwmanity. : raul was morally certain that Christi
 nity could never suffer by A competitive Hisplay of it's principles and Effects along
 lde of those of heathenismA He would
 ever need to blush for his d5ospel. The
 ospel of heathenism was a Il levelatton of
 Immoral divinities. But PaIuls gospel
 ashed out a likeness of the Gbd of right
 pusness.
 Some one has said that if 1.-the Holy
 cripture was a ring and the SEpistle to
 he Romans its precious stonA. Chapter
 iii would be the sparkling poilnt of the
 wel. Paul is an expert in the use of
 ntithesis but in this paragraph he sur