The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-11-20
CHURCH AT ROME

of Jesus everywhere created in the Jewish settlements of the cities Of the first century.
 CHURCH AT ROME
 "So the church at Rome had been suf- ficiently vigorous to arouse the Jews be- fore the year 49, and must have been growing for some years before; and 1t must have been of Jewish-Christian mem bership to have been included in the de- cree of Claudius. It would be safe to date it's origin about the years 4o-45 at the hands of missionaries unknown, but possibly Andronicus and Junias mentioned in this epistle as distinguished mission aries and in Christ before the Apostle Paul. But we only know that neither Peter nor Paul could have been it's foun- der, however important may have been their subsequent respective ministries ill it's edification. Being at the capital Of the empire it's faith had been proclaimed throughout the whole world; and, if we may judge by Aquila and Priscilla that faith was of the highest order, so charm ing and fascinating that it made the apostle long to visit them. About this longing to have fellowship with them in the mutual exchange of spiritual gifts, and to comfort each one in the others faith he is writing in our morning les son. From what he there says l ask you to note the following lessons:
 PERSONAL TRUST
 "He recognizes that faith is personal, each having his own faith both yours and mine,' and each and the others, It is not faith in the sense of a creed or confession of objective belief which he here has in mind; but it is personal trust and commital of life to Jesus as Messiah and Lord issuing in an experience of his grace unto spiritual growth and char acter. Such faith expresses itself, not on paper, but in personality and growing character and acquaintance with God. Now faith in this sense can never be the same in any two persons, nor in the same person at different times, and each will be as unique and peculiar in his faith, as in any other feature of his Individuality.
 Faith, being a personal matter essen- tially linked with the growing personality, is capable of infinite variety of express sion; and is ever in process of change from faith to faith as out of Gods fuli- ness we receive grace on grace. It IS the recognition of this vital and progress sive nature of real faith in its process of growth and functioning in Christian life which has played havoc with the reign of creedS and doctrines in recent years; and we now know that there are no two persons in the earth of the same faith and order nor any one person who was in that state for any two periods of his life; and so uniformity of creed is not possible : or desirable, and Christian fellowship cannot organize itself accord ing to creed or system of doctrine. But it is faith of the personal kind here had in mind. which enables one to say, The life which I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me!
 LIFE IN CHRIST
 But Paul also recognizes that faith being different in different persons, though very varied and distinct, is none the less, but rather the more, conducive of fellowship unto the promotion of life in Christ, because each has something to contribute to the other, and so he writes the church at Rome that he longs to see them that he may impart unto them some spiritual gift to the end that they may be established, that is that he being present with them may be com forted among them by the mutual ex- change of faith, each in the others s faith, both yours and mine.' So the very fact that our respective faiths differ and vary is made the ground or reason for seeking fellowship and community of life.
 We have our peculiarities of faith as lTQlylQualS ilduG lHG WdTidlli Oui fellowship in church relations and so- cial converse; so that what is peculiar to each may be communicated to all for the enriching of each from the special gift of the others. We ought to live together because we are so different in gifts of faith that each of us has some thing to contribute wherein the other is wanting, and it is for mutual commerce of life that we live together.
 TARIFF FOR PROTECTION
 ''The kingdom of God does not provide for a tariff for protection, or any other purpose, in the gifts of his grace to his children through faith, and so missions have the cardinal place in Christian fel- lowship and life, for it means free trade in religious assets. If you have any, thing which is of value in religious liv- ing give it to the world. for freely ye receive and freely give. The kingdom of God would make all the world one great brotherhood in the riches of his grace, and then we shall have an effective guarantee of world peace. Let us stop this trying to patent for our own ex- elusive monopoly the gifts of the king dom of God, and thought it may weaken the pride of our churches as exclusive organizations, it will bring in the king dom of God so that His will may be done on earth as it is in heaven. So there is all the more social competency in faith, because of it's diversity and variety as between persons, for thus 1t me that both may be established and comforted each of us in the others faith, both yours and mine.
 The apostle had many times pnrposed to >~ visit Rome for this fellowship oi faith, because he hoped for fruit n