rusalem to care for the poor. Some were brought up with the
Oriental idea of succession through the next oldest brother, and this
may account for the position of eminence held by James, "the brother of
the Lord." Some in Gentile cities had been members of artisan societies,
guilds with benefits in case of sickness or death, not unlike lodges
among ourselves; and many hints, and perhaps offices (the overseer or
bishop, for instance) were taken from them. Some had been familiar with
the Roman relationship of patron and client, and when the little groups
of converts were gathered together in a wealthier Christian's house, he
would be given something of the position of the Roman _patronus_. Still
others had been trained in the synagogue, either as Jews or as
proselytes, and would naturally follow its organization in their
Christian synagogues. There seems to have been variety of form, and
along with this variety a felt and expressed unity, with freest
intercommunion and hearty cooeperation for the evangelization of the
world. Throughout there was democracy, so that even a leader so
conscious of divine authority as Paul appeals to the rank and file, "I
speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say."

In worship, the Church from its early days had the two fixed rites of
Baptism and the Lord's Supper; but beside them were most informal
meetings for mutual inspiration. "What is it then, brethren: When ye
come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a
revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be
done unto edifying." Here was room for variety to suit the needs of many
temperaments.

And in doctrine there is a similar freedom. One can see in all the
Christian speakers and writers in the New Testament an underlying unity
in great convictions:--the God and Father of Jesus Christ is their one
God; Jesus is their one Lord; they are possessed and controlled by the
one Spirit of love; they are confident in a victorious hope; they draw
inspiration from the historic facts of Jesus' birth, life, death and
resurrection. But they interpret their inspirations in forms that fit in
with their mental habits. The fisherman Peter does not think with the
mind of the theologically trained Paul, nor does the unspeculative James
phrase his beliefs in terms identical with those of the writer to the
Hebrews.

Jesus left His Spirit in a group of men; that group gradually was forced
out of the national Jewish Church,