church, rather
than those of the Roman Christians, in his mind; and we can gather but
little about the exact condition of things at the capital. Once more,
St. Paul uses the word 'gifts' for more personal and moral endowments,
as for the bent of mind which leads men, under divine guidance, towards
celibacy or marriage[10]. But in this place he is not distinguishing.
He is hardly speaking in view of any special circumstances at Rome. He
is but emphasizing the fact which is the basis of all the life of
Christians everywhere--the fact that each individual member of the body
has a special gift, and a special function for the good of the whole
body, by which the gift is to express itself. What every individual
Christian has to do, {110} then, is to realize his own gift and
correspond to it. The gift involves a certain 'measure of faith.' The
faith of each individual Christian is the same in its basis. It holds
him in spiritual allegiance to the same Lord, and in confession of the
same elemental creed. But, besides this, it involves a special
insight, which is the peculiar endowment of the individual. There is
something which each man can realize and impart, as no one else is
qualified to do. The Church is the poorer if he holds back or fails to
stir up this gift of his own, and on the other hand he incurs the peril
of presumption if he ventures beyond it. Even the inspired man, the
prophet, must prophesy within the limits of what his own special
proportion of faith enables him to perceive and grasp[11], even though
another prophet with a larger faith might rightly say what he may not
venture upon. 'Let each man be fully {111} persuaded in his own mind.'
For any assertion which goes beyond what the faith of the individual
enables him to be convinced of, is for him 'sin.' We greatly need this
exhortation to-day. The convictions of many are vague and uncertain,
and their teaching without heart or force, because, like parrots, they
catch up and repeat what others may have insight enough to warrant
their asserting, but they have not. To correspond with one's own
personal gift of faith is to realize one's vocation; and, by the
development of the individual points of view, inside the common
'tradition,' the fullness and richness of the corporate faith is
secured.

The cohesion of the body lies in each one's realizing his own gift, and
also reverencing that of others. Here is humility. Humility is not
self-contempt