Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-08-29
NOT HERgtics.

NOl HtRblltS.
Recently We have had occasion to
refer TO the practice OF Protestant
Christians 10 brand tho doctrines OF
the Latler.dsy Saints, especially those
relating to the Godhead, as gross hero.
slc'. Our opponents In other dontm.
nations assume with remarkable
naivelo that their position IL M inialli-
Die aud unassailabls M an axiom, and
that anyone who lakes a different view
must OF necessity be intellectually or
morally unbalanced. That was the
burden OF the criticism accorded Nor.
mgniem at n recent religious gathering
10 Rlchnold, and tho same state.
menta arc made almost overy where,
where theologians discuss the subject.
From the pride shown by vo,aries
Of modern orthodoxy, enc would Do
inclined to the belief that the harmony
between that system anu scripture
truth IL a demonstrated fact. Yet, a
closer scrutiny Of eeoloslaslioal history
reveals exactly tho opposite. Modern
orthodoxy was Graded Ia tho age Of
orlgen and Augustine and nuTaod by
ecumenioai councils. II doos not date
back to the days OF our Lord and His
Apostles. IL Is nothing 10 be- proud OF.
II IL nj best n substitute for that faith
which distinguished the nfst Chris.
llans, which rested on tho revealed
word OF uod aud was effective ola pure
lie, prophetic knowledge aud great
power. /! cams as an effort 10 MI up
with heather philosophy tho supposed
lack OF system In tbs theology OF print.
tive Christianity. The merits OF 1, eau
boat DO estimated after a view OF the
Time 10 which II was originated.
Oflgen IA universally considered the
most Influential OF all the theologlans
Of the ancient church before Angus.
tue, ami the latter Il said to have left
an Impression on Christian thought NJ
none after him. Tue former found
Christianity In what no considered a
crude state and set about b "develop'i
H. He explained the relalio nshlp Of
tho hon to the Father, laid the iounda.
ton u the theory Of universal sin and
tho relation Of that doctrine 10
children dying IN Infancy. Thls
lei him to tho pte.sKlstonos OF
souls and the fate OF mankind
after death. lie believed that faith
was the saving principle; that knowl.
edge rests on divine revelation; that
Old created matter Of nothing; that
Jesus was dual being ana that saliva.
ton IL universal. 1t IL plain enough
that he In many things was Ia posses.
zion Of truth, while In others he was
In total darkness,
Augustine built further upon the
foundations laid by orlgsn and to the
latter theology is mainly Indebted for
an explanation OF the necessity Of In
iaut baptism and the doctrine OF Trim.
~. There 10 no doubt that Augustine
had MASTER mind, but whether he
had the Spirit Of tho Lord TO direct
this mind is grave question even
among come Protestant teachers.
Il IL probable, however, that the
great church fathers aloae would have
been poworless to porpetuats their Ideas
had II not been Tor tho ecumsnioal
councils. One Of these was the import.
ant one at Nice, a.5, and its history Is
particularly inslruollvo. At the time
Constantine had eucose fed In estab-
fishing himself as emperor Of the west,
while Llclnus claimed the east The
latter was soon defeated In war and
the former united tho empire under
his own scepter. The naughty emperor
now hal several OF his rivals as,asti.
mated In true oriental style, aud con.
cluded 10 establish himself on the cor.
fdenee Of Christian subleo He found,
however, that these were continually
about douirlnel, Rnd as
they, In order TO be Of any use TO him
must DO united, he convened tlr
council at Nice who're all controversy
should be so.tlel. Hero for lhp Got
time, the state AMI tao chuleh met
Historians tell US that the emperor
clad Ia purple and lew ili liokei upon
the 3ls bishops assembled IN llsga
because Of thslt bringing attitude, all
bens upon the gathetiug up few