Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-07
! THE RISE OF BABYLON"
When and How Was the Great APostasy
Accomplishment

I ''ttNh VtI'a III tUfIl inc uiNlUf flffltUt
was fenblcr and ~ length contact with
matter. with evil was possible. crca-
tion could take place.
This absurd philosophy based upon
an erroneous conception Of Goi and
matter. 90 contrary TO the plain teach
i is 81 INC Sculptures; was the tounda,
tion OF peculiar system OF ethics and
involved Important practical conse-
uucnces. " matter IL Itself the princi-
pie Of evil. how can man overcome Its
bancfui conacduenccsg How can hu-
man beings become hoiy7
Two answers wore given 10 this ques-
On the one hand II was contenfcd
that human being striving for hoii-
ness ana exaitRtiQn. must connne con-
tact with matter 10 minimum.
through the most rigorous abstinence
from all material enjoyments. The
body perfectly subiusatod. the spirit
would rise 20 a higher level. they
thought.
on the other hand II was contendcd
that this rule Of conduct ala not no far
enough. II was argued that the only
way TO overcome ain was to practice all
manner Of sins until u became impoa.l-
bile TO hnvc any further desire for Its
nllnfementn
such IN brief was the complex here-y
the Apostle 10 fcrvcntiy and clopucntiy
met IN his letter to the coiossinns. a
glance 1T It's various features sufices
10 show that II contains. In a rudimtnt-
pry form. all the Fundamental errors
that later marked the Christianity
which became a wofid-power, srom-
incnt n the misconccption of uod that
rtiil prevails. and the consequent mis-
understanding OF Ills relation 10 the
world and humanity. there Il the false
doctrine u intermediate belng- between
Deity aud man. the aHceticiam that
prohibits mnrriag" and the ilccntious-
ness that IN all agca has been
the curse nf nations ~ ~ indi-
vidunis. Even the religious caste
Hynt.ni IL ihcrei for In the hofusyt as.
few, who have obtained this "hlgher
wisdom" and the masses from whom
n II hidden. Faith. " was said, blind
faith auiiices for the vulgar crowd.
while knowledge In the prcrogativo %
the others. Even the beginning OF
clearly disccrnible In the mass Of
That tho effort OF the Apostle TO
stamp out the hercsy that tried 20 en-
snare this branch OF the Church was
unavnlilnr may be inferred from the
condition of the church AT Laodlcea.
situated ten or twelve miles from Coz
loannc. The Aportie John. some years
later. told the Laodiccanu that thcy
wctc neither cold nor warm but
''wretched, miserable. poor. biinl. ana
naked" ,ilev. y i3-l') Ana this I'M
d0uhtedly was also the conaitinn % tho
Colosnlana. The terrible Work Of npon-
tnsy was plainly visible 10 the disciple
whom Jesus loved. The Apostles OF
our Lord well knew that the adver-
nafy net up his reign nj the very time
tho banner OF the cross was unfurled
upon tho face OF the earth. that his
positions we're gradually auenEthened
aud that every preparation was made
for that struggle Ia which the church
should, 60 all outward Appearances.
for time suffer defeat while the ban
ner of iniauity should wave from tho
loftiest plnnacl~a Of the sanctuary. u
FI y r. of he mis- Ion TO prepare the
follower. Of Jesus for thls catastrophe.
Nearly all New Testament prophecies
point In this direction.
Let ur now glance at the pages OF
early ecclesiastical history. The devi.
alton from the truth u plainly marked
there.
mediate post.Aportolic aee "a the
silence Of the voice OF Inspiration. The
guidance 81 the church now sailing In
the roaring. foaminr. SETTLING break
efa Of error. such as those briefly out
lined above. and besides assaulted by
the cruel standard bearers OF pagan.
point ~ view. left 10 eyes too weak 10
penetrate the mlrts and perceive the
guiding landmarks. II fell into hands
too feeble 20 hold the helm steady.
The writings left us from the are Of
the successors 81 the Apostles. clearly
reveal tho confusion that commenced
Ia prevail ~ soon m the ApoatlcH, the
bearers ~ the light and power u itevc-
latl0n, were no more.
Or. James Bennett. IN his Theology
of the Early Christian Church" puts
before tho public the results Of Impair
tlhi and comprehensive researches on
this subject. II may be of interest 60
hear the verdict ~ efficient scholar
nhlp on the qualifications Of the re-
iiElous leaders of that age for their
arduous task.
Thln learned theoiosian nrst men.
lions the letter 90 piornetus. discovered
aud published W 1899 by Henry stcph-
ems. This document ~ believed 20 be-
lonr 10 the Apostolic ase. and u cx-
hibiia q true Apostolic spirit. ila nu-
thor ~ unknown.
lie then proceeds 60 examine the
writings Of the no-caiied Apostolic
fathers. of the letter generally as
cribed TO Clemens tomanus and writ
ten perhaps as early US % A. D., b.
says In part. element IN
preacher rather than -plH, olator;
rambling over the whole bible. ON
NUltU ut tNfH ''llil'IhNa haNAtN
piour. hut sometimes foolish. and sell
dom very Instructive. Clement APP
peain almost exclusively to the Old
Testament. which he knew. only In
that Greek version called the ieptu-
agint. lite sometimes Pounds his mr..
Euments ON words which have no
prototype IN the original, 10 say moth.
Ing OF hints nj apocryphnl authority.
Ills strange comments ON the reuur-
rection seem to I've an unwiHe attempt
20 Initiate an Apostle. Because Paul
hnd written the 18th chapter 81 the
First Enlstie TO the Corinthians. cle-
ment though writing ON totally diff
ferent question. must do something In
the same line. ana thus has left In his
letter blot Of folly. which will ever
sink tho reputation OF the Apostolic
fathers. lie rfavely adducen. as
fact. the fable of the Phpnix. 10 show
that God hiss given IN nature proofs OF
the resurrection of the body"
lgnatiua II not much more fortunate.
Dr. bennett says OF his letters; These
exhibit a rruteaque compound OF Hlm-
plici'-' and pomposity, that beirayr.
either the difference between the author
and tho interpolator OF n struggle be-
tween the orientaiisfnu OF the Syrian
and the better TASTE OF the Greek writ
era, The figures In which isnatiua
nhOundn are often IN forced. as 20 be-
tray him Into such impicties as COM
pairing the Holy Ghost to a rope that
draws up 10 lofty heights. by the ma
ehlrery Of the cross. fiut the great
fault this writer Ii vanity; for. with
death In view, he N 10 full OF himself
l.s.s