Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-06

| limitations were supposed 10 have taken
place. each n little inferior TO the pre-
ccdlng one. In each the divine element
wns feeblcr and at length contact with
matter. with evil. was possible. Crca-
| tion corid take place.
This absurd philosophy based upon
an erroneous conception OF God and
matter 30 contrary to the plain teach
ingH or the Scriptures. was the founda-
tion Of peculiar system Of ethics and
Involved important practical conse-
aucnceH. n matter " Itself the pfinci-
pie Of OWL how can man overcome Its
bancful consequence How can hui
man beings become holy?
Two answers were given 10 this qucs-
tloni
on the one hand II was contondcd
that human being striving for holl-
ness and esoltation. must confinc con-
tact with matter TO minimum.
through the most rigorous abstinence
| from all material cninyments. The
body perfectly subjugnted. the spirit
would rise TO higher level. they
| thought.
on the other hand II was contcndcd
that this rule ~ conduct dl1 not 10 far
enough. II was argued that the only
| way to overcome sin was 10 practice all
manner OF sins until u bccnmc impoesi-
bic to hayo any further desire for Its
nliuremchts
such In brief was the complex hcresy
the Apostle 30 fervcntly and clopucntly
met In his letter To the coiosrians. 4
glance at iis various features suiilccs
20 show that II contains. IN a rudlmcnt-
nry form. all the fundamental errors
that later marked the Christianity
which became worid-power. rrom-
incnt IL the miaconccptlon OF God that
Htill prevails. and the consequent mis-
understanding N His relation to the
world and humanity: there II the false
doctrine Of intermediate beings between
Deity and man. the nHceticiam that
prohibits marriage and the licentiour-
ness that In all ages has been
the curse Of nations as OF indi-
viduniH. Even the religious caste
system In there for In the hercsy diH.
tinctlon In made between the favored
few. who have obtained this higher
wisdom" and the masses from whom
Il II hidden. Faith. Il was said. blind
faith nuihccs for the vulgar crowd.
while knowledge IN the prcrogativc of
the others Even tho beginning OF q
separation between clergy and laity II
clearly disccrniblc In the mass OF
errors.
That the effort Of the Apostle 20
stamp out the hercsy that tried 60 en-
snare this branch of the Church was
unnvniling may he inferred from the
condition OF the Church ut Lnodicea,
situated ten or twelve miles from co.
loHHne. The Apostle John. some years
later told the LnodiccanA that they
were neither cold nor warm, but
''wrctchcd. miserable, poor. blind. and
naked" tltcv. :! is-lsJ Ana this un-
doubtcdly was also the condition of the
toioaslnnH. The terrible work OF npos-
tasy was plainly visible to the disciple
whom Jesus loved. The Apostles ~
our Lord well knew that the sdvcr-
rnry set up his reign at the very timo
the banner OF the cross was unfurlrd
upon the face Of the earth, mat ms
positions were gradually strengthened
aud that every preparation was made
for that struggle In which the church
should, Co all outward appearances
for time suffer defeat while the ban
ner Of iniluity should wave from the
loftient plnnncica ~ the sanctuary. II
was para OF their miH Ion to prepare the
followers OF Jesus for this catastrophe.
Nearly all New Testament prophecies
point In this direction.
Let us now glance nj the pages Of
early ecclesiastical history. The dew.
alton from the truth In plainly marked
there.
one Of the striking facts of the I'M
mediate poat-Apontoiic age n the
silence of the voice OF Inspiration. The
guidance OF the Church now sailing In
the roaring. foaming. neethlng break
ern uf error, such rs those briefly out
lined above and besides aAHailcd by
the cruel standard bearers of pagan
Ism, was. speaking from mere human
point Of view. left to eyes too weak Ia
penetrate the mlHts and perceive the |
guiding landmarks. Il fell into hands |
too feeble a. hold the helm steady |
The writings left M from the age Of |
the successors Of the Apostles. clearly |
reveal the confusion that commenced |
TO prevail NJ soon NJ the Apostles, the
bearers OF the llrht and power Of kcvc- |
lation, were no more.
Dr. James Bennett. Ia his Theology |
of the Early Christian Church" puts |
before the public the results Of Impair
tiai aud commemorative researches on |
this subject. u may be- of interest 20 |
hear the verdict Of efficient scholar |
ship on the qualifications Of the re-
llEloua leaders OF that age for their
arduour task.
This learned thcologian first men.
tionu the letter To DlognctuH discovered |
and published In 1899 10y Henry stcnh.
rms. This document IN believed 10 be-
long 10 the Apostolic age, and II .x-
hibiia true Apostolic spirit Its au-
thor Is unknown.
he then proceeds 10 examine the |
writings OF the ao-callcd Apostolic |
fathers. of the letter generally as |
crlbed TO Clemens i,omnnuH and writ |
ten perhaps ms early aH 90 \. D.. he |
says In part. Clement IN
preacher rather than cpls,olator, |
rambling over the whole liblr, On |
which he gives comments. usually |
plouH. but sometimes foolish, and SELL |
dom very Instructive. clement up- |
peala almost exclusively to tho Old |
Testament which he knew, only In |
that Greek version called the Scptu- |
Rrint lie sometimes POUNDS his ar
guinenta on words which have no |
prototype IN the original, TO say moth /
ing OF hints at apocryphnl authority.
His strange comments ON the resur- |
rcctlon seem To be an unwisc attempt |
60 initiate an Apostle. Because Paul |
had written the 18th chapter Of the |
First Epistle To the Corinthians. Clr- |
mont. though writing on u totally dir |
frrent question. must do something In |
the same line. and thus has LEFT In his |
letter blot of folly, which viii ever |
sink the reputation OF tho Apostolic |
fathers. lie gfnyely ndduceH. AZ "A |
fact. the fable " the Phoenix, 10 show |
that God has given IN nntur" proofs of |
the resurrection N the body"
lEnntius ~ not much more fortunate |
Dr. Bennett says of his letters. These |
exhibit "A grotofque compound OF Him- |
plicl'-' and pumposity. that hetrayH |
either the difference between the author |
ana the interpolator or a struggle be- |
tween the orientnliHma Of the Syrian |
aud the better taste OF the Greek writ |
ers The figures In which Ignatiua |
abounds are often 80 forced. as 10 be. |
tray him into such impletias as COM
pairing the Holy Ghost to n rope that |
draws up to lofty heights, by the ma
chinery 81 the Cross. iut the great |