Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-07
DEsEREr sEMIwEEKLy NEWS. FRIDAY. APRIL 4.

Christ was the uod who appeared to
the pntrlarchs: but Is so defective In
his statement o. the trinity. that. after
the council Of Nice. he would have been
deemed an Arian. His sincerity was
scaled bv HE blood: though his philoso-
ply often tyrannixe over his faith: ana,
n he was not the author, as he
vas the first Christian promulsator 81
the dogma of the apostasy Of angels,
by their falling In love with women.
his doemntlsing was q calamity rather
than q triumph TO chriatinnity."
Italian, the disciple and successor Of
Justin. denounced marrlF 30 ~ stu
ana prohibited the use OF animal food.
lie also taught that human souls. OF
Apiriie. are mortal. and that those OF
the wicked die with the body. but are
rcrufrcctcd again TO receive punish
mcnt.
Thoophllus Of Antioch Is worth while
Greek word which gave rise 70 the
modern term Trinity. lie says that.
The three days which preceded the
creation " llght represented the trim
ny triad u God and His word. and
It's wisdom" he was highly esteemed
for learning and bencvolcnce, but In his
opposition 10 paRanisn he appealed 70
the Sihyilinc writings az wei NJ Greek
poets. In support " Christianity-a
truly fatal error.
Athcnagurnn condemns second mar
fiagcs ~ adultery. on the plea that God
made but one OF each sex. In his arru-
nent for the resurrection he. too. APP
pcait 60 henthen philosophy instead ~
to the Word OF tioJ
Ifcnmus II one OF the most prominent
OF the fathers" lie was from child.
hood reared among the Christians. and
trines Of the Gospel Although he stood
20 near the Apostolic age. he found II
necessary 10 devote the greater part Of
all his learning. zeal aud energy TO a
refutaiion % tho numerous hcrcriea
that had Grown up IN the Church. like
the weeds In neglected field.
DR.. bennett remarks u this ceic-
hratcd fatheri 'IrcnpuH lived In tho
age OF hercsica. which were a. much
dinuscd az suppressed BY tho course
he and others pursued. for they would
have far better served the cause Of
truth BY studying tho Scriptures more
carefully, and instructing their own
hooks, than by giving currency to eN-
travaRancea that should have been left
10 their own oblivl0un fate"
The very champions ~ truth IN this
are. by their unwisc tactics .prcmul.
gated errors. II u any wonder that
the apostany gradually maturcd1
or Clement Aiexandfinus our critic
says: "AacrtiuiAm abounds Ia hts
works, which recommend hus-
bands 60 live with wife ~
a sister. nut with all his monkish
notions OF chastity. he 40 frequently
and indecently rccurr TO sexual ideas.
that 10 read his volume through Il n
loathsomc task. u sometimes he Ok
hlbitn 10 the heather Just Views OF the
Christian character. such passages ate.
amidst q vast mass u heather lore. ~
pearl or two In a whole bed OF shells
Ills morality II like that o. socinian
Writers, n substitute for the merits Of
Christ, who II introduced 40 rarely that
He npcpnfn ~ n stranger, and 20 err
roncounly that We are az much sur.
prised NJ delighted. when we md Him
Invested with the honors which arr Ills
duc. For Clement. TOO. generally dis.
plays knowledge without wisdom. NOR
without truth"
We mlght continue To follow the critic
through the entire list 81 the early
FATHERS. only TO md each successive
leader farther away than the prcilcces.
sors from the true path. The writings
OF oflRen. Tertullian ard cypfian are
proofs OF this. Hut enough has been
quoted 10 show the condition OF the are
immediately following that u the
Apostles. Most of the Fathers" wrrc
but imperfcctly convcrrant with Tho
Scriptures. They were Imbucd with
pagan philosophy and lived often In OK
lie and always In danger OF persecution.
The various branches OF the Church
were frequently left 10 the care of III
fefior men. sometimes ncophyten whose
only qualification was rhetoric. which
did not make up for the lack Of deep
religious thought. The Apostles warn
inE 10 the Ephcfians that from among
themselves men would arise speaking
pcryerre things, TO draw disciplca after
them. becam. literally true. The Hpirlt
OF antichrist was early active. and TO
thla extent. that there II scarcely an
error IN doctrine or corruption In prac.
tice that II not traceabie 10 IN" hEc OF
tho early fathers OF tho church
IL In. Of course not said that all the
early fathers" were, apOniateH. though
they mutually condemn one another
as horctlca. and some OF thcn to this
day are looked upon as schiHmaticn and
teachers Of false doctrines. but their
writings. valuable as they are IN some
respects. plainly show that such were
the disadvantages under which they la.
bored. 10 feeble was the liEht they had
that they could not save the Church
from the error They themselves COM
plaincd OF the immortality that swept
over the Church as Hood. THE bishop
Of bishops has become the patron OF
adultercra." IL the exclamation Of Ter
tuiiian. and othefH rc-ccho thiA charge
with terrible variations.