Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-08-13
EARLY OPPOSITION.

Ing feature among others Is sure to
attract our attention. and that is that
the objections 20 the Christian religion
thon urged by the philosophers are es-
stntially the same AZ those advanced
in our day by the opponents OF the
Gospel as preached by the Latter
day saints. There is nothing new
under the sun Even the arguments
Of inGdeuty are the same In every
age
The writings Of CELSIUS against the
CHRISTIANS t. an illustration OF this.
Ccltus probably lived in the middle
81 the second century Christianity had
then been in the world longer than
what is called "Mormonism" has been
preached In our age The world had
had ample opportunity to understand
it, doctrines and observe It's fruits in
the lives OF men and women. But II
would not see. II refused to believe.
CELSIUS was philosopher, probably
OF the Platonian school. He was
trained to accute thinking and possess
ed great critical power.
one OF his objections is that the
Christians believe blindly without
research or reason. He quotes them
thus DO not Investigate. only be-
llove: faith saves you" He represents
them further. as saying; NO educat-
ed. no wise person may come but II
anyone is ignorant. uneducated. as
child, he may come In all confidence
concerning the Christian sects he
saws. I'm the beginning when the
Christians were few, they were united,
but when they Increased In number
they divided into sects that contradict
cd each other. and had only the name
In common" CELSIUS would. Of course.
not take the trouble of investigating
the claims OF the various divisions. II
was enough for him to find a point
OF attack. His next charge was that
the Christians had nothing OF the ac-
cessories Of other religions. no tenn
pies. no pictures. no affairs. lie called
them a miserable generation. cling
ing to and loving sensuallties, refus-
ing TO accept anything but what they
can recognize by the aid of their
senses. In other words he accuses
them of being gross materialists and
reminds them that God can only be
seen by the eye Of the spirit
Another accusation il that the
Christians have changed their Bible
He SAYS; MANY Of the believers who
have come TO themselves as from an
intoxicated condition, change the
gospeI narrative. three-fold, four-fold
and many-fold, from the original, In
order TO be able to deny that which
,hev are accused Of" He also brings
forth as a folly Of Christianity that
the Christians invite sinners He says:
Those who issue invitations into the
mysteries Of other religions, make IL
known beforehand that they may
come who are clean OF all spots, VINO
are conscious OF no evil and who
have lived a good and righteous life;
This they proclaim beforehand who
promise cleansing from sin. But let
us hear what the other 1.-THE Chris
tians1 say: Whoever is sinner, a
fool a youngster-tn word, who
ever Is miserable, him the kingdom OF
God will receive And then
he asks: rs not Christ sent for those
VINO are without sin?" CELSIUS knew
nothing OF the regenerating force Of the
Gospel He knew not that even sin
ners" can be redeemed and made en-
tirely new creatures through repent
ance, faith, baptism, and the gifts ~
the Holy Ghost. CELSIUS says; 1T Is
clear to all that nobody can change one
whose nature and habit has become
sinful. even by punishment; how much
less by compassion, since it is most
difficult 10 change what has become
nature. But those who are without sin
are better companions for life"
CELSIUS. naturally. became a scoffer,
when he treated on the Christian doc
trines OF the atonement and resurrec-
ton He denied the story OF the resur-
rection Of Christ. and His appearance
after the cruciAxlon. and classed that
story with the fables concerning ghosts
and apparitions
CELSIUS speaks for the anti Christian
philosophers OF his time, and gives us
an idea OF the spirit which the early
messengers OF the Master had to COM
bat In Jewish circles the folly" Of
the gospel must have appeared stin
more pronounced, as the Christians
proclaimed that He who was slain on
Calvary a. a malefactor, was the Son
OF God and the Messiah OF their dreams.
and as they offered new collection of
sacred writings In confederation OF this
seemingly irrational statement. A nov
Bihle An addition to the Old Scrip
tures
The similarity Of the position OF
Christianity - that age, between the
philosophical schools Of the pagans and
the theology OF the Jews and the posi-
ton Of the Gospel today. between the
various sects with more or less rationtl-
istic tendencies, Is indeed striking. The
claims we make for the Prophet Joseph
and the Book OF Mormon appear ~
foolish TO the worldly critics OF today
as did the claims OF the first Chris
tians to CELSIUS. But they are true
nevertheless. And the investigator
must bear In mind that the foolish
ness OF God is wiser than men: and
the weakness OF God is stronger than
mem" and that God hath chosen the
foolish things Of the world. 10 con-
found the wise; and God hath chosen
the weak things Of the world, TO con-