Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-11-19

The First Pseudo. Apostles
When we speak Of pseudoap0stles-
false apostles-we should not be un.
lerstood AS charging intentional fraud.
Rather, sympathetically, let US sup
pose that the early bishops. In accept
Ing the title OF apostles and IN claim
lug for themselves succession to the
Apostolic office were honestly deluded,
M much as were tho people who thus
ACKNOWLEDGED them. Let us lTemem-
Der, further, that the matter grew
gradually, Just as titles and dlgnities
grow at this day.
Let us remember that the early
Christians were not generally educat'
Sd-that remarkably few people In old.
,u times were able 10 read Indeed
general ability 10 read belongs only TO
our generation, TO those living in this
our wonderful day-the dswning OF the
New Era OF NJ essish's Kingdom. Let
us remember also that at that time
books were very scarce. because very
expensive. The Jews did, indeed, en-
deayor 10 have copy OF the Holy
Scriptures IN each synagogue, there TO
be read once week, In portions, from
large and costly scrolls.
Christians. expelled from the syns
gogue, had no longer tho opportunity
OF the Jews for studying the Old Testa
ment Scriptures And the New Testa
ment written iD fragmentary man
ner, was costly also, and not brought
together as a collection for a long time
after the death Of the Apostles The
Sacred writings soon became relics
remembrances OF the dead Apostles
and Of Jesus, worShipped by all, but
not studied, even by those who We're
able to read. Their value FOR instruc-
tiOn was considered at an end because
the theory in the meantime had sprung
up that the living bishops were the rep
resentntives OF the Apostolic office and
inspirations The people therefore,
unable to reHd, asked not. What say
the Apostles: but received their the
illogical instructions from the bishops,
whom they believed to be the living
Apostles
When we reflect that very few min
listers in one city, even Of one demon.
ination, are today fully agreed ns re.
spects Divine Truth. we must not be
surprised that during the two centuries
following the death Of the Apostles,
these supposed successors got into
all kinds Of false doctrine ench lead
ing a company OF believers ana hold
ing the pre-eminence Of his own views.
few thinking to measure their presen-
tations by those OF The Twelve, Divine
ly appointed
Apostolic Councils" Next.
The doctrnal strife between the bish
ops grew Gradually the people of
God, about A d $50, began TO he
separated into two casSes-thc clergy
and the laity The bishops. instead
of being chosen hy the vote Of the
people, publicly claimed the Divine
right, as the SuperlOrs in the Church
to ordain for them their clerical teach
ers. The clergy. under the lead Of the
bishops as supposed successors to the
Apostles, lorded It over Gods heritage
Later, IN the Sixth century, the Bish
op Of Rome BEGAN to be considered sn
peror to all other bishops. and finally
was declared to be the chief father, or
papa, or Pope.
About the Fourth Century creed max
ing began. The Nlcene Creed, the Ath-
anasian Creed and the Apostles Creed.
all were formulated IN the Fourth Ce'
tury. 1t was discovered that more than
u thousand bishops pSuedo apostles
were teaching very contrary doctrines
on many subjects The Emperor Con
stantine accepted Christianity and was
He convened the Apostolic Council
of Nice. Bat although he provided ex
pense money for Nil bishops attending.
only about one-thrd ohCyed the com.
mand
These bishops disputed and wran-
gled over differences for days and
weeks and months. Finally they reach
ed a conclusion satisfactory to the EN-
peror 1t was promulgated with gov
ernmentsl sanction and with the dec
lnration that any persons or teachings
to the contrary were to be expelled.
Thus n small minority Of men who mis-
takenly thought themselves inspired.
under the leading Of IN Emperor who
had not even been baptized. set up Il
theological staSdard which since has
served well to fetter religious thought
In many, and 10 make others believe
that there IS nothing In religion but
superstition
Creed making along those lines pro.
greSscd FOR twelve hundred years.
while the Bible WAS neglected. 1t was
not even thought necessary FOR instruc
ton I'm theological semlnaries Luther.
then a devout Catholic, hnd taught and
preached for years without ever see
ing a Bible The explanation is that
the bishops, esteemed 70 be- living apOs
ties IN full authority were thought to
have more up-tO date knowledge thar
the original Twelve. and IN Apostolic
Councils hgl FORMULATED creedS which
Al. Z