The Washington herald., 1918-01-06

We accept as fact the belief common
10 Christendom that the Church of
Christ was established under our
Lords personal direction and that dur
ing the early period Of apostolic ad-
ministration the Church was blessed
with rapid growth and marvellous de-
velopment. a question Of profound
importance confronts US: HAS THE
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST MAIN
TANNED AN ORGANIZED EXIST
ENCE UPON THE EARTH FROM
THE APOSTOLIC AGE TO THE
PRESENT?
We affirm that with the passing of
the apostolic period the Church drifted
into a condition OF apostasy, whereby
succession in the Holy Priesthood was
broken; and that the Church as an
earthly organization operating under
Divine direction and having authority
to officiate in spiritual ordinances
ceased to exist among men.
We affirm that this great apostasy,
whereby the world was onshrouded
in spiritual darkness, was foretold by
lIlt SdNlOE 11llllStlL NlAAAN AAN AAhSN -
a Man among men, and by His proph-
cts both before and after the period
Of His life in mortality.
The apostolic ministry continued in
HE Primitive Church for about sixty
cars after the death OF Christ, or
nearly to the end of the first century
Of the Christian era. For some time
thereafter the Church existed as a
unified body, officered by men duly
invested by ordination in the Holy
Priesthood. though. even 1uring the
lifetime of some of the apostles, the
leaven OF apostasy and disintegration
had been working. Indeed. hardly had
the Gospel seed been sown before the
enemy of all righteousness had started
assiduously to sow tares in the field,
and SO intimate was the growth Of the
two that any fOrcible attempt TO eN-
tirpate the tares would have imperiled
the wheat The evidences of spiritual
decline were observed with anguish
by the apostles, who, however, recog-
nized the fulfillment of earlier proph-
ecy in the declensiOn, and added their
own inspired testimony to the effect
that even a greater falling away was
imminent.
Christ specifically warned the dis
ciples against the impending depart
ure from the truth. TAKE HEED
THAT NO. MAN DECEIVE YoU."s said
he, FOR MANY SHALL CONE IN
MY NAME. SAYING 1 AM CHRIST,
AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY"
Matt. PA, 81. And further: THEN
IF ANY MAN SHALL SAY UNTO
YOU. 10, HERE Is CHRIST, OR
THERE: BELIEVE IT NOT. FOR
THERE SHALL ARISE FALSE
CHRISTS AND FALSE PROPHETS,
AND SHALL SHEW GREAT SIGNS
AND WONDERS; INSOMUCH THAT,
IF IT WERE POSSIBLE. THEY
SHALL DECEIVE THE VERY
ELECT. BEHOLD. I HAVE TOLD
YOU BEFORE. WHEREFORE IF
THEY SHALL SAY UNTO YOU, BE-
HOLD, HE IS IN THE DESERT;
GO NOT FORTH; BEHOLD, HE is
IN THE SECRET CHAMBERS; BE-
LIEvE IT NOT" CVerses 1926.
The Apostles bore warning testi-
mony to the same awful certain
ty. Paul admonishes the elders al
Ephesus to be on their guard
against the wolves that would in
wade the fold. and against false
teachers who would assert them
selves speaking perverse things To
draw away disciples. after them. "
(See Acts 2O:2S-3O). The same
Apostle thus wrote to Timothy
NOW THE SPIRIT SPEAKETH
EXPRESSLY, THAT IN THE LAT
TER TIMES SOME SHALL DEPART
FROM THE FAITH. GIVING HEED
TO SEDUCING SPIRITS, AND DOC
TRINES OF DEVILS; SPEAKING
LIES IN HYPOCRISY; HAVING
THEIR CONSCIENCE Scared
WITH "A HOT IRON" u Tim.
4:1,2; see also 2 Tim. I:1-4; and