Fathers of the Catholic Church
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OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. A BRIEF EXAMINATION OF THE "FALLING AWAY" OF THE CHURCH IN THE FIRST THREE CENTURIES. BY E. J. WA woivER. " To the law and to the testimony; If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them " Isa. 8 : no. PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING COMPANY, OAKLAND, CAL., SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW YORK. 1888. ../1.-1 if 6 VI\ • Entered according to Act of Congress in the ye. 1883, by "Pacific "Press 'Publishing T,o') In the nice of the Librarain of Congress, Washington, D. C. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PAC \ \C PRESS ?URA \SH\IAG Co'MAVIN, 01,‘\_Ati3O, CAI., PR‘cliv_Rs, FAV_OIROVIPERS , 1,1A0 Bmzuks. PREFACE. THIS book is the outgrowth of some extracts which I copied into a pocket scrap-book a few years ago, thinking that it would often be convenient to have at hand the exact words of a few reliable historians, concerning the Fathers and their work, when the histories themselves might not be accessible. It soon occurred to me that something similar would be of value to others, especially since the Fathers are being appealed to more and more, and it is ithpossible for the majority, even of ministers, always to have access to their writings. Accordingly, extracts were made on a more extensive scale, and were woven together, the result being this book, which is in reality a brief account of the rise of that antichristian structure called the papacy, which was built on the foundation of the so-called Fathers, the hea- then philosopher Plato being the chief corner-stone. If any apology is needed for removing the veil of sanctity which has been thrown over the early church as a whole, I will make it in the words of Rev. Ralph Emerson, D. 1/, some time Professor of Ecclesiastical History in Andover Theological Seminary: "The fact that deadly falsehoods were circulated in the church by some men, and believed by mul- titudes, is itself a most important historic truth; and to sup- press such a truth, instead of being a merit, is a fault which should rather crimson the cheek and set on fire the con- science of a modest and honest historian. It is itself but a tacit repetition of the crime of pious frauds which so deeply stained, not only heathen morality, but the early though not the primitive character of the church." Again, in the same article, which is on the "Early History of Monasticism," Bibliotheca Sacra, May, 1844, after speaking of the policy of covering up such things, he says:— " This short-sighted and worldly policy, of late years- so iv PREFACE. prevalent among the incautious ProteStant churches, is in truth the very policy of Romanism. The Romanists plead that the full and fearless disclosures of the crimes and follies bf good men, in the Bible, will be perilous to the virtue of the people, and will disparage religion itself in popular estima- tion. And so they conceal the good book. And thus Prot- estants fear that the uninspired disclosures of later crimes and follies in the church, may have a like effect. Such men as the excellent Milner, one age ago, knew not for what a crisis they were preparing the church by suppressing or gilding over the more revolting features of her early his- tory. Satan himself could not have prompted such men to do him so great a service in any other way. He is not only the father of lies, but the greatest suppressor of a knowledge of those lies, when they come to be detected as lies; and for this purpose, he comes to good men, in the guise of an angel of light, and as the greatest friend to the church, and makes them his ready and devoted tools in a cause seemingly so charitable towards man and loyal towards God. And then, if we suppose him to possess the power, what better thing for his cause could the enemy of the church do, than just bid her advocates to look at her early state as well-nigh im- maculate, and fearlessly to follow in her perilous steps?" This work is designed especially for people who have not the time nor the means to become thoroughly informed in matters of church history; and also for itinerant ministers and Bible workers, who, even though they be well read, can- not carry a theological library with them from which to quote in time of need. It is hoped, also, that the book may serve as an incentive to some to make a systematic study of church history, and may aid them in so doing. And it is not impossible that the grouping of subjects may suggest new ideas,_even to those who have read the entire history of the early church. Indeed, the book is mainly suggestive, the most exhaustive portion being the chapter on "Stn-wor- ship and Sunday." History repeats itself; and only he who knows the course of error in the past can be on his guard against its insidious approaches in the future. PREFACE. V Great care has been taken in verifying the historical refer- ences, so that the disputant who uses this book might feel as confident as though he had the origina. works. Never- theless, infallibility is not an attribute of either author or proof-readers, and if anyone detects an error in any refer- ence, I shall esteem it a favor to be informed of it. In the appendix will be found brief biographical sketches of some of the men from whose writings extracts have been made. It is Night that this addition will be of value to some who will riSeyle book. my friends, Elders E. W. 'Farnsworth, W. C. White, and A. T. Jones, who read the book in manuscript, and made valu- able suggestions. And now the book is sent forth with the prayers of the writer that it may be instrumental in causing many to see the folly of man's wisdom, and leading them to prize more highly than ever before the unerring word of God, which alone is able to make.them wise unto salvation. E. J. W. Oakland, Cal., August 5, 1888. • I • TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. TILE Er IL'ATIT EN WORLD. 9-27 CHAPTER II. HEATH EN PHILOSOPHY. 28-44 CHAPTER THE A rosToi.ic C U Re . 45-56 CHAPTER IV. THE FATHERS. 57-73 CHAPTER V. THE "EPISTLE OF BARNABAS." 74-83 CHAPTER VI. HERMAS AND CLEMENT. 84-96 CHAPTER VII. TH E " EPISTLEs OF IGNATIUS." - - - 97-112 CHAPTER VIII. THE "TEACHING OF TH E APOSTLES." - 113-1.24 CHAPTER IX. IltENIEUS. 125-145 CHAPTER JUSTIN MARTYR. - 146-164 (vH) VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XI. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA. - - 165-183 CHAPTER XII. TEIZTULLIAN. 184-216 CHAPTER XIII. ORIGEN. - 217-24] . CHAPTER XIV. THE GREAT APOSTASY.—Heathen and Catholic Mys- teries—Perversion of the Ordinance of Baptism —Sign of the Cross, and Images. - . - - 242-268 CHAPTER XV. THE GREAT APOSTASY (Continued).—Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead—" Pious" Frauds—Immo- rality in the Church. 269-285 CHAPTER XVI. THE GREAT APOSTASY (Continued).—Relic and Mar- tyr Worship—Sunday and Christmas. - - 286-303 CHAPTER XVII. THE GREAT APOSTASY (Continued).—Sun-Worship and Sunday. - - ---- - 304-328 CHAPTER XVIII. THE GREAT APOSTASY (Concluded).—Growth of Pa- pal Assumption. 329-345 APPENDIX. The True and Abiding Sabbath—The Apostles and the First Day of the Week—Biographical Notes. 347-363 CHAPTER 1. THE HEATHEN WORLD. IN order clearly to comprehend the peculiar dangers of the early Christians, we must know the condition of the heathen world in the time of Christ and his apostles, since it was mainly from among the heathen that converts to Christianity were obtained. If we know the beliefs which men held, and the practices to which they were addicted before their conversion, we can readily tell what errors they would be most likely to adopt if they should in any degree turn from the faith ; and we shall also know what would be the state of the church if any con- siderable number of its communicants were converted only in name. In the first chapter of Romans the apostle Paul has given a brief but comprehensive view of the state of morals among the heathen, and of the steps by which they reached the depth of degradation which is there revealed. He first notices the fact that at one time the people did know God. Verse 21. From the Mosaic record we learn the same thing. We know that in the years immediately following the creation and the flood, all the inhabitants of the earth had the knowledge of the true God. Adam and Noah—the two fathers of the race—served the Lord, and they would of course teach their children about him and his requirements. There could, therefore, be no excuse for the gross ignorance which afterward prevailed. (9) 10 FATHERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. Even had this oral teaching been wanting, there would have been no excuse for the abominable idolatry and the ignorance of God, which characterized nearly all of the inhabitants of the earth, because nature itself reveals not only the existence, but also the power of God. In speaking of the heathen, Paul indicates the justice of God in pouring out his_wrath upon them, " Because that which may be known of God is manifest in [to] them; for God hath showed it unto them." Rom. 1:19. The next verse tells how God revealed himself unto them. As we quote it, we transpose the clauses, to save the necessity of explanation by comment: " For from [i.