Apostasy of the Primitive Church

The Gospel dispensation inaugurated by our Savior, while on his earthly mission, was not a gathering one. Israel had already been widely scattered. That scattering was soon to result in the complete desolation of the land of Palestine.

Wherever the people received the Gospel through the preaching of the apostles, they were organized into churches. They not only had their old traditions and customs to contend with, but there was no relief from the general pagan influences under which they had been educated. Add to these things, the persecutions the early Saints were exposed to, and it could not well be otherwise than that many of them should be weak in the faith.

The epistles of the apostles inform us that they had often contended with false teachers and doctrines in the primitive churches. "Even now," said the apostle John, "are there many anti-Christs." 1 John 2. 18. The apostle Paul, in his second epistle to Timothy, informs us, that "In the last days perilous times shall come;" 2 Tim. 3. 1.

In the following three verses he enumerates all manner of wickedness which shall be prevalent in the latter times. He evidently means in the Christian churches, or among those who profess godliness, for in the fifth verse of the same chapter, he speaks of their having "A form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."

The apostle Paul exhorted the Colossians to "be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven;" Col. 1. 23.

About fifty-seven years after the Savior had closed his earthly mission, if we are correctly informed in the second and third chapters of the Revelations of St. John, there were but seven churches in Asia whom the Lord considered worthy of notice. This, coupled with the assertion of Paul, that the Gospel had, in his day, been preached to every creature, proves that its light only faintly glimmered, in the otherwise universal darkness, which existed at the time John had his vision on the isle of Patmos.

John the Revelator saw Rome in all her glory, in his day, reigning over the kings of the earth, full of riches and all manner of abominations, and drunken with the blood of the Saints and of the martyrs of Jesus; Rev. 17. This great power, drenched in the blood of the martyrs, about 325 A.D., in the reign of Constantine, adopted what was then known as Christianity, as the religion of the empire.

It was not possible that such a wicked, corrupt element and the Gospel of Jesus could have any affinity. Rather, is it not evident that the antagonism of Christianity and paganism had measurably ceased? that they had assimilated? that they had both so nearly found the same level, that with a slight pressure of governmental policy they readily amalgamated?

Not only prophecy but general history, and especially the history of Christianity by its learned professors, furnish abundant evidence of its early departure from the pure principles of the Gospel.

The prophetic history of the preparatory work, for the coming of Christ to reign on the earth in the latter days, is predicated on the apostacy of the primitive Christian church, the general wickedness of the nations, and the gathering of the house of Israel.

Since the calling of Abraham, the authenticated personal manifestations of the Lord to man have been through him and his family. Christ came to his own chosen people. His earthly mission was commenced and consummated in the midst of Israel. The Gospel was first preached to the Jews. His apostles were chosen from his brethren of the seed of Abraham. The first church of Christ was established at Jerusalem. The apostles were commanded to remain there until endowed with power from on high. All the blessings of salvation are promised to mankind through the seed of Abraham.

When the Lord comes in glory and power, the prophets inform us that he will come to Zion and Jerusalem, the chief cities of gathered Israel. The apostle Paul informs us that "God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues;" 1 Cor. 12. 28.

From the above it is evident that, had the church of Christ been on the earth in the past centuries, it would have been organized like the primitive church, with apostles and prophets of the house of Israel at the head of it. More than that, it would have enjoyed all the spiritual gifts and blessings mentioned in the above chapter.

John the Revelator, in his visions of the latter times, says, "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people;" Rev. 14. 6.

No one who has any faith in the Scriptures would assert that the Gospel preached by Jesus and his apostles was not the "Everlasting Gospel." If everlasting, it must of necessity be the same wherever found. If the same Gospel, it would always produce the same results. Its ordinances would be the same. Its followers would enjoy the same gifts and blessings. They would call themselves Saints. They would have an organization that would not vary from the church organized by Jesus and his apostles. They would have been led by apostles and prophets of the house of Israel.

Instead of this, the Christian churches and nations have for many centuries ground the House of Israel with the iron heel of oppression. They have robbed, driven and slain the covenant people of God, the chosen people of that same Jesus of Nazareth whose precepts and example they profess to follow.

The Shiloh came and the sceptre departed from Judah. A series of terrible oppressions commenced under Roman governors, which resulted in the des truction of Jerusalem, and of the Jews as a nation; that may be considered the beginning of the fulfilment of the prediction of our Savior, "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled;" Luke 21. 24.

The reasonable construction of this passage is, that "The times of the Gentiles" means the period in which they will bear rule, oppress Israel, and hold possession of the heritage of the seed of Abraham.

When "The times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled," when the angel, seen in vision by John the Revelator, shall have brought again to earth the "Everlasting Gospel," will also be "The times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began;" Acts 3. 21.

The first century of the Christian era was a very important one in the world's history. The covenant people of God ceased to exist as a nation. The civilized world, represented by the Roman empire, with Paganism as the prevailing religion, began to fill up the measure of its iniquity by shedding the blood of the apostles, and of the disciples of Jesus. Pagan philosophy counteracted Gospel influences. There was a constant tendency in Christianity and paganism to assimilate. This is evident from the writings of the apostles.

That, after Christianity became the leading element of the Roman empire, it ceased to be regenerative in its nature, is evidenced by the fact, that the empire was often scourged with destructive civil wars which prepared it for dissolution. It was finally crushed by barbarian hordes. They desolated whole provinces, leaving only remnants of corrupt peoples, to be measurably regenerated by an infusion of new blood from the plains of eastern Europe, and western Asia. Both sacred and profane history have failed to record an instance of a people who, living under the regenerating influences of the Gospel of Jesus, and enjoying the favor of God, were broken and destroyed by such terrible scourges as visited the Roman empire the first five centuries of the Christian era. Modern nations have risen from its ashes, have adopted its religion, its customs, its ethics, without inspiration from heaven, without any further Gospel dispensation, without apostles and prophets of the house of Israel, and without the guidance of the Holy Priesthood, after the order of the Son of God, which the Lord has decreed should only come through the seed of Abraham.

Bible.

Isa. 24. 2 as with the people, so with the priest.

5 the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof.

17 fear and the pit are upon thee, O inhabitants of the earth.

Dan. 7. 25 he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the Saints.

8. 10 it waxed great, even to the host of heaven.

11 by him the daily sacrifice was taken away.

12 it cast down the truth to the ground, and it practised and prospered.

23 the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full.

25 through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand. 26.

Matt. 24. 10 many shall be offended, and shall betray and hate one another.

Acts 20. 29 after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you. 30.

1 Tim. 1. 6 some have turned aside to vain jangling. 7.

19 concerning faith have made shipwreck.

4. 1 in the latter times some shall depart from the faith.

2, 3 speaking lies in hypocrisy, forbidding to marry.

2 Tim. 2. 18 who concerning the truth have erred.

3. 1 know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2-7 men shall be lovers of their own selves, without natural affection. Ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

12 all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

4. 16 at my first answer no man stood with me.

Titus 1. 10, 11 many unruly and vain talkers, deceivers, who subvert whole houses.

3. 9 avoid foolish questions, contentions, and strivings. 10.

2 Peter 2. 1 who, privily, shall bring in damnable heresies.

Rev. 16. 6 for they have shed the blood of the Saints and prophets.

17. 1, 2 the great whore that sitteth upon the waters. Chap. 18. 3, 9.

5 the mystery, Babylon, the mother of harlots.

6 the woman, drunken with the blood of the Saints, and the martyrs of Jesus.

15 the waters which thou sawest are peoples, multitudes and nations.

18 the woman is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

18. 2 Babylon is become the habitation of devils, the hold of every foul spirit.

24 in her was found the blood of the prophets.

19. 2 he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the earth.

Book of Mormon.

1 Nephi 13. 5 the foundation of a church which is most abominable, which slayeth the Saints of God, Chap. 14. 3, 9, 10. Chap 22. 14. 2 Nephi 28. 18.

9 for the praise of the world they destroy the Saints.

24-34 the Jewish record went forth in purity to the Gentiles, but the Gentiles took away the most precious parts, for which reason many stumble.

14. 11 she had dominion over all the earth, and sat upon many waters.

12 the Saints of God were scattered over the earth, and their dominions were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore.

13 mother of abominations gathered together multitudes to fight against the Lamb of God.

15 the wrath of God poured out on that abominable church 16, 17.

15. 13 many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in the body, the fulness of the Gospel shall come to the Gentiles.

22. 22, 23 the kingdom of the devil built up among the children of men.

2 Nephi 26. 19-22 refers to the time when the children of Lehi (the American Indians) shall be smitten and driven by the Gentiles, and gives an unmistakable description of the Christian world of the present day.

27. 1 in the latter days, all shall be drunken with iniquity.

28. 3 every one that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord, shall say, I am the Lord's.

4 they and their priests shall contend one with another.

6 they shall say, in this day God is not a God of miracles.

29. 3 a Bible, we have got a Bible; there cannot be any more.

3 Nephi 16. 7 in the latter days shall the truth come unto the Gentiles. 1 Nephi 15. 13. Rev. 14. 6.

Doctrine and Cobenants.

Sec. 1. 15 they have strayed from mine ordinances and broken mine everlasting covenant.

16 every man walketh in his own way, after the image of his own God.

17, 18 Joseph Smith. Jun., and others commanded to proclaim these things, that the sayings of the prophets might be fulfilled.

30 to bring forth the only true and living church, out of obscurity and darkness.

5. 6 you shall be ordained to deliver my words to the children of men.

29. 21 that great and abominable church shall be cast down.

35. 11 shall not anything be shown forth except desolations on Babylon?

38. 11 for all flesh is corrupted before me.

86. 1-7 an explanation of the parable of the wheat and tares. Sec. 88. 94.

133. 14 go ye out from among the nations, even from Babylon.

Pearl of Great Price.

Page 3. in a day when men would take many of the words from the book which Moses should write, the Lord promised to raise up another like him, when they should be had again among men. 2 Nephi 3. 9.

21. so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance.

See O. Spencer's Letters to Rev. Wm. Crowel, No. 6.

"Universal Apostacy," a pamphlet by O. Pratt.



(Franklin D. Richards and James A. Little, Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1925], 170.)