FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE ‘MYSTERIES’ OF MITHRAISM COVETED THEN ADAPTED BY THE CHURCH FATHERS
“Dr. J. L. Moaheim says: ‘The profound respect that was paid to the Greek and Roman [pagan, not divine] mysteries, and the extraordinary sanctity that was attributed to them, were additional circumstances that INDUCED the Christians to give their religion a MYSTIC AIR, in order to put it upon an EQUAL FOOTING, in point of dignity, with that of the Pagans. For this purpose, they have the name of ‘MYSTERIES’ to the institutions of the Gospel, and DECORATED particularly the holy sacrament with that solemn title. They used in that sacred institution, as also in that of baptism, several of the terms employed in the Heather Mysteries and resembled them considerably in many particulars.’ – ‘History of the Church,’ (2 vol. ed.), Vol. 1, Cent. 2, part 2, par. 3, p. 67, NY, 1871..
“Gradually, as the church LOWERED its standards, many of the Greek scholars accepted Christianity (while they retained their heathen philosophy), and they carried with them INTO the church more or less of their FORMER viewpoint and teaching.
“Then as heathenism assailed the church, and the ROMAN government PERSECUTED it, these men, such as Origen, Tertullian. Justin Martyr, etc., wrote ‘Apologies’ and ‘Treatises’ to vindicate Christianity. They, however, sadly MIXED heathen sentiments with Christian doctrines, and the church GRADUALLY BECAME PERMEATED with the teachings of these men [called the ‘Church Fathers’ by the Church of Rome], who had now become the NEW leaders. Dr. Cummings says:
“The Fathers who were really most fitted to be the luminaries of the age in which they lived were TOO BUSY in preparing their flocks for MARTYRDOM to commit anything to writing…..The most devoted and pious of the Fathers were busy TEACHING their flocks;[while] the more vain and ambitious occupying their time preparing TREATISES. If all the Fathers who signalized the age had committed their sentiments in WRITING, we might have had a FAIR representation of the theology of the church [at that stage].’—‘Lectures in Romanism,’ p. 203, quoted in ‘History of the Sabbath,’ J. N. Andrews, pp. 199, 200.” – Facts of Faith, Christian Edwardson, pp. 97,98.
More tomorrow, God willing, and if you are willing, too. Bless all, NMF.