BY
ELDER B. H. ROBERTS
AUTHOR OF
"The Life of John Taylor" "The Gospel" "New Witness for God" "Missouri
Persecutions" "Rise and Fall of Nauvoo," etc.
THIRD EDITION
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.
1902.
TO THE SEVENTIES:
THAT BODY OF MEN
UPON WHOM—UNDER THE
DIRECTION OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES—
DEVOLVES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PREACHING
THE GOSPEL, AND DEFENDING THE TRUTH
IN ALL THE WORLD, THIS WORK
IS AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATED.
Before you take up the study of OUTLINES OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, Ibeg leave to call your attention to the structure of the work, and thepurpose for which it was written. First, then, as to its structure.
The work is divided into four parts, each with a distinct idearunning through it. Part I deals with THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCHthrough the ministry of Messiah and his apostles; Part II with THEAPOSTASY, brought about through the severe persecution to which theearly saints were subjected, the rise of false teachers, changingthe ordinances of the gospel, intermingling pagan philosophy withChristian doctrine, and a transgression of the laws of God; Part IIIdeals with "THE REFORMATION," treating it, however as a revolutioninstead of a reformation since the so-called reformation by no meansre-established primitive Christianity, either in its form or essence,but it did overthrow the power of the Catholic Church in the greaterpart of Western Europe, gave larger liberty to the people, and thusprepared the way for the great work which followed it—the introductionof the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times; Part IV treats of THERESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL, in the aforesaid dispensation, through therevelations which God gave to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
The parts above enumerated are separated into sections, thesesubdivisions being determined by the several subjects into which themain idea of the respective parts naturally divides. The sections areagain separated into topics, the {iv} titles of which are printed inbold-face type, and the paragraphs are numbered. These divisions, itis believed, will better enable the student to discern the relationof the respective parts to the main subject, and at the same timeafford a convenient division for the assignment of lessons to classes.Ordinarily it will be found that a section will be sufficient for alesson for either a class or quorum; but in some instances two of theshorter sections may be taken for a lesson; but some of the longersections should be divided into two or more.
At the end of each section will be found a collection of notes bearingupon the important points treated in the text of the work, at whichplace reference will be found to the note at the end of the section.The author cannot, in his opinion, too emphatically urge upon thestudent the importance of turning to the notes to which he is directedin the text and reading them. They will be found to throw additionallight upon the subject treated in the text, either by giving thestatement of a recognized authority, supplying pointed argument—withwhich it has been thought best not to burden the body of the work—orgiving illustrations to the statement made in the text. Another purposefor placing these notes at the end of the sections has been to arousean interest in the works of the authors quoted; that the studentsof this text book may be induced to delve deeper into the study ofEcclesiastical History than a perusal of these pages will enablethem