THE GREAT APOSTASY CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF SCRIPTURAL AND SECULAR HISTORY By James E. Talmage Excerpt from Contents I. Introduction: The Establishment of the Church of Christ II. The Apostasy Predicted III. Early Stages of the Apostasy IV. Causes of the Apostasy - External Causes Considered V. Causes of the Apostasy - External Causes, Continued VI. Causes of the Apostasy - Internal Causes VII. Internal Causes - Continued VIII. Internal Causes - Continued IX. Internal Causes - Continued X. Results of the Apostasy - Its Sequel Chapter 1 Excerpt 1. A belief common to all sects and churches professing Christianity is that Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the human race, established His Church upon the earth by personal ministration in the meridian of time. Ecclesiastical history, as distinguished from secular history, deals with the experiences of the Church from the time of its establishment. The conditions under which the Church was founded first claim our attention. 2. At the beginning of the Christian era, the Jews, in common with most other nations, were subjects of the Roman empire. - (See Note 1, end of chapter.) They were allowed a considerable degree of liberty in maintaining their religious observances and national customs generally, but their status was far from that of a free and independent people. 3. The period was one of comparative peace,- a time