FATHERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH by John Norton Loughborough

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 15, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 15.

"FATHERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH."

By John Norton Loughborough

SUCH is the title of a book of over 300 pages from the pen of Elder E. J. Waggoner. I have just completed a careful reading of every word of this book. It is an able presentation of the subject on which it treats, and gives the reader a concise idea of the "Fathers of the Catholic Church," treating of their character, and illustrating by copious quotations the nature of their writings. This book is a valuable addition to the library of any student, no matter what his religious faith. Few care to burden their libraries with the books necessary to obtain all these writings of the early Fathers. In this book they have such quotations from their writings as enable the reader to know, and to be able to show to others, the character of these Fathers, as well as to obtain an idea of the peculiar doctrines they have set forth in their writings.

There is one part of the book devoted to a treatise on sun-worship in the various nations of the earth; this in itself is worth many times the price of the book. I have taken a special interest in the perusal of the later chapters of the book, in which we have a delineation of the steps of development in the great apostasy, called by Paul, in his epistle to the Thessalonians, "the mystery of iniquity" that should result in the development of "the man of sin."

I commend the book to all students of biblical literature. It shows us what men, human fathers, have said, and this, compared with the word of God, may lead us to say, with the prophet of old, "What is the chaff to the wheat?"

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH. Fresno, California, April 1, 1889.