The departure from the order, doctrine, ordinances and spirit of primitive Christianity commenced at a very early period. Contentions began to creep in among the early saints, and they soon commenced to array themselves in factions, some being of Paul, others of Apollos, others of Cephas, etc. And the inspired leaders of the Church foresaw the great apostasy which would take place, as may be seen from their epistles. Paul declared that the day of the Lord's second advent would not dawn until a "falling away" should occur. He described the condition of apostate Christendom, when the people "would not endure sound doctrine," but would "heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;" when "doctrines of devils" should be taught instead of the pure gospel; when they would have "a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof;" and Peter declared that false teachers would arise in the place of the duly authorized servants of God, and bring in damnable heresies; who "through covetousness would make merchandise" of the souls of men; and by whom "the way of truth would be evil spoken of." This "mystery of iniquity" had already begun to work even in their day, and rapidly increased after their departure. The combined powers of the world, the flesh and the devil, made such inroads upon the Church of Christ, that, by the time when John, the beloved disciple, was banished to the isle of Patmos, where he received the great vision known as the Book of Revelation, only seven branches of the Church were worthy of divine mention, and some of them had become so corrupt that terrible denunciations were hurled against them, and they were threatened with complete rejection. In that same vision the inspired apostle beheld the utter and universal apostasy of the Church and the spread of spurious Christianity until _all nations_ were "made drunk with the wine of the wrath of the fornication" of Babylon, "the mother of harlots and abominations." Instead of the chaste Church of Christ, clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and the crown of twelve stars upon her head, the scarlet-clothed impostor, sitting upon the beast, grasping a golden cup full of filthiness for the whole world to drink. Regal pomp and state power, instead of the solar glory of the Melchisedec and the lunar rays of the Aaronic Priesthoods, with the stellar crown of apostleship shining at the head! Mystery instead of light! Painted gaudiness instead of modest purity! Names of blasphemy instead of that one sacred name at which every knee should bow!