The Philosophical Basis of "Mormonism" - An Address Delivered by Invitation Before the Congress of Religious Philosophies Held in Connection With the Panama-Pacific International Exposition; San Francisco, California, July 29th, 1915 #245976

The apostasy progressed rapidly, in consequence of a cooperation of disrupting forces without and within the Church. The dreadful persecution to which the early Christians were subjected, particularly from the reign of Nero to that of Diocletian, both inclusive, drove great numbers of Christians to renounce their allegiance to Christianity, thus causing a widespread apostasy from the Church. But far more destructive was the contagion of evil that spread within the body, manifesting its effects mainly in the following develop ments.