The Origin of Memorial Days.
By Editor
“THE first day of this kind was the day next after the six days' work of creation, called the Sabbath day, or rest day. “Jesus said, the Sabbath was made for man. It was not made for some part or kinds of men, not for Jew or Gentile as such, but for man as man; for the whole human family. One seventh part of time should be a time of rest from labor. This was to be a memorial day, and to be observed with reference to the day on which God rested from his works. “How much or how well this day was observed from Adam to Moses, we are not informed. Whether observed or not, it was equally binding. The observance of this day is one of the ten commandments. Ex. 20: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” This would imply that they had some knowledge of that day, and God commanded them to remember it. Then the reason for observing the day is stated: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore, the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it.” Therefore, it was to be observed as a memorial day; not because they were Jews, but because they were men; and the Sabbath was made for man. For another reason, the Jews were required to observe this day, viz.: because they had been delivered from their bondage in Egypt. The heathens might have had their memorial day. If so, it had nothing to do with what God required. The Lord gave particular directions to the Jews how this day should be observed. The reason of this might have been to distinguish this day from any days the heathen idol-worshipers might observe.” The above is the opening of a lengthy article on the subject of the origin of memorial days, by Eld. J. S. White, which we find in the World's Crisis Supplement. It is a clear statement of an important truth which we are pleased that the readers of that paper have an opportunity to read. After this testimony to the origin of the Sabbath, he gives the origin of the Sunday. Speaking of the various kinds of heathen worship, he says:— “They worshiped the sun and moon. They had a day once a year in which they celebrated their reverence for the sun. That time was in December, when the days are shortest. They did that with reference to the fact that the sun was about to return and make the days longer. From this worship of the sun has come the word Sunday, which is applied by some to the first day of the week. This word is of heathen origin. Some good people who would not follow the example of the heathen, do religiously apply the word Sunday to the day on which Christ rose from the dead.” Still he argues in favor of Sunday observance, in honor of the resurrection of the Saviour, though he is constrained to say: “There is no express command to observe that day.” Even so; and hence the observance is entirely unauthorized, a human innovation, erected as a Christian institution without any warrant of the Scriptures. How the writer can find it in his conscience to observe a day which has no divine sanction, to the neglect of that which God himself instituted at creation, which was made for man, binding upon man from the very creation, we are at a loss to conceive. The Sabbath has no heathen origin, nor uncertain traditional footing. It rests upon God's example, God's blessing and sanctification, and God's commandment. “Blessed is that man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.” Isa. 56: 2. Who sanctified the first day? who commanded its observance? who pronounced a blessing on the man that keeps the Sunday? “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8:26.