p. 6 | Sabbath and Sunday Not Synonymous by Arthur L. Manous

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Apr 18, 1912

Sabbath and Sunday Not Synonymous

By Arthur L. Manous

ARTHUR L. MANOUS

SOME time ago a friend extended to the writer the following invitation:—

“When you want to be in a good Sabbath-school, come down to — any Sunday at 2:30 P. M.”

That the words Sabbath and Sunday do not mean the same, and therefore should not be used synonymously may be seen from the following quotations:—

1. “Nearly every language of the Continent affords (testimony) to the difference between Sabbath and Sunday, by the names of the two days.”—“Sunday; Its Origin, History,” etc., by James A. Hessey, D. C. L., 4th edition, page 185.

2. “Sabbath, in the Hebrew language, signifies rest, and is the seventh day of the week.”—Buck’s Theological Dictionary, article “Sabbath.”

3. “Sabbath is not strictly synonymous with Sunday. Sabbath denotes the institution; Sunday is the name of the first day of the week.”—Webster’s Dictionary, article “Sabbath.”

4. “In the middle ages Sabbath meant only Saturday. First used in England for Sunday in 1554.”—American Encyclopedia, article “Sabbath.”

5. “Sunday is of heathen origin (like our designations of the other days of the week), and means ‘the day of the sun,’ or ‘sacred to the god of the sun.’ It does not occur in the Bible, but is now in common use for the first day of the week.”—Schaff’s Bible Dictionary, article “Sunday.”

In view of the foregoing, can any one go to Sabbath-school on Sunday, the day after the Sabbath?