Mormon Evidence for Sunday-Keeping by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 19, 1871

Mormon Evidence for Sunday-Keeping.

By John Norton Loughborough

In No. 20, of last volume of the REVIEW, is a note from Bro. Smith copying a statement from Bro. Canright relative to the statement made in No. 13 that a Mormon Elder said that Joseph Smith had a revelation that Sunday should be kept as the Sabbath, and that two Mormons had written to the office denying that any such revelation was ever given.

I can say with Bro. Canright that “I care but little about what revelations Joseph Smith has given about the Sunday Sabbath.” Neither do I doubt but the Mormon in Leon, Iowa, made the very statement Bro. Canright says he did; but if the Mormons believe the book called “Doctrines and Covenants” to be what it purports to be, revelations of Joseph Smith, I do not see how they could conclude otherwise than that Joseph taught them to keep Sunday.

But as a settler of how the Mormons on this coast understand the matter I will quote from their writings on the subject. Before me is a catechism of eighty-four pages entitled “A Catechism for the Children of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California.” In chapter fifteen, on pages 53 and 54, we read:

“Q. What does the fourth commandment teach us?

“A. To keep holy the Sabbath-day. Ex. 20: 8–11.

“Repeat this commandment.”

Then follows a quotation of the fourth commandment and the questions continue.

“Q. If God commanded that the seventh day of the week should be kept holy as the Sabbath, how is it that people keep Sunday, which is the first day of the week?

“A. On the first day of the week the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and appeared to his disciples, and in honor or remembrance of his resurrection professing Christians keep that day, instead of the seventh, holy as the Sabbath. But the Jews, who do not believe in Christ, keep holy the seventh day, or Saturday.

“Q. Which day do the Latter-day Saints keep holy?

“A. The first day of the week.

“Q. Is this in accordance with the will of the Lord?

“A. Yes. Joseph Smith received instruction from the Lord to that effect.”

Then follows two quotations from the Book of Doctrines and Covenants from chapters 19 and 22, which this Catechism claims as proof for Sunday-keeping. To all candid, we would say, This Catechism of the Mormons certainly teaches the observance of Sunday on the authority of Joseph Smith. The two men who wrote to the office perhaps were not willing to admit what the Mormon elder in his simplicity had truthfully stated and Bro. Canright truthfully chronicled. And so we let it pass.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.