SUNDAY AND FRIDAY

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 21, 1903

SUNDAY AND FRIDAY.

The observance of Friday as the weekly commemoration of Christ’s passion is based on the same authority as Sunday observance. It is a creation of the Catholic Church, and whatever of sanctity is claimed for Sunday attaches with equal force to Friday. The observance of both is of human origin, there being no divine authority for either. That both institutions stand on the same foundation is acknowledged by the Church of England, which follows Rome in her church days, and in many things else. On this point the Bible Echo, published in Melbourne, Australia, says:—

In the Church Congress, recently held in Adelaide, this condition of things was clearly seen. Archdeacon Whittington said: “We observe Sunday on the authority of the Church, . . . and the same church ordered the observance of Friday as the weekly commemoration of Christ’s Passion. He did not scruple to say on that account that he could very much more and conscientiously enter into amusements on Sunday afternoons than on Friday.”

The Rev. E. S. Hughes said: “High Churchmen, if they were going to urge Sunday observance, should see that Friday was not left out.”

And so the discussion proceeded. We are not surprised at this. We shall hear much more of it as apostasy deepens. In the days when the Papacy was developing, the same things were very prominent. Holidays multiplied, and a long train of ceremonies followed in their wake.