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Sabbath vs. Sunday

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 6, 1879

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 39, No. 8.

Read the full edition

Sabbath vs. Sunday.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

FORTY-SIX BIBLE FACTS CONCERNING THE SEVENTH DAY.

1. The great God rested on the seventh day. Ex. 31:17.
2. The Creator has blessed the seventh day. Ex. 20:11.
3. The Lord has sanctified the seventh day. Gen. 2:3.
4. It was made the Sabbath day in the garden of Eden. Gen. 2:1–3.
5. It was made before the fall of man. Gen. 2:1–3.
6. It was made for man. Mark 2:27.
7. It was a memorial or sign of creation. Ex. 31:17.
8. It was made 2300 years before there was a Jew.
9. It was given to the head of the human race. Mark 2:27.
10. Hence, through him as the representative, to all nations. Acts 17:26.
11. It was a part of God’s law before Sinai. Ex. 16:4, 27–29.
12. It was made a part of the moral law. Ex. 20:1–17.
13. It was commanded by God’s voice from heaven. Deut. 4:12, 13.
14. And that command was written by the finger of God. Ex. 31:18.
15. It was engraved in stone. Deut. 5:22.
16. It was deposited in the ark in the holy of holies. Deut. 10:1–5.
17. God pronounced death as the penalty for its violation. Ex. 31:14.
18. God forbade work upon it, even in the most hurrying time. Ex. 34:21.
19. God promised that Jerusalem should stand forever if they would keep it. Jer. 17:24, 25.
20. He sent the Jews into captivity for breaking it. Neh. 13:18.
21. God destroyed Jerusalem for its violation. Jer. 17:27.
22. God has pronounced a blessing on the Gentiles that will keep it. Isa. 56:6.
23. God has promised to bless any man that will keep it. Isa. 56:2.
24. The Lord requires his people to call it honorable. Isa. 58:13.
25. It was a sign between God and his people. Ex. 31:17.
26. By this, they were to know they were sanctified. Eze. 20:12.
27. All the holy prophets kept it.
28. The Son of God kept it. Luke 4:16; John 15:10.
29. He was its Lord, that is, to honor and protect it. Mark 2:27.
30. He vindicated it as a merciful institution. Matt. 12:7, 8.
31. He recognized the law of the Sabbath in the New Testament. Matt. 12:12.
32. He taught them how it should be kept. Matt. 12:1–13.
33. He taught them that it would exist forty years after the resurrection. Matt. 24:20.
34. The holy women kept it after the crucifixion. Luke 23:56.
35. It is called the Sabbath day twenty-two years after the resurrection. Acts 17:2.
36. It is called the Lord’s day. Rev. 1:10. Compare Ex. 20:8–11; Isa. 58:13; Mark 2:28.
37. Paul held prayer-meetings upon it. Acts 16:13.
38. He read the Scriptures upon it. Acts 17:23.
39. He preached upon it, at least, eighty-four times. Acts 13:14, 15, 42–44; 16:13; 17:3; 18:1–4, 11.
40. No dispute between Jews and Christians about the Sabbath; hence both kept it.
41. It is mentioned in the New Testament sixty times, always with respect as the Sabbath day.
42. It is not once said that the Sabbath is abolished or done away.
43. God has never given permission to any man to work upon it.
44. There is no record that God has removed his blessing or sanctification from it.
45. It is in that law that is binding in the gospel. Matt. 5:17–19; Rom. 3:31.
46. It will be kept eternally in the new earth. Isa. 66:22, 23.

FORTY BIBLE FACTS CONCERNING THE FIRST DAY.

1. The first thing recorded in the Bible is work done on the first day of the week. Gen. 1:1–5.
2. The Creator worked upon it. Gen. 1.
3. God commanded men to work upon it. Ex. 20:8–11.
4. None of the patriarchs kept it.
5. None of the holy prophets ever kept it.
6. Christ did not keep it during his whole life.
7. Hence he did work upon it.
8. The apostles worked upon it during the same time.
9. It is called a working day. Eze. 46:1.
10. God never rested upon it.
11. Christ never rested upon it.
12. No record that the apostles ever did.
13. God never blessed it.
14. Christ never blessed it.
15. It was never blessed by any divine authority.
16. It was never sanctified.
17. No law was ever given to keep it; hence it is no sin or transgression to work on it. 1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15.
18. The New Testament nowhere forbids work to be done on it.
19. No penalty is given for its violation.
20. No blessing is promised for its observance.
21. It is nowhere said that God wishes us to observe it.
22. It is never called the Christian Sabbath.
23. It is never called the Sabbath day at all.
24. It is never called the Lord’s day.
25. It is never called a rest day.
26. No sacred title whatever is applied to it.
27. It is called simply first day of the week.
28. Jesus never mentioned it in any way.
29. It is never said that the Sabbath was changed from the seventh to the first day.
30. If you keep it, “Who hath required this at your hands?” Isa. 1:12.
31. It is only mentioned eight times in the New Testament.
32. No regulation is given as to how it should be observed.
33. Paul required Christians to do secular business upon it. 1 Cor. 16:2.
34. Only one religious meeting is recorded upon that day. Acts 20:5–13.
35. It is not said that the disciples ever had a meeting on it before.
36. It is not intimated that they ever did afterward.
37. It is not said that it was their custom to meet on that day.
38. There is no requirement to meet and break bread on that day.
39. There is only one case where it was done. Acts 20:7.
40. That was done in the night after midnight. Acts 20:7–11.
D. M. CANRIGHT.