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SABBATH AGITATION

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 11, 1877

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 50, No. 15.

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SABBATH AGITATION.

By James H. Waggoner

Eld. N. Summerbell, editor of the Herald of Gospel Liberty, the Christian paper of Dayton, Ohio, has published some truths in regard to the Sabbath which greatly stirs up the prejudices of some members of that church. In the Herald of June 16, 1877, a sermon is copied from the Cincinnati Commercial (a copy of which will be found in another column), which places the Sabbath on its true basis.
The following question and answer appeared in the Herald a few months since:—
“Bro. Summerbell, Please answer the following questions:—
“Who changed the Sabbath day, and when was it changed from the seventh day to the first day of the week?
“Reply: There is no record of any one changing it. Christ reproved the rigor of its Jewish observance. Christianity did away the penalties of the Jewish State law, by doing away the Jewish law. This left the Sabbath on the Eden, patriarchal, and decalogue basis, without the human penalties. Christ rose on the first day, which caused the early Christians to hold it sacred, and hold meetings and communion on that day. Constantine released all his subjects from work on the first day; and as all Christians were his subjects, they all made it a holy day; and all Christian nations, with few exceptions, have continued to keep it.”
The following from the Inter-Ocean of Chicago, is right to the point. With such statements sent forth to the thousands of readers of this popular paper, and such as are being constantly published by other papers, the truth on the Sabbath question is like to find its way to all classes.
“1. Who changed the Sabbath day, and when? 2. Is Sunday the first day of the week?
“Ans. 1. The change of the day of worship from the Sabbath, or the last day of the week, to Sunday, or the first day of the week, was done by the early Christians, but the work was so gradual that it is almost impossible to determine when the one left off and the other began. It was not until after the Reformation that the change was confirmed by any legal enactment. In the first ages after Christ it does not appear that the Christians abstained from their regular business upon that day, but they were accustomed to meet early in the day, and indulge in singing and some other religious services. It was not until the beginning of the third century that it became customary for Christians to abstain from their worldly business and occupation on that day. It was accounted a day for rejoicing, and it was customary to devote some portion of the day to sports and pastimes, which practice continued until the Reformation. Plays were performed at the English court during the reign of Elizabeth, and even down to the time of Charles I. As soon, however, as the Christian religion became recognized, laws were enacted for the observance of the Sunday. Constantine, in 321, ordered the suspension “of proceedings in law courts, and all other business except agricultural,” which is the first legal restriction. These laws were enlarged in their restrictions, but even as late as Edward VI. (about 1543), Sunday was classed among the holy days with Christmas, Good Friday, etc. This law was drawn by Cranmer. When the Puritans and other strict religionists gained the ascendancy, they began to style Sunday, a term which they thought to be profane as having been derived from Saxon idolatry, the Sabbath or the Lord’s day. From this time the religious character of the Sabbath became attached strongly to Sunday, which has been maintained ever since. 2. Yes.”
Seldom do we find more truth compressed into so small space than is contained in the above answers. The wonder every day increases why people will cling to Sunday as a Christian ordinance in the entire absence of proof of its possessing any Christian origin or character.
J. H. Waggoner.