We now inquire what change the papacy has undertaken to make in the law of God. By the law of God we mean, as already stated, the moral law, the only law in the universe of immutable and perpetual obligation, the law of which Webster says, defining the terms according to the sense in which they are almost universally used in christendom, "The moral law is summarily contained in the decalogue, written by the finger of God on two tables of stone, and delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai." If, now, the reader will compare the ten commandments as found in Roman Catholic catechisms with those commandments as found in the Bible, he will see in the catechisms that the second commandment is left out, that the tenth is divided into two commandments to make up the lack of leaving out the second, and keep good the number ten, and that the fourth commandment (called the third in their enumeration) is made to enjoin the observance of Sunday as the Sabbath, and prescribe that the day shall be spent in hearing mass devoutly, attending vespers, and reading moral and pious books. Here are several variations from the decalogue as found in the Bible. Which of them constitutes the change in the law intended in the prophecy? or are they all included in that change? Let it be borne in mind that, according to the prophecy, he was to think to change times and laws. This plainly conveys the idea of intention and design, and makes these qualities essential to the change in question. But respecting the omission of the second commandment, Catholics argue that it is included in the first, and hence, should not be numbered as a separate commandment. And on the tenth, they claim that there is so plain a distinction of ideas as to require two commandments. So they make the coveting of a neighbor's wife the ninth commandment, and the coveting of his goods the tenth. In all this they claim that they are giving the commandments exactly as God intended to have them understood. So, while we may regard them as errors in their interpretation of the commandments, we cannot set them down as intentional changes. Not so, however, with the fourth commandment. Respecting this commandment they do not claim that their version is like that given by God. They expressly claim a change here, and also that the change has been made by the church. A few quotations from standard Catholic works will make this matter plain. The following from "Butler's Catechism," shows how the ten commandments are numbered and taught in that church:— "ON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
"Ques. Say the ten commandments of God.
"Ans. 1. I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not have strange gods before me, etc. 2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 3. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. 4. Honor thy father and thy mother. 5. Thou shalt not kill. 6. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 7. Thou shalt not steal. 8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods." The same catechism then amplifies on the third commandment (the fourth in our enumeration) as follows:— "Ques. Say the third commandment.
"Ans. Remember that keep holy the Sabbath day.
"Q. What is commanded by the third command ment?
"A. To spend the Sunday in prayer and other religious duties.
"Q. Which are the chief duties of religion in which we should spend the Sundays?
"A. Hearing mass devoutly; attending vespers, or evening prayers; reading moral and pious books; and going to communion.
"Q. The hearing of mass, then, is not sufficient to sanctify the Sunday?
"A. No; a part of the day should also be given to prayer and good works."—Butler's Catechism, p. 26. In the "Catholic Catechism of Christian Religion," further instruction is given on the third (fourth) commandment, with the authority for the change as shown by the following questions and answers:— "Ques. What does God ordain by this commandment?
"Ans. He ordains that we sanctify in a special manner, this day on which he rested from the labor of creation.
"Q. What is this day of rest?
"A. The seventh day of the week, or Saturday; for he employed six days in creation, and rested on the seventh. Gen. 2:2; Heb. 4:1, etc.
"Q. Is it, then, Saturday we should sanctify in order to obey the ordinance of God?
"A. During the old law Saturday was the day sanctified; but the church, instructed by Jesus Christ, and directed by the Spirit of God, has substituted Sunday for Saturday; so now we sanctify the first, not the seventh, day. Sunday means, and now is, the day of the Lord.
"Q. Had the church power to make such change?
"A. Certainly, since the Spirit of God is her guide, the change is inspired by that Holy Spirit." In another Catholic work, called the "Abridgment of Christian Doctrine," the Catholic church asserts its power to change the law, in the following manner:— "Ques. How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days?
"Ans. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church.
"Q. How prove you that?
"A. Because by keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the church's power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin; and by not keeping the rest by her commanded, they again deny, in fact, the same power." In a work entitled "The Christian Sabbath," or "Way to Keep Holy the Day of Rest," by the late Rev. Roman Catholic priest, Thomas Enright, D.D., of Fitzpatrick, Mo., a well-known Catholic authority, we find the following:— "As I have repeatedly stated, the church is the infallible teacher and interpreter of the word of God; authority is her life; and that this authority is proved from the fact of her changing the most important commandment of the decalogue, is certain.
"1. The Bible says, 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.' The Catholic church says, 'No; by my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep the first day of the week.' And lo! the entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic church.
"2. The Pope has power to change times and laws where there is question of the law of God itself." In accordance with these claims, the various catechisms from which we have quoted, and other standard Catholic works, make the following clear and concise statement:—