HISTORY OF THE SABBATH.
By Editor
We presume it is not necessary for us to call the attention of the reader to that interesting feature of the REVIEW, the History of the Sabbath and First-day, from the pen of Bro. Andrews, now in process of publication, to insure for it a careful and thorough perusal. We need to be well posted up on this subject. Opinions grievously erroneous concerning the origin of First-day observance have been imbibed and are perhaps honestly entertained by multitudes who have no means of testing their accuracy. These need to be corrected. A vast cloud of superstition on this subject, like smoke from the bottomless pit, has arisen and darkened the whole land. This cloud must be dispersed. The light of truth will disperse it. A correct history of the steps by which this bantling of heathenism and papery, a Sunday sabbath, has grown into existence, and an unperverted statement of the testimony of those who lived in the times when this took place, will dispel the erroneous impressions from all minds save such as choose to be willfully ignorant, and are willing to be deceived. Our opponents are very bold and assuming on this subject. Whether this arises from any conviction that people are not generally prepared to expose the fallacy of their statements, we will not say; but it can be accounted for on that principle of logic which says that "it is of the nature of sophistry boldly to assume, and to supply by a show of confidence the want of a true and adequate basis." It is time that the ignorance or deception of such be fully exposed. As an illustration of what we are liable to meet on this subject, we give the following extracts from a writer in the "Wesleyan," about a year ago, over the signature of "Awleph." On the change of the Sabbath he has the assurance to speak as follows: "What say ecclesiastical historians on the subject? What the apostolic and primitive fathers? Do they bear witness to the observance of the first day Sabbath? Do they ascribe to the command of Christ, and to the inspired founders of apostolic churches the transfer of this holy rest from the seventh to the first day of the week? To this inquiry, I answer: There is no one subject of historical record on which all the early christian writers more completely harmonize than on this. It was the general custom of all the primitive churches to observe the Lord's day as their weekly Sabbath, and in support of this custom, they never refer to their own wishes or authority, but to divine authority, to apostolic order and sanction. I believe it is not in the power of any man to name even one person of regular standing in the church of Christ during the first sixteen hundred years of the Christian era, who has spoken one word against the sacredness of the first day Sabbath, but scores can be found who have spoken of it as the day which God has blessed and sanctified as the weekly Sabbath under the gospel." "Some who wish to retain the Jewish and reject the Christian Sabbath, tell us that there is no evidence that the latter was observed as the Sabbath for several hundred years after the apostles. There are several pamphlets circulating in this region and at the East and West containing the above statement, which is a gross misrepresentation of fact and the most unjustifiable perversion of history. But, for the honor of Christianity, it is to be hoped that this declaration is made more from a want of information and consideration than from a thorough knowledge and recollection of what the fathers have written on this subject." Perhaps the writer of the above has deluded himself into a belief of the declarations he has made; but upon how good ground the reader can judge, as Bro. A.'s History proceeds. We may occasionally hold up some others of Awleph's declarations by the side of pure truth; but the above extracts place him in a position sufficiently unenviable for once. We close these remarks by calling the attention of the reader to one fact. It will be observed that those pretending to give history in favor of the first day of the week, seem to find it inconvenient (we might say impossible) to verify their quotations by a reference to the volume and page of the author quoted. Equally conspicuous will be the fact that the history now going through this paper does refer the reader to the volume, page, section or paragraph of every author quoted, so that those who are so disposed and have opportunity may look up the matter for themselves and learn that whatever is said may be depended on as correct.