The Holy Scripture - english version B.indd - Sabbat

THE PRESENT TRUTH - April, 1850.289kept it not before. And in chap. 23dof the same book he writes thus: „TheEmperor sent an edict to all governorsof his provinces, that they shouldforthwith – [note, forthwith, a sign thatit was not observed before] - observethe first day; that they should honorthe days consecrated to the memoryof martyrs, and solemnly observe thefeasts of the church.“ Let it be notedhere also, how that with the first day‘sobservation, came in the observationof feasts of the church, and their holydays so called, consercrated to thememory of martyrs. And further hesaith, that all was performed accordingto the Emperor‘s command. This isto be specially noted, that all wasperformed – the first day‘s observationas well as the rest – all according to theEmperor‘s command. Eusebius dothnot say it was performed according tothe command of God {YAHWEH},but according to the command of theEmperor! Here is the command of man,and not of God ! Here is the bottomof the first day observation in theChristian church!We are yet to consider further in thismatter, that though he did endeavor tobring it in, it was not brought in afterthe manner that it is now kept; for heallowed working, huntings, markets,and fairs, upon the day, it occasionrequired; as did also the kings ofEngland, ,who, near one thousandyears after, gave forth decrees for itsobservation.Henry Bullinger, who, in his Treatiseto King Edward the sixth, in pages 143,144, speaks of Constantine‘s decreethus: „Let all judges in the courts oflaw, and citizens of occupations, restupon the Sunday, and keep it holy, withreverence and devotion; but they thatinhabited the country may freely and atliberty attend on their tillage.“ And heproposes á reason thus, „For oftentimesit falleth out, that they cannot uponanother day so commodiously sowtheir seed, or plant their vines; and byletting pass the opportunity of a littletime, they may hap to lose the profitgiven them of God for their provision.“And in page 140, he saith; „We donot find in any part of the apostles‘writings any mention made that theSunday was commanded us to be keptholy.“ Thus far Bullinger ingenuouslyacknowledged a thing very worthy ofcommendation.Socrates, in his Ecclesiastical History,in the 5th book, chap. 21, shows thatthe Sabbath, as it relates to the seventhday, was kept for several hundredyears after Christ; and though in histime, Sunday observation was withsome a little crept in, yet he reckons itbut a tradition. - His words are these,„Touching the communion there aresundry observations and customs,for though in a manner almost all thechurches throughout the whole worlddo celebrate and receive the holymysteries every Sabbath day after other,yet the people inhabiting Alexandriaand Rome do not use it. The Egyptiansadjoining to Alexandria, together withthe inhabitants of Thebes, of a tradition,do celebrate the communion on thistime, which was four hundred yearsand more after Christ, the Sabbath wasobserved almost throughout the wholeworld; and that it was the seventh-daySabbath, will appear if we considerthat it is distinctly distinguishedfrom the first day. 2d. He himselfreckons the first day‘s observationbut a TRADITION. In his sixth book,chap. 8, he speaks thus: „When thefestival meeting throughout every