The Great Controversy - Righteousness is Love

526THIS WAS THE CASE FOR A TIME, IT SOON CEASED TO BE SO,AND IT WAS FOUND THAT PICTURES AND IMAGES BROUGHTINTO CHURCHES DARKENED RATHER THAN ENLIGHTENED THEMINDS OF THE IGNORANT--DEGRADED RATHER THANEXALTED THE DEVOTION OF THE WORSHIPER. SO THAT,HOWEVER THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN INTENDED TO DIRECTMEN'S MINDS TO GOD, THEY ENDED IN TURNING THEM FROMHIM TO THE WORSHIP OF CREATED THINGS."--J. MENDHAM,THE SEVENTH GENERAL COUNCIL, THE SECOND OF NICAEA,INTRODUCTION, PAGES III-VI.FOR A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND DECISIONS OF THESECOND COUNCIL OF NICAEA, A.D. 787, CALLED TO ESTABLISHTHE WORSHIP OF IMAGES, SEE BARONIUS, ECCLESIASTICALANNALS, VOL. 9, PP. 391-407 (ANTWERP, 1612); J. MENDHAM, THESEVENTH GENERAL COUNCIL, THE SECOND OF NICAEA; ED.STILLINGFLEET, DEFENSE OF THE DISCOURSE CONCERNING THEIDOLATRY PRACTICED IN THE CHURCH OF ROME (LONDON, 1686);A SELECT LIBRARY OF NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS, 2DSERIES, VOL. 14, PP. 521-587 (NEW YORK, 1900); CHARLES J.HEFELE, A HISTORY OF THE COUNCILS OF THE CHURCH, FROMTHE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS, B. 18, CH. 1, SECS. 332, 333; CH. 2,SECS. 345-352 (T. AND T. CLARK ED., 1896), VOL. 5, PP. 260-304,342-372.ORIGINAL TEXT PAGE 53. THE SUNDAY LAW OF CONSTANTINE.--THE LAW ISSUED BY THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE ON THESEVENTH OF MARCH, A.D. 321, REGARDING A DAY OF RESTFROM LABOR, READS THUS: "ALL JUDGES AND CITY PEOPLEAND THE CRAFTSMEN SHALL REST UPON THE VENERABLE DAYOF THE SUN. COUNTRY PEOPLE, HOWEVER, MAY FREELYATTEND TO THE CULTIVATION OF THE FIELDS, BECAUSE ITFREQUENTLY HAPPENS THAT NO OTHER DAYS ARE BETTERADAPTED FOR PLANTING THE GRAIN IN THE FURROWS OR THEVINES IN TRENCHES. SO THAT THE ADVANTAGE GIVEN BYHEAVENLY PROVIDENCE MAY NOT FOR THE OCCASION OF ASHORT TIME PERISH."--JOSEPH CULLEN AYER, A SOURCE BOOKFOR ANCIENT CHURCH HISTORY (NEW YORK: CHARLESSCRIBNER'S SONS, 1913), DIV. 2, PER. 1, CH. 1, SEC. 59, G, PP. 284,285.