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History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week - John N. Andrews

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church began to apostatize from God <strong>and</strong> to foster<br />

in its bosom human ordinances, <strong>the</strong> hea<strong>the</strong>n world -<br />

- as <strong>the</strong>y had long done -- very generally observed<br />

<strong>the</strong> first day <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> week in honor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sun. Many<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> early fa<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> church had been hea<strong>the</strong>n<br />

philosophers. Unfortunately <strong>the</strong>y brought with<br />

<strong>the</strong>m into <strong>the</strong> church many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir old notions <strong>and</strong><br />

principles. Particularly did it occur to <strong>the</strong>m that by<br />

uniting with <strong>the</strong> hea<strong>the</strong>n in <strong>the</strong> day <strong>of</strong> weekly<br />

celebration <strong>the</strong>y should greatly facilitate <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

conversion. The reasons which induced <strong>the</strong> church<br />

to adopt <strong>the</strong> ancient festival <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hea<strong>the</strong>n as<br />

something made ready to h<strong>and</strong>, are thus stated by<br />

Morer:--<br />

"It is not to be denied but we borrow <strong>the</strong> name<br />

<strong>of</strong> this day from <strong>the</strong> ancient Greeks <strong>and</strong> Romans,<br />

<strong>and</strong> we allow that <strong>the</strong> old Egyptians worshiped <strong>the</strong><br />

sun, <strong>and</strong> as a st<strong>and</strong>ing memorial <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

veneration, dedicated this day to him. And we find<br />

by <strong>the</strong> influence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir examples, o<strong>the</strong>r nations,<br />

<strong>and</strong> among <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong> Jews <strong>the</strong>mselves, doing him<br />

homage; (2 Kings 23:5; Jer. 43:13, margin.) yet<br />

<strong>the</strong>se abuses did not hinder <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

445

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