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

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moderns, <strong>and</strong> we shall find no Lord’s <strong>Day</strong><br />

instituted by any apostolical m<strong>and</strong>ate; no <strong>Sabbath</strong><br />

set on foot by <strong>the</strong>m upon <strong>the</strong> first day <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

week."[16]<br />

Domville bears <strong>the</strong> following testimony, which<br />

is worthy <strong>of</strong> lasting remembrance:--<br />

"Not any ecclesiastical writer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first three<br />

centuries attributed <strong>the</strong> origin <strong>of</strong> Sunday<br />

observance ei<strong>the</strong>r to Christ or to his apostles."[17]<br />

"Patriotism" <strong>and</strong> "expediency," however,<br />

erelong elevated immeasurably above its fellows<br />

that one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se voluntary festivals which<br />

corresponded to "<strong>the</strong> wild solar holiday" <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

hea<strong>the</strong>n world, making that day at last "<strong>the</strong> Lord’s<br />

<strong>Day</strong>" <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Christian church. The earliest<br />

testimony in behalf <strong>of</strong> first-day observance that has<br />

any claim to be regarded as genuine is that <strong>of</strong><br />

Justin Martyr, written about A.D. 140. Before his<br />

conversion, he was a hea<strong>the</strong>n philosopher. The<br />

time, place, <strong>and</strong> occasion <strong>of</strong> his first Apology or<br />

Defense <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Christians, addressed to <strong>the</strong> Roman<br />

451

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