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

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Chapter 17<br />

The Nature <strong>of</strong> Early <strong>First</strong>-day<br />

Observance<br />

The history <strong>of</strong> first-day observance compared<br />

with that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> popes -- <strong>First</strong>-day observance<br />

defined in <strong>the</strong> very words <strong>of</strong> each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> early<br />

fa<strong>the</strong>rs who mention it -- The reasons which each<br />

had for its observance stated in his own words --<br />

Sunday in <strong>the</strong>ir judgment <strong>of</strong> no higher sacredness<br />

than Easter or Whitsunday, or even than <strong>the</strong> fifty<br />

days between those festivals -- Sunday not a day <strong>of</strong><br />

abstinence from labor -- The reasons which are<br />

<strong>of</strong>fered by those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m who rejected <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sabbath</strong><br />

stated in <strong>the</strong>ir own words<br />

The history <strong>of</strong> first-day observance in <strong>the</strong><br />

Christian church may be fitly illustrated by that <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> bishops <strong>of</strong> Rome. The Roman bishop now<br />

claims supreme power over all <strong>the</strong> churches <strong>of</strong><br />

Christ. He asserts that this power was given to<br />

Peter, <strong>and</strong> by him was transmitted to <strong>the</strong> bishops <strong>of</strong><br />

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