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

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assembling was "to hear <strong>the</strong> saving word<br />

concerning <strong>the</strong> resurrection," to "pray thrice<br />

st<strong>and</strong>ing," to have <strong>the</strong> prophets read, to have<br />

preaching <strong>and</strong> also <strong>the</strong> supper.[13] These<br />

"Constitutions" not only give <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

worship on Sunday as just set forth, but <strong>the</strong>y also<br />

give us an idea <strong>of</strong> Sunday as a day <strong>of</strong> festivity:--<br />

"Now we exhort you, brethren <strong>and</strong> fellowservants,<br />

to avoid vain talk <strong>and</strong> obscene discourses,<br />

<strong>and</strong> jestings, drunkenness, lasciviousness, luxury,<br />

unbounded passions, with foolish discourses, since<br />

we do not permit you so much as on <strong>the</strong> Lord’s<br />

<strong>Day</strong>s, which are days <strong>of</strong> joy, to speak or act<br />

anything unseemly."[14]<br />

This language plainly implies that <strong>the</strong> so-called<br />

Lord’s <strong>Day</strong> was a day <strong>of</strong> greater mirth than <strong>the</strong><br />

o<strong>the</strong>r days <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> week. Even on <strong>the</strong> Lord’s <strong>Day</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>y must not speak or act anything unseemly,<br />

though it is evident that <strong>the</strong>ir license on that day<br />

was greater than on o<strong>the</strong>r days. Once more <strong>the</strong>se<br />

"Constitutions" give us <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong> Sunday<br />

observance: "Every <strong>Sabbath</strong> day excepting one,<br />

489

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