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

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Sunday festival, <strong>and</strong> in <strong>the</strong> church <strong>of</strong> Rome <strong>of</strong><br />

which he was <strong>the</strong>n a member.<br />

6. The extensive observance <strong>of</strong> Sunday as a<br />

hea<strong>the</strong>n festival. The first day <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> week<br />

corresponded to <strong>the</strong> widely observed hea<strong>the</strong>n<br />

festival <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sun. It was <strong>the</strong>refore easy to unite <strong>the</strong><br />

honor <strong>of</strong> Christ in <strong>the</strong> observance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day <strong>of</strong> his<br />

resurrection with <strong>the</strong> convenience <strong>and</strong> worldly<br />

advantage <strong>of</strong> his people in having <strong>the</strong> same festival<br />

day with <strong>the</strong>ir hea<strong>the</strong>n neighbors, <strong>and</strong> to make it a<br />

special act <strong>of</strong> piety in that <strong>the</strong> conversion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

hea<strong>the</strong>n was <strong>the</strong>reby facilitated, while <strong>the</strong> neglect<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ancient <strong>Sabbath</strong> was justified by stigmatizing<br />

that divine memorial as a Jewish institution with<br />

which Christians should have no concern.<br />

Notes:<br />

1. Irenaeus Against Heresies, book iv. chap. xv.<br />

sect. 1.<br />

2. Irenaeus Against Heresies, book iv. chap. xvi.<br />

sect. 4.<br />

3. Theophilus to Autolycus, book ii. chap. xxvii.<br />

562

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