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

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unfrequently treated in this very manner. The first<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se ancient Sabbatarian bodies was <strong>the</strong><br />

Nazarenes. Of <strong>the</strong>se, Morer testifies that,<br />

They "retained <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sabbath</strong>; <strong>and</strong> though <strong>the</strong>y<br />

pretended to believe as Christians, yet <strong>the</strong>y<br />

practiced as Jews, <strong>and</strong> so were in reality nei<strong>the</strong>r<br />

one nor <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r."[12]<br />

And Dr. Frances White, lord bishop <strong>of</strong> Ely,<br />

mentions <strong>the</strong> Nazarenes as one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ancient<br />

bodies <strong>of</strong> <strong>Sabbath</strong>-keepers who were condemned<br />

by <strong>the</strong> church leaders for that heresy; <strong>and</strong> he<br />

classes <strong>the</strong>m with heretics as Morer has done.[13]<br />

Yet <strong>the</strong> Nazarenes have a peculiar claim to our<br />

regard, as being in reality <strong>the</strong> apostolic church <strong>of</strong><br />

Jerusalem, <strong>and</strong> its direct successors. Thus Gibbon<br />

testifies:--<br />

"The Jewish converts, or, as <strong>the</strong>y were<br />

afterwards called, <strong>the</strong> Nazarenes, who had laid <strong>the</strong><br />

foundations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> church, soon found <strong>the</strong>mselves<br />

overwhelmed by <strong>the</strong> increasing multitudes, that<br />

from all <strong>the</strong> various religions <strong>of</strong> poly<strong>the</strong>ism<br />

578

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