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

hundreds of years than I spake of before, was
known in the church by the name of Sabbath but
that: let the collection thereof and conclusion of all
be this: The Sabbath of the seventh day as touching
the alligations of God's solemn worship to time
was ceremonial; that Sabbath was religiously
observed in the east church three hundred years
and more after our Saviour's passion. That church
being the great part of Christendom, and having the
apostles' doctrine and example to instruct them,
would have restrained it if it had been deadly."[20]
Such was the case in the eastern churches at the
end of the third century; but in such of the western
churches as sympathized with the church of Rome,
the Sabbath had been treated as a fast from the
beginning of that century, to express their
opposition toward those who observed it according
to the commandment.
In the early part of the fourth century occurred
an event which could not have been foreseen, but
which threw an immense weight in favor of
Sunday into the balances already trembling
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