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

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Agatho <strong>the</strong>re sat <strong>the</strong> twelfth council <strong>of</strong> Toledo in<br />

Spain, A.D. 681, where <strong>the</strong> Jews were forbid to<br />

keep <strong>the</strong>ir own festivals, but so far at least observe<br />

<strong>the</strong> Lord’s <strong>Day</strong> as to do no manner <strong>of</strong> work on it,<br />

whereby <strong>the</strong>y might express <strong>the</strong>ir contempt <strong>of</strong><br />

Christ or his worship.' "[18]<br />

These were weighty reasons indeed for Sunday<br />

observance. Nor can it be thought strange that in<br />

<strong>the</strong> Dark Ages a constant succession <strong>of</strong> such things<br />

should eventuate in <strong>the</strong> universal observance <strong>of</strong><br />

that day. Even <strong>the</strong> Jews were to be compelled to<br />

desist from <strong>Sabbath</strong> observance, <strong>and</strong> to honor<br />

Sunday by resting on that day from <strong>the</strong>ir labor. The<br />

earliest mention <strong>of</strong> Sunday in English statutes<br />

appears to be <strong>the</strong> following:--<br />

A.D.692. "Ina, king <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> west Saxons, by <strong>the</strong><br />

advice <strong>of</strong> Cenred his fa<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>and</strong> Heddes <strong>and</strong><br />

Erkenwald his bishops, with all his aldermen <strong>and</strong><br />

sages, in a great assembly <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> servants <strong>of</strong> God,<br />

for <strong>the</strong> health <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir souls, <strong>and</strong> common<br />

preservation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> kingdom, made several<br />

constitutions, <strong>of</strong> which this was <strong>the</strong> third: 'If a<br />

647

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