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

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ead:--<br />

A.D.876. "Alfred <strong>the</strong> Great, was <strong>the</strong> first who<br />

united <strong>the</strong> Saxon Heptarchy, <strong>and</strong> it was not <strong>the</strong><br />

least part <strong>of</strong> his care to make a law that among<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r festivals this day more especially might be<br />

solemnly kept, because it was <strong>the</strong> day whereon our<br />

Saviour Christ overcame <strong>the</strong> devil; meaning<br />

Sunday, which is <strong>the</strong> weekly memorial <strong>of</strong> our<br />

Lord's resurrection, whereby he overcame death,<br />

<strong>and</strong> him who had <strong>the</strong> power <strong>of</strong> death, that is <strong>the</strong><br />

devil. And whereas before <strong>the</strong> single punishment<br />

for sacrilege committed on any o<strong>the</strong>r day, was to<br />

restore <strong>the</strong> value <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> thing stolen, <strong>and</strong> withal lose<br />

one h<strong>and</strong>, he added that if any person was found<br />

guilty <strong>of</strong> this crime done on <strong>the</strong> Lord’s <strong>Day</strong>, he<br />

should be doubly punished."[33]<br />

Nineteen years later, <strong>the</strong> pope <strong>and</strong> his council<br />

still fur<strong>the</strong>r streng<strong>the</strong>ned <strong>the</strong> sacred day. The<br />

council <strong>of</strong> Friburgh in Germany, A.D. 895, under<br />

Pope Formosus, decreed that <strong>the</strong> Lord’s <strong>Day</strong>, men<br />

"were to spend in prayers, <strong>and</strong> devote wholly to <strong>the</strong><br />

service <strong>of</strong> God, who o<strong>the</strong>rwise might be provoked<br />

657

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