Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-03-02

said, Peace be Unto YOU" According 10 the
Jewish mode Of reckonias days, the FIRST assen-
bly, having been on the euenins Of the FIRST, was
on the commencement Of the second day; and that
held eight days afterwards, was on the third
Ifihese two verses bear upon The subject, they
go far towards proving the onexistenee oil the
motive attributed to the disciples.
Third Rev. lst and loth.-"I was in the
spirit on the Lords days" Sc. On this express
sion will quote an argument from an able VIII
ter, to whom am indebted for some other
views in this communication. "rhis, says ne,
sis taken for the FIRST day Of the week, bu, the
assumption is gratuitous, for no where In the
Bible is the FIRST day Of the week called the
Lords day. In many places we read, 10 scrip
ture, concerning s,he day Of the Lord ye, who
believes that there is in these passages any re-
ference to particular day Of the week! Butts
not every day the Lords! and, if the first day
Of the week only is his, TO whom-do the other
six belong; or where is the difference between
the day Of the Lord and the Lords day."
Fourth Acts 30 aud 7:-"And upon the trs'
day Of the week, when the disciples came to-
gether to break bread, Paul preached un:o
them, ready 10 depart on the morrow, and con-
tinued his speech until midnight" 1t appears
from this that the disciples assembled 10 oreas
bread, or ia other words, TO take their evening
meal, ard Paul, on account Of his expected de-
parture the next morning, took advantage OF the
number collected, to preach to them.
Fifth LIST Corinthians, LIST and 2d.-"Now
concerning the collection for the Saints, as
have given order 10 the Churches Of Gallati q,
even 50 do e. Upon the frs, day OF the week
let every one Of you lay by him in store, as God
hath prospered him, that there be no ga>
therings when I come" Here is a direction
to the Corinthians 10 collect money on Sunday,
bu, no mention made Of its particular appro-
pria,ion as day Of worship, and the assnmp-
sion Of the fact is gratuitous. But though
there be no evidence in Scripture that Sunday
was instituted By Divine command as Sa6bafh,
vet there is testimony in the writings Of some
Of the ancient Christians to prove, that Oh il
the y assembled to worship; yet to those who
make the Bible their only guide, this authority
is no, binding. Justin Martyr says: "On Sun
day the Christians assembled together, because
il was the Fl, st day Of The week, on which God
out Of the confused chaos, made the world, and
tests Christ, our Saviour, rose from the deadfor
on Friday he was cruci6ed, and on Sunday he
sRgsarsau e his psehRsfa sp SoW besve
If we refer 20 the sentiments OF the same wri
ter, quoted below, from his dialogue with Try
pho the Jew, we shall find that he could not,
in this passage, have spoken OF the Gay as a day
OF rest, or as one observed after the manner oil
the Jewish Sabbath.
Justin Martyr and Tertullian, who lived in
the second century, are said to have declaimed
violently, through all their writings, against
"Sabbalising;" tu, it is no, likely they would
have been SO inconsistent as TO oppose, with We
hemence, this practice OF The Jews, IL the
Christians had been in the habit Of keeping an
other day in the same manner. There can, then,
be no inference (Which does not conflict with
the view have taken) drawn from the writings
Of the ancient Fathers, proving that they con
sidered Sunday as Sabbath.
In Colossians I'd, 10th and 18th, ST. Paul
speaks Of the observance of"an holy day."
new moon," and ",be Sabbath days." as ga sha-
dow Of thing. TO Gomez" "but," says he, ",he
body is Of Christ" There is no probability
tina, he would have called one Gay the shadow
of another, which is as simply cay as it; nor
would he have fallen into this Inconsistency in
relation TO modes Of observance, for the SUBJ
stance is different in nature from the shadow.
But in Galatians 4th, 9th, 10Th and ll,b, he
more clearly expresses his opinion Of this prac-
tiee. He tells them, that by observing "days
and months, and times and years." (all the di.
visions Of time that any people could be sup
posed to observe,) they are turning again to
the weak and beggarly elements wnereun.o''
they "desire again TO be in bondage;" and adds,
am afraid Of you, lest have bestowed upon