Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-08-02


ilized world celebrate epochs Of important
events. And SO the christian world remem-
Der the day of the week in which their re.
demption was completed. Hence all the meet.
ings OF christians mentioned in the New Tesla
lament, as we shall see Directly were held on
the hrst day OF the week. and history shows
that day to be the christian Sabbath or
Lords day ever SINCE
The first meeting Of the deciples of Christ,
after the day of His resurrection is recorded
in John 20: 20, which says "And after eight
days again his deciples were within, and
Thomas was with them.' 1t appears from 9.
"a, that Thomas was not with them at their
first meeting in the evening of the day of
the resurrection. and doubted the truth of it,
when told but was present at their next
weekly meeting eight days later. There is no
intmation OF any such meeting on any other
day of the intervening week. One would
think that so important an event would have
called them together every day, if there had
been no object in meeting on the first day,
and now, eight days after the greatest event in
the history Of the world, they met again in
honor of ii. "And Jesus came, the door be-
ing shut, and stood in the midst, and said,
peace be unto YOU The same as in their first
meeting.
In counting time the Jews included both
days mentioned, which made week the eighth
day. In Luke 9 80, it is said "And it came
to pass, about an eight days alters evidently
meaning week. Ii the month begins on
Sunday, the next Sunday will be the eighth
day of it.
In Acts 90: 7, it is said "And upon the
first day of the week, when the deciples came
together, to break bread, Paul preached unto
am nt.nL IL, IL
an early christian indication of christian love !;
and their meeting to do so on the first day of
the week, shows that to be their Sabbath or
Lords day. And Paurs preaching to them on
that day, shows it to be their day of worship.
Though worship might, and often was done on
other days of the week; yet the manner in
which this meeting is carried on with the first
day of the week, and the object of the meets
ing, the breaking Of bread, shows it to have
been their Sabbath
In l Cor. 16 2, Paul gives directions for
taking their charitable collections in these
words: "Upon the first day of the week let
every one of you lay by him in store, as God
hath prospered him, that there be no gather
ing when l come. Why was this to be done
{ the first day of the week if it was not their
day of worship when they would meet as a
matter of course ? And it being a religious coll
lection for the benefit of the poor, it was fitting
ard proper to take ON that day, and in the
place of their religious worship.
There is not single instance of Christ's
appearing to his disciples after his resurrecs
ton, except upon the first day Of the week !;
nor is there an instance mentioned of meet
ing for religious worship except on the first
day of the week. One or two cases Of prayer
on the sea shore at the departure of the
apostles are mentioned, but they are not noted
as regular days of worship. When the aposs
ties wentinto new places to preach they some-
times went to the Jewish synagogue on their
Sabbath, to reach the Jews, because they were
there assembled on that day But in all cases
as soon as a christian church was organized
their regular meetings for worship were held
on the first day of the week, as Acts 20: Z,
and Cor. l6 2, shows.
In Rev. 10, we are told that John twas
in the spirit (of devotion) on the Lords day !;
cit being the first day of the week, so undcr-
stood and accepted in all ages of the church,
and though John was alone, Except the Lordl
he remembered the christian Sabbath day, 10
keep it holy, and, when the disciples met on
that day, Jesus appeared unto him, as he had
to them, as if to continue to consecrate the
day.
In trying men in courts, on circumstantial
evidence, it is required that the circumstances
will admit of no other construction or expla.
nation, to be proof of guilt, or innocense. So
in this case. Here is chain of circumstances
all pointing to the first day of the week as
being the christian Sabbath or Lords day ;
and they will admit of no other construction.
Here, with the acknowledged fact that the
apostles acted under divine inspiration in orr
ganizng the chrstion church, so that their
acts and doings was equivalent to a thus
L. 4 L.
doubt bus that the first day of the week is
the christian Sabbath or Lords day.
And as God fixed upon the seventh day of
the week for the Sabbath in commemoration
of the creation; it was competent for Him to
change it to the first day of the week, in COM
memoration of greater day than the finishing
of the creation as the poet says;
','Twas great to speak the world from naught,
Twas greater to redeem
And now, Sir, | will state frankly, that
write without the least expectation of the
offered reward, for the reasons first above
stated but | write to prevent the moral
effect you evidently sought that is, if no one
answered, you would claim and boast that no
one could do so. But if, contrary to all ex-
pcctation, you should wave the conditions of
''bringing it to the tent" and the writer living
"ia Grant county :" and accept this as the
proofs demanded, you can send the proffered
reward in post Office order. But you must
have more money than | have to give S25. 90
for any amount of information on any subject
Yet the information herein given may be
worth Infinitely more to you than the reward
offered for Christ says: "Whosoever there's
fore shall break the least of these command
ments, and shall teach men so, he shall be
called the least in the kingdom of heaven"
Matt 8 10. This you have done, and are
doing. ALFRED BRUNsoN.
Prairie du CHEN, Wis. July %, 1877.