The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-04-12

md m the nature of historic evidence IS on the other side. For instance. none e! the Christian writers until after the fourth century. ever quoted the fourth com mandmen: as the ground or reason for the observance of Sunday. They did no, consider the t~o as being even anala- gous in nature or ln the obligation for IL. Again when the earlier Christian writers did give the reason for the religious os- servance of Sunday. they gave reasons which were not sanctioned by Divine au- thority, and had no place whatever in the bible Justin Martyr, the tirs, writer on the subject about 50 A. D. assigns the reasons for observing Sunday. which are #l.4 That on this day of the week the world and light were created. (1 That on this day also Jesus Christ, our Saw TOT. rose from the dead" He does no, pretend that God had author 1ed the keeping of the day. He does no, claim any sanction for t either in the Old or New Testament. nor in the precepts or example of the apostle. He simply says We. s.! ot Us. assemble on ,ha, day be- cause of these two reasons. Ongen. a half century later adds ano;her reason |. which IS that mama vas hrst gwen 10 the israelI,eS on Sunday. Later Chris tan writers giee various other reaseas. but not one uf them ever claimed that God commanded or sanctioned II. or tha; the apostles had even authorized II. IL has b3en inferred from the writings of lastin Martyr and others, that Christians IT his time were accustomed 10 work on sunday the same as other days except = fh f1r k...
 Teiiulilan. who wrote sometime later than ustin Martyr. says tha, Christians were III the habit of putting of even .heir business eu the Lords day. lest they migh; gIve place to the devil Ter de Ora,. ( s3l also tNeander's Church Hlsg l.. lo4l. that ,s lest the distraction oi worldly business might too much with y:Taw their thoughts from holy things. and leave them open to temptation.
 Inc hrs, law by which Sunday was transformed into Sabbath was the edlct oi Constantine. VT \. D.. winch $ in thls language lc, III lgdees inhabitants oi the cites ar,ihCers rest on the senera- ble Sunday But Tn the country husband men may freely and lawfully apply to the business of asraculiure. since II of;en happens that the sowing of seed and pi sntiHs ot yInes can no, be so adsan- ,aseoasly performed on any other day.
 etc. There Is no cleafer proof that up to this time ,he Christian church dld not gard the Sunday as Sal b th day than the simple fact that this edict. ieeaisxine the work ot husbandmen on sunday. was not resisted oI even criticised by any bishop. deacon. or pfesoSte, Christian IF Asia. Aiilea or Europe. IL IS absolute moral proof that up to ,ha, date Il was not considered wrong for men 10 work on S2nda! m any quarter of the Christian world. Luscious, some years later, IS the first who even ln,mates that the Jewish Sabbath was exchanged for the frs, day oi the week :; but even he does not base !, on Divlne authority. This is hsS language The word by the new cove nani translated and transferred the feast of the Sabbath ,o the morning light. and gave us the symbol of true rest. VII the saving Lords day. the tirst of the light" St. Chrysos,om, nearly 6o years later, glves II AS his oulnion ,ha; God from ;he beglnning offers US instruction typi- cally. teaching us 10 dedicate and separ. ate one day Tn seven wholly 10 employ ment In things spirltual-thus making the sabbath type of the Lords day and rest from bodily and res, in spiritual things From ihIs poin; in history we md a gradual movement toward a Sab batic observance of .he hrs; day of the week. Ths movement, however, was sligh, ,ill towards the end of ,he ;rh century and It was no, until SIS years ate. Christ that abstinence from agri-
 ultural labor on sunday was recom- Klended rather than enJolned by ecclcs- iast.ca Al authority" the third council of Orleans. the reason expressly given be- ing, noi that he scriptures or the apes toli- law required II. bu, " ,ha; the peo
 pie mlgh, have more leisure 10 go to church an! say their prayers" ], was noi indeed unili he close of the ninth century that Sunday A d day of rest vas established by iav ;hroughou, the Chris tan world. In other words. II took 900 years for ihe church 10 discover ,he fact, or to bele"e tha; :he seventh day had been superseded by the ngs, |, was no, Ill then :ha, :he fourth commandment; began 10 be generally quoted by the priesthood as Divine author; Hr keep ing sunday IS a sabbath it is well also 70 note the fac, that all of the reforrners took decided stand sgaIns, the Sabba.ic charae.er of sunday Luther vigorously opposed t. He simply held ,ha; Sun- day ~as pre-eminentiy a proper day to be se, p.r; for worship, prayer and re- ligious study Calvin took ;nc same po- sIiion. empaatically declaring ,ha, the oabba,n .s abolished with the balance of ,he ceremonial la~ He says that Chris, "ls the true fGlhllmen, of the Sab9ath. Christians. therefore. ought to depart from all supers,i,ioas ob- seEFance oi days. The Lord 5 day 10. observed by as upon the pr n- cip.es of edsisTn. For ~e celebrate il now wi:a s-flpElous rigor bei oniy u,e | AS g remedy necessary 10 the -presegt a;loa oi he church. Bu; the pt.neipz. gh.ae . be remembered IS the general do-:fae. ,he: les: religion decay CT ianggish among .s. sacred as sembies ought diligently ,o oe held, and taa; we ought to Use those es.eEnal means
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