Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-05-01
Rev. Father Sullivan Realizes to DR.. Cushing

To the Editor Of tie Register:
SIR:-In note published in the
REGISTER of this morning Rev. Dr..
Cushing cites the Scriptural passages
which, in his judgment, prove that
Christ abrogated the Jewish Sabbath
and instituted in its place the Christian
Sunday. The first Of these passages are
found, he tells us, in the twentieth
chapter of the Holy Gospel according to
St John. There the Evangelist records
the apparition of our Lord to His
Apostles on Easter Sunday; therefore,
DR.. Cushing would conclude our Lord
set aside the Jewish Sabbath and estab-
liShed the Christian Sunday! Clearly
this will appear to readers perhaps less
intelligent than Rev. DR.. Cushing as a
non ScQtituT. This passage contains
not syllable of proof in favor OF the
Protestant contIntion, On the occasion
mentioned. were the Apostles assem-
bled in that closed room for the pur-
poses of religious worship? No, they
were gathered there, st. John Says,
''for fear of the Jews When He visits
them again eight days later 1t was to
remove the incredulity Of Thomas. If
any religious services were then held,
the Bible is silent about them. Yet
this, forsooth, is the Scripture proof
that Sunday, not Saturday, must be
kept holy!
The passage cited by DR.. Cush-
ing from | Cor. WI. tells us
that collections were taken up on
Sunday; but passing around the
collection can hardly be construed
as an essential act of religious worship.
Does .he text supply the promised proof
that Christ, not the Church, command
ed the Sanctilication of the first day of
the week instead OF the seventh? 1t
certainly does not. DR.. Cushing quotes
passages from the Acts to show that the
| Christians met for the breaking Of bread
on the first day Of the week, and to
strengthen the argument which that
fact is supposed to furnish, DR.. Gushing
rashly asserts that such meetings took
place, after cur Lords resurrection,
only on the first day of the week. Well,
either he or the inspired wrter OF the
Acts is mistaken, because the latter
saws Acts ito: They continued
ddilu with one accord in the temple and
| broke bread from house to house.
Rev. DR.. Cushing also asserts that,
from this fact of the Christians meeting
always on Sunday, that day came to be
called The Lords Day" How does he
know this? Not from the New Tesla
ment: for in three out of the four
places where this expression occurs
| II. Cor. V. ): ii. Cor. i. IA, and and II.
Thess. :. y it certainly does not mean
the first day of the week. Where it oc-
ours in Rev. i. 10, there is no alluSion
whatever to any religious worship.
conclude, therefore, that Rev DR..
Cushing has utterly failed TO sustain
his position; failed to prove that Christ
abrogated the Jewish Sabbath and sub
stituted it for the Christian Sunday.
Permit me, however, TO remark in
conclusion, that Rev DR.. c. : prevalent
reference to some of the PopeS has nc
more to do with the matter in cOntro
verSy than would be an unSavory dis
QUESTION on The shortcomings of some
Methodist ministers, or the moral de-
linouincieS of the inspired writer OF
those psalms devoutly sung in all Chris
tian Churches.
JOHN T. SULLIVAN,
Rector of the Cathedral.
April 30. 1891.