The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-07-15

In the issue OF your paper of June
2Sth was an article from the pen of
Stewart Carlisle, concerning the Sab
bath and Its change from the seventh
to the first day Of the week.
After making this statement: would
men who understand and know God
ever be found guilty OF changing HE
Sabbath from the seventh day to that
OF the first day OF tho week. No; never,
never" he asked this question: who.
then. has had the moral ~ hardihood
to do soT BY your permission we will
try and give the date and the parties
thus guilty Of changing times and
laws.'-Daniel VII. rs.
There is no question but the fourth
beast OF the seventh chapter of Dan
lei is a symbol OF the Roman Empire
In Its Pagan form. ana that the ten
horns upon the head OF that beast,
Bymbolizes the ten divisions into
which that empire was divided be-
tween the years A. ID. $50 and 4S3, and
that the little horn that had eyes like
the eyes Of a man. Dan. VII; 8: is a
continuation Of that plre In its pro-
fessedly christian character. To this
period Of time we have to look for the
fulfillment of verse rs OF this seventh
chapter OF Daniel. Is 1t true, that any
man, or any class OF men, since the
days of the apostles. have made any
attempts to change the Sabbath from
the seventh day to the first day OF the
week?
II there have been and we can give
the date and name the party, then the
information sought by MIR. O. will be
furnished.
Cham bers' Enc. vol. X, page sci,
says: 'At what date the SUNDAY, oil
first day Of the week, began to be gen
orally used by Christians as o stated
time for religious meetings, We have nc
definite information, either In the New
Testament or in the writings of the
I fathers OF the church. BY none OF the
fathers before the 4th century is II
identified with the Sabbath. nor is the
duty OF observing 1t grounded by them
either on the fourth commandment OF
on the precept or example OF jesus Oh
his apostles. &C."
Then II the observance OF Sunda,
was not grounded upon any precepi
or example of Jesus, or the apostles
before the fourth century, by what law
then lie 1t eDjoined? Again, on page 52z
OF vol. X. Chambers Enc, weread:
But whatever RAY have been the
opinion and practice of these early
Christians in regard TO cessation from
|
the first law. either ecclesiastical or civil
by which the Sabbatical observance oil
that day is known to have been or
dained, il the edict of Constantine. A
ID. S2l. of which the following lie {
iranslation:
Let all judges, Inhabitants OF cities
and artiticers, rest on the venerable
Sunday. But in the country, husband
men may freely and lawfully apply K
tho business OF agriculture; ETC..
(itallcs arc mine.) There are other
who have spoken upon this subject be
side Chambers. SchaT and Herzog il
an article on Sunday legislation give;
the following: Civil legislation il
behalf OF the observance OF sunday, a.
distinguished from ecclesiastical Of
purely religious ordinances, com
menced with the famous statute o.
Constantine CA. d. 32l." Schaff-
Herzog. Enc. of Religious knowledge
Vol. ~ page 2460.
Then he gives the law which Cons tan
tine enacted, the same In substance tc
the one given by Chambers
Herzog, also admits on page 2259, vol
~, that no regulations for it's (Sun
day) observance are laid down in thu
New Testament, nor, indeed, Is it,
Sunday observance even enjoined.
I a
Smiths Diet. OF the Bible. again thu
observance OF the Lords Day" (Sun
day. as Sabbath would have beer
well.nigh impossible to the majority
OF Christians In the first ages.
"W hen the curly fathers speak OF the
Lords day. they sometimes. perhaps
by comparing, connect 1t with the
Sabbath, but we have never found Q
passage pi svious to the conversion oil
Constantine. prohibitory of any worl
or occupation on the former (Sun-
day. and any such, did 1t exist,
! would have been in great measure
migratory, for the reasons just alleged
After Constantine, things becnme diff
| Again, on page 4S6, Smith says 'loui
years before tho Ecumenical Council
of Elcaea. 1t (the First day, or Lord't
day. WINS recognized by Constantin,
hin his celebrated edict, as the veneer
able day of the sun" This edict wa
put forth In A. ID. 321.
This was the first judicial support
that Sunday observance ever had, anC
the exemption clause, permitting
country people to carry on their agri
culture pursuits. was not repealed
until about the close Of the ninth cen
tury, which was done by the Emperor
Leo, "the philosopher" See Cham
bers Enc. of Universal knowledge
i vol. X, page 523.
More might be given but the abov,
Is sufficient to show who has had tn,
moral hardihood to change the Sab
bath from the seventh day to tho frs
Gay OF the week" We have given tn
date and the parties thus guilty" wilt
have had part to act in the fulfill
ment OF Daniel z, 25.
s. j. HERsuM.