Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-22
Il the First Day the Day Of the Lord :
RICHMOND. VA.

For IL is written: six days thou shalt
lator and do all thy work; but the
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord
thy God, ETC.
Your opinion Is anxiously looked TOT
by many readers OF your valuable paper.
ANXIOUS FOR THE TRUTH.
II cannot be questioned that the seventh
day OF the week was the Sabbath under
the old dispensation. And yet, as mat
ter Of fact. all who compose what Is
called the Christian world. with few ex-
ceptions. observe not tho seventh, but
the first day OF the week, as its Sab
bath. With singular unity Of behef ana
practice. those who profess and call them
selves Christians set apart the first day
Of the week as the day TO be kept holy
and devoted to religious services. The
first thing then that arrests our atten-
ton Is this world consensus 10 the
change of day, and so we discover that
wherever Christianity IL found. in Japan,
in China. in the far OF isles OF the Pa
cifc along all the parallels of latitude
and longitude, IN Asia, in Africa. In
Europe, and in all the great divisions OF
the Christian Church. Greek, Latin, or
Protestant, irrespective Of language, race
or nationality. all are one In regarding
the first day Of the week as the proper
time for rendering religious homage to
/ their common Lord.
/ All that can be expected OF us in an
/ swer to the query Of our correspondent,
| is to give a summary of the arguments
/ which Christian commentators and theo-
/ logians employ in vindication OF the
! cnanee from the seventh 10 the first day
! OF the week, and this we Will attempt
| TO DO fairly, leaving IL 10 our readers 10
| Judge whether the reasoning is conclusive
/ or not.
L The ancient Sabbath was memorial
| Of Gods rest from the work Of creation.
That creation was the most wonderful
display OF wisdom and power which the
Old World could contemplate. The
Heavens declared the glory OF God, the
armament showed his handiwork. But
the Old Testament Scriptures contained
the promise and the prophecy OF another
and nobler creation: Behold ! create
new Heaven and a new earth. and the
former shall not be remembered nor
come into mind" What this new crea-
ton is, specifically. is not declared, nor
the period of it's birth. 1t is only an as
eurance Of better things 20 come. II IL
like the prediction in Deuteronomy, that
the Lord God could raise up a prophet
like unto Moses and put words into his
mouth to which the people should heark-
en-an indefinite prediction until stephen
quoted It and applied IL to Christ. The
new creation, as all Christians believe,
Is the spiritual kingdom established by
the death and resurrection OF Christ
one which makes a more glorious display
Of the PROJECTIONS Of the Godhead than
was possible by the material creation;
not a temporal display either, such as was
made by the perishable creation, destined
TO destruction. but one which VIII be the
eternal monument of Gods love and
mercy, and. therefore. must be worthy
of the greatest distinction which can be
given to II.
Redemption Is the crownirg glory OF all
dispensations; not only the supreme even.
In human history, but the greatest event
that could occur in the annals OF any
world. SO thought the Christian bafd
when he wrote:
"'Twas great 70 call world from
naught,
But greater 10 redeem"
II then the old Sabbath commemorated
the completion OF the work OF creation
II can only give IT new dignity, II IL also
commentaries a complete rcdempuoh'
and become. the emblem OF the rest wnich
remains to the people of God III ms con-
summated Kingdom IN Heaven.
.. Writers on this theme In dlscuss-
ing the ground on which the SabDath
was changed from the seventh to the trst
dav Of the week tell US that the historical
nroof divides itself into two branches. the
Insured and the uninrpired. No explicit
command 10 change the day was gwen
because none was needed. The example
~ christ TO all who recognize MIN as
the head OF the Church Is RS bindinG as
any precept could be. That example UNI
formly followed by the inspired Apostles,
in observing the first day OF tne week
as the Sabbath, rs equVaieht " '"' A''''
pronounced command. III,
rhe first day of the week now caHeu
tbe Iord's-Day, or Sunday. or by It's
oriq,nal name. the Sabbath. was the DAY
so dis,ins,uished both by Christ ana MS
,,oy,tes because, IL was entitled 10 per
netual remembrance by His own resur-
ractlon from the dead on the nrsl uas Vi
the week. He put honor upon IL py APP
nearing TO His disciples on the very uay
~ IIIx resurrection, and then on the nrs'
dav of the following week, ana then
AGAIN on the first day OF the week sue
ceedng. ...,os oh
II Is also certain that the Apos"'S W
served the Isord's-Day after HIS resurree.
lion as a day for religious worship, ana II
was while they were thus engaged tna'
they received the divine sanction by the
hontism of the Holy Ghost. Then the hrs'
public proclamation Of the Gospel ohuer
the new dispensation began. ana the new
CHRISTIAN Sabbath was consecrated by
me preaching Of the Word and by the
celebration OF the two sacraments Oh
baptism and the LORDS supper.
IL also deserves consideration that thc
churches which the Apostles planted UNI,
forrliy hallowed the Lords Day, ana
finally It was on the Lords Day. tne
Christian Sabbath. that the Venerapie
APOSTLE John. while In Punishment III
the Isle OF Patmos, enjoyed the greatest
soirltual blessing ever vouch5afed 10
him. when his glorified Redcemer came
down to commune with him. and 10 give
him the beatifc visions which ere re-
corded in the Book OF Revelation.
3. We might add TO these proofs the
uninspired testimony OF the early histo-
rians and fathers. as they are called. OF
the primitive Church. showing that from
the time OF the resurrection the first day
Of the week was hallowcd In all the
lands where the Gospel made converts
az the Christian Sabbath. We cite these
men only as historical witnesses. Their
evidence is valuable only as showing now
the teaching and precedents OF the Apos'
ties. who were inspired men. were
observed by the churches during the
early centuries. TO quote these testimo-