The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1895-01-26
THE CHANGE OF THE SABBATH.
Was il by Divine or was it by Human
Authority?

To the Editor of the Intelligcncer.
Constantine was a tyrant, and a muir
derer of many innocent persons. With
the arm of civil law he struck the first
blow in behalf of the venerable day of
the sun. 1t was then q very venerable
day in the year A. ID. 32l. Constantine
was still a heather when he put forth
this decree. The edict went into effect
March Z, A. ID. 32l, and was, that
the people should keep the first day Of
the week in honor of the sun. Con-
stantine, at that time, was a pagan
idolatOr. lie vas a wOrshipper of the
sun. His edict, and the full adoption
of the heather Sunday by the church,
marks the point where the heather
union was consummated. Constantine,
at that point, represented the heather,
being an ardent sur worshipper. Pope
| Sylvester, at that time bishop of Rome,
represented the Catholic church. In its
efforts to elevate Sunday, this church
joyfully accepted his heather decree
and heather day, thus fully blending the
heather system with their corrupt form
of Christianity. Pope Sylvester, by
his apostolic authority, changed the
name of the day, giving it the imposing
title of Lords Day."
1t had been called by that title by q
few writers before; but Sylvester, as
the head of the church, now officially
decided that its title should be Lords
Day." Thus Constantine elevated the
Sunday, as a heather festival, to be
observed throughout the empire, while
Sylvester changed it into a Christian
institution, Identifying it by the title Of
Lords Day"
Petrus Alfonsus, who lived in the
beginning of the twelfth century, called
the first day of the week the "Christian
Sabbath" This is a striking fact, that
not until the middle of the Dark Ages
was Sunday sver called the Sabbath.
The ancient Sabbath retained its own
distinctive title for eleven hundred years
after Christ, and no other day during
all this period was known by this title
but the seventh day. Not an instance
can be found in history to the contrary.
On q certain occasion, James Black,
NJ. d., another Roman Catholic, in a
debate with a protestant. thus drove the
latter to the wall T: Christ never wrote.
but God, the Father, did. He wrote
the ten commandments on tables Of
stone. And the only command He
emphasized was Remember the Sab
bath day to keep it holy And there is
no command 50 often repeated through.
out the Old Testament. If the Bible
alone be the gentleman's rule of faith.
he is bound by this commandment. But
does he observe itp No. Why does he
not observe itp Because the church
thought at to change 1t. Here the gen.
tleman admits the authority Of the
church to be superior to the hand
writing of God, the Father. And yet
he will look you in the face and declare
that the Bible, without church author
ity, is his rule of faith.
N. Summerbell, a noted minister and
author in the Christian church, and
once president Of Antioch, (Ohio,) Col
lege, says, in his history of the
Christians: 1.-THE Roman Catholic
church has reversed the fourth com,
mandment, doing away with the Sab.
bath of Gods word, and ~instituting
Sunday as q holy day."
Alexander Campbell, in a lecture in
Bethany College, in lS4e, said: WAS
the first day set apart by public author
ity in the apostolic age? No. By whom
was it set apart, and when? BY Con-
stantipe, who lived about the beginning
of the fourth century.
SOLOMON FILLER.
MayyieW. Mo-. Jan. ~. %.