Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-08-28
OUR LORDS DAY.


4 correspondent writing from Indian
Valley, Idaho, asks; why do we, as
members of the Church. observe the
First day OF the week as the Sabbath
when it is plainly stated in the Ten
commandments that we should keep
the Seventh day?'
Members OF the Church cannot be In
doubt regarding the proper day upon
which to assemble in worship, partake
OF the Sacrament and rest from phys
zeal labor For tho Lord expressly
stated$in the revelation given Aug.27tn.
1881. -.But remember that on this the
i lords day, thou shalt offer thine obla-
lions and thy sacraments unto the MOST
High, confessing thy sins unto thy
brethren and before the Lord This
relates to the First day Of the week
As Church members we have. there
fore, a direct command to observe sun
nay, which is the Lords day
But this day was also observed by
The Christians in the first century, un-s
doubtedly by Apostolic advice. In the
first Apostolic age whensit became nee
F essary to separate the church from the
Jewish dspensation. the ancient fest
8ivalsss. including Sabhaths. we're abro-
gated. but instead of these. the Lords.
flay.sWas observed with the greatest
reverence. That this change was real
~ effected in the Apostolic age and.
therefore. with the full knowledge and
sanction OF the Apostles must be ac-
8aeptee as proved by the Scriptures. A.
we'll known commentator observes:
,rThe alteration seems to have been
made by the authority Of the Apostles.
snd to have Ia ken place the very day
In which our Lord arose: for on that
s. day the Apostles were assembled; and
IN the seventh night afterWard they
swets assembled again. The celebra-
lion of these first two Sundays was ilon-
bred by our Lord $ presence II was
perhaps, to set mark of distinction
upon this day in particular that the in-,
gtervei1ing week passed off. as 1t would
seem, without any repetition of His
Z firstfVisitsto the eleven Apostles: From
that Tine the Sunday was the coll
slant Sabbath of the primitive church.
The christian, therefore, who deyoutly
=arictiffes one day in seven, Though
III Bet oD the first day Of the Week. not
8tlleS Inst, as was originally ordained.
1layssrest assured that he fully salts
lies the spirit of the ordinance.
Iset8it he remembered that. owing to
thda shape and motions Of the earth 1t
!. would be utterly impossible to keep
a the seventh day, Or any one day of the
week, at the same time, by allSmen. No
one day can BIO observed simultaneous
slS all over the earth. Whenst; IS morn
+ ing in one part 1t is evening In anoth-
or. It may be Saturday in one part
and Sunday in another, owing to the
difference of time in different .longi-
5:tudes. RI this Is remembered it will
appear perfectly clear that no
4 law can be given for all the children of
men as tp which day in the week. to OBJ
serYe. The only possible enactment that
rans given is that one day out Of
seven be set apart as a day of rest and
devotion. Where this is done the CONF
mandInent is fully complied with
That the first Christians assembled on
Eths first day Of the week is evident
from the testimony of Justin, the
MARTYR. who wrote:
ION the day Of the sun, we all maxi,
common assembly: since it Is the first
Z day in which God made the world.
II is true he ascribes to this Chris
,ianfrule a mystic reason, but the fact of
heiassembllng on that day is none the
less n fact. Justin adds.
L
Jesus Christ our Savior rose. on that
day, from the dead. /"
For, the day before that of Saturn.
they crucified Him, and on that after
Saturday. which Is Sunday, He, appenr-
ing to Hts Apostles, taught these things
to His disciples which we have deliv-
cred for your inspection"
Justin says that on the day called
Sunday, there Is made gathering in
to the same place of all that live in
city or county, and the memoranda of
the. Apostles, or the writings of the
Z afterwards. the reader having ceased,
the president makes verbally the ad
tnorition and exhortation TO the imita-
ton of these excellent things. Then we
all rise and poar forth prayers. Then
the bread and ,nine are taken,
Justin wrote In the first half of the
second century, and there can be no
doubt that the Christians at that time
observed the first day of the week.
!. For these reasons, We as church mem
s bers keep Sunday holy. The Lords day,
which is Sunday and not Saturday, is a
Christian institution, sanctioned by the
: Apostles in the beginning of our era,
ana by our Lord Himself in our age.
In the revelations given through the
Prophet Joseph.