The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-02-26


finished His work and hence this was
his resting day. Henceforth the disc
iples understood which day was to be de-
voted to rest and worship. Jesus ap-
peared to his followers on the first day
of the week. A second appearance was
one week later on the first day, there
by approving the day and the engage
ment of the infant church.
Notice PauPs judgment concerning
the days of the old ritual in Col. 2:15.
He said the Christians at Collosse were
not obliged to observe Jewish cere-
monies. Let no man judge you con-
corning the Sabbath days" Here is a
plain reference to the Jewish Sabbath
We are forced to believe that they and
by purity of reasoning all Christians,
were exempt from keeping the 7th day.
Paul was writing 80 years after the res
direction of Christ and at a time when
the assembling of Christians for wor-
ship on the first day of the week had
become an established practice. In fact
you never hear of the followers of Jesus
after the resurrection, assembling on
the It'll day for religious worship. This
surely ought to be sufficient authority
to convince anyone. Jesus after the
resurrection did not go to the Synagogue
on the 7th day as he did formerly.
Rom. IA: 5, 6 throws light on this and
in unison with Coll, and furnishes adj
dltional evidence that they were not I'M
der obligation to observe the 7th day
Acts POT the disciples came together
on First day of week, to break bread
this was the form of expression in the
N. I. for religious assemblies. Paul
preached to them, abode with them and
preached again on the next Lords day.
We could desire no better evidence
than this, that they regarded the first
day for the Christian Sabbath instead
of the 7th. for there is no mention of it.
1t is morally possible that day which
has for so long period failed to secure
the observance of the church is entitled
to the claim of exclusive divine author
ity? Would the Holy Spirit allow the
church to go astray for more than 1900
years before revealing 1t to one Francis
Bampfield of England, who was the
founder of the sect known as the
Seventh day Baptists?
Stephen Mumford gathered the first
church of this sect, at Newport, R. |.
The change was made long before there
was Pope in existence or before the
Catholic church was organized. 1t is
probable that God who guided the early
church would not show them their error.
or that so many cody and scholarly men
should never detect the fact that the
Pope changed the day. but for centuries
go on in ignorance, the truth not being
revealed until the sect of the 7th day
Baptists was organized? 1t is a pre-
sumptuous claim. What if Constantine
in 321 enacted the law of Sunday. That
been recognized and observed as the
Christian Sabbath. 1t antidates Gus
toms by nearly 300 years.
No evidence appears in the n. 7. that
Christians refused to keep holy the
first day. This can be accounted for
only on the ground that they had enough
evidence to convince them that the
change was by divine sanction.
A second proof is regard that God has
to His worship, as well as His rejec-
ton of human interference in its APP
polntenents and regulation.
That apostles and early church should
of.their own accord abandon the 7th
day and adopt the first day, would be to
suppose that the Master permitted them
to violate the orders of his own house
and teach for doctrines the command
ments of men.
Third the apostles censure of the
observance of days see Gal. 4:9-ll. 1t
is impossible that men speaking as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost, should
condemn the observance of days and
yet observe them themselves, and con-
tlnue the practice of the first day, unless
it has come into authorized and sacred
use.
Another proof is found IN the provision
for regulating all the observances of
religion. In acting and ordering con-
corning the first day of the week they
are to be regarded as ordering our con-
duct, their commands and ordinances
being those of the Master.
On the LIST day Jesus breathed on his
disciples the sacred influences of the
Holy Ghost. He Commissioned them to
evangelize the world. The holy spirit
came upon them as they were in
one place on the 1st or Lords day. On
that DAY the first christian sermon was
preached and 5000 were converted the
church was organized and the Lord S
supper was publicly celebrated. On
this day ever since the greatest good
has been done to the world by the word
and grace of Him who rose from the
dead on the first day of the week.
Justin Martyr, born the beginning of
the I'd century, speaks of the custom
of assembling for worship on the dav
known as Sunday called the Lords day.
Tertullian. Altiawasius, Irenaeus and
lgnatius all add their testimony to the
same effect. If these fact are not
sufficient to convince US that the first
day of the week, is by divine authority
constituted the Sabbath, then | know
not what character of evidence could
convince.
G. w. E. is therefore mistaken when
he says Christ never changed or observ-
ed the first day and that the disciples
did not observe it. They did without
doubt as | have shown. | have said
enough to convince any one who is will
ing to take the word of God as authora-
tive. If they reject that no reasoning
or facts on earth can convince them.
The 7th day was the Jewish Sabbath,
the first day is the christian Sabbath,
and is holy unto the Lord.
The first day has strong claims on US
because of the example of Jesus, tie
apostles, the early church and the
christian church ever since. G. w. Els
summary is without foundation in fact
and is contrary to the teaching of the
New Testament. He goes further and
says he is not Sabbath keeper. | am
sorry to hear that. He should be. as
should every one. He puts himself in
the attitude of rebellion against the
divine authority, an exceedingly dan
gerous thing to do.
We would better recognize the Lords
day and keep it as Christs and his
disciples has shown us how; recognize
His authority and bow to it, that we
obtain the blessings of obedience. His
authority is supreme, his example is
absolutely correct, and If we will follow