THE testimony for first-day sacredness is very meager in the Scriptures, as
even its own advocates must admit. But they have been wont to supply the
deficiency by a plentiful array of testimonies from the early fathers of the church.
Here, in time past, they have had the field all to themselves, and they have
allowed their zeal for the change of the Sabbath to get the better of their honesty
and their truthfulness. The first-day Sabbath was absolutely unknown before the
time of Constantine. Nearly one hundred years elapsed after John was in vision
on Patmos, before the term "Lord's day" was applied to the first day. During this
time, it was called "the day of the sun," "the first day of the week," and "the eighth
day." The first writers who give it the name of "Lord's day," state the remarkable
fact that in their judgment the true Lord's day consists of every day of a
Christian's life, a very convincing proof that they did not give this title to Sunday
because John had so named it on Patmos. In fact, no one of those who give this
title to Sunday ever assign as a reason for so doing that it was thus called by
John. Nor is there an intimation in one of the fathers that first-day observance
was an act of obedience to the fourth
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commandment, nor one clear statement that ordinary labor on that day was
sinful. In order to show these facts, I have undertaken to give every testimony of
every one of the fathers, prior to A. D. 325, who mentions either the Sabbath or
the first day. Though some of these quotations are comparatively unimportant,
others are of very great value. I have given them all, in order that the reader may
actually possess their entire testimony. I have principally followed the translation
of the "Ante-Nicene Christian Library," and have in every case made use of firstday
translations. The work has been one of great labor to me, and I trust will be
found of much profit to the candid reader.
J. N. ANDREWS. Jan. 1, 1873.
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
WITH respect to the Sabbath, the religious world may be divided into three
classes:-
1. Those who retain the ancient seventh-day Sabbath.
2. Those who observe the first-day Sabbath.
3. Those who deny the existence of any Sabbath. i1
It is inevitable that controversy should exist between these parties. Their first
appeal is to the Bible, and this should decide the case; for it reveals man's whole
duty. But there is an appeal by the second party, and sometimes by the third, to
another authority, the early fathers of the church, for the decision of the question.
The controversy stands thus: The second and third parties agree with the first
that God did anciently require the observance of the seventh day; but both deny
the doctrine of the first, that he still requires men to hallow that day; the second
asserting that he has changed the Sabbath
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to the first day of the week; and the third declaring that he has totally abolished
the institution itself.
The first class plant themselves upon the plain letter of the law of God, and
adduce those scriptures which teach the perpetuity and immutability of the moral
law, and which show that the new covenant does not abrogate that law, but puts
it into the heart of every Christian.
The second class attempt to prove the change of the Sabbath by quoting
those texts which mention the first day of the week, and also those which are
said to refer to it. The first day is, on such authority, called by this party the
Christian Sabbath, and the fourth commandment is used by them to enforce
