The Sabbath a Perpetual Institution
By A. R. Ogden
When and How Was It Changed?
In our last article we showed, by an unbroken chain of Scriptural facts, that the Sabbath given to Adam in Eden before his fall is the only recognized day of rest in all the Bible. We noticed also that in the great hereafter the Sabbath will be kept by all the redeemed hosts of God when "from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the Lord." Isa. 66:23. From these facts, therefore, it must be clear to all that in God's plan and purpose no change of the Sabbath was anticipated. But that the world at large to-day is observing the first instead of the seventh day is apparent to all. We are led to inquire, then: When, why, and by what power was the change brought about? Was it authorized by Heaven, or is its source earthly? We wish to give some bits of historical facts relative to this question. An examination of the eight texts of the New Testament where the first day of the week is referred to will evidence the fact that there was no transference of the sabbatical institution from the seventh to the first day. Six of those texts simply refer to the fact that Christ was raised from the dead on the first day of the week. But a careful reading of the context in these cases will make it clear that the Sabbath was the day just previous to the first day. We will notice the one text in Luke. The 23d chapter, the last verses, gives us the account of the events in connection with the burial of Christ. After He was taken down from the cross, Friday afternoon, and laid in Joseph's new tomb, the women returned to their homes, prepared spices and ointments, "and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment;" then, "upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared." Thus we have the Sabbath according to the commandment, which says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God," wedged in between Friday, the crucifixion day, and Sunday, the resurrection day. The Lord has thus in His Word made it clear beyond contradiction as to which is the Sabbath. Read Luke 23:50 to 24:1. The New Testament, having been written by and for Christians, should record a change of the Sabbath if it is of divine authority. But any such record is conspicuously absent. "Where no law is, there is no transgression." We herewith append a few statements from eminent sources of authority: There is no express commandment for observing the first day of the week as a Sabbath, and yet it is almost of universal custom.—Lee's Theology, page 562. The Scripture nowhere calls the first day of the week the Sabbath. . . . There is no Scriptural authority for so doing, nor of course any Scriptural obligation.—Watchman (Baptist). The current notion that Christ and His apostles authoritatively substituted the first day of the week for the seventh, is absolutely without any authority in the New Testament.—Lyman Abbott, in "Christian Union," January 19, 1882. It is true that there is no positive command for infant baptism, . . . nor is there any for keeping holy the first day of the week.—Dr. Binney, M. E. Theological Compendium, page 103. Edward T. Hiscox, author of the Baptist manual, in an address before a Baptist ministers' meeting in New York City, and reported in the Examiner, November 16, 1893, said: To me it seems unaccountable that Jesus, during three years' intercourse with His disciples, giving them instruction as to His kingdom, constantly coming in contact with the Sabbath question, often discussing it in some of its aspects, freeing it from its false glosses, and teaching its true nature and purposes, never alluded to the transference of the day; also that during the forty days of His resurrection life, no such thing was intimated. . . . Of course I know that Sunday did come into early Christian history as a religious day, as we learn from the Christian fathers and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the sun-god, when adopted and sanctified by the papal apostasy and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism. There was and is a commandment to "keep holy the Sabbath day," but that Sabbath was not Sunday. It will, however, be readily said, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week, with all its duties, privileges, and sanctions. Earnestly desiring information on this subject, which I have studied for many years, I ask, Where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament—absolutely not. There is no Scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh to the first day of the week. Much more and many other quotations might be given, from different church leaders of all denominations, admitting that the New Testament absolutely does not sanction the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day. If the Bible does not authorize the change of the Sabbath, it must have been made by some apostate power. We will now call the attention of the readers to a few facts relative to this question. The first Sunday law ever enacted of which history gives us any account was the edict of Constantine, 321 A.D., which provided, "On the venerable day of the sun let the magistrates and people residing in the cities rest, and let all workshops be closed." To this historical fact agrees Alexander Campbell in an address in Bethany College in 1848: Was the first day set apart by public authority in the apostolic age?—No.
By whom was it set apart, and when?—By Constantine, who lived about the beginning of the fourth century. Perhaps the only reason that can be assigned for this act on the part of Constantine was that he desired to please his pagan subjects, so made this law favorable to the "venerable day of the sun," "the wild solar holiday of all pagan times." It was an edict establishing the sun-day in the Roman Empire above the Sabbath of the Lord. Later the Catholic Church, in her councils, ratified the action of the pagan emperor, and finally went so far as to style Sunday the Lord's day, while the Bible teaches us that "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God," and Christ in His earthly life said that He is "Lord of the Sabbath." Mark 2:27, 28. But does the Catholic Church admit the fact of her having tampered with the Sabbath question? A few authoritative statements from standard Catholic works will suffice in evidence upon this point. First it might not be out of place to state that the prophet Daniel, who foretells of the work of this apostate power, says that it would think to change the times and the laws of the Most High. See Dan. 7:25. Question. What warrant have you for keeping the Sunday, preferably to the ancient Sabbath, which was the Saturday?
Answer. We have for it the authority of the Catholic Church and apostolical tradition.—The Catholic Christian Instructed, page 202.
Question. How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days?
Answer. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday6holy strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church.
Question. How prove you that?
Answer. Because by keeping Sunday they acknowledge the church's power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin: and by not keeping the rest by her commanded, they again deny in fact, the same power—The Abridgment of Christian Doctrine (Catholic), page 58. Many other quotations from this source could be given showing that the Catholic Church admits the change as an act of her authority, but time and space forbid more. Should not the above facts cause each Protestant to examine anew the foundations of his faith and practise? Christ says, 'In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men,' and further, 'Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.' The Sunday institution is a commandment of man. It is a plant that the heavenly Father has not planted. Shall we root it up in our lives and practise, and come into harmony with the commandment of God? 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.' Which day will you, dear reader, observe, the day that God has given and made holy, or the day given by an apostate power? All must choose. Let us decide in the light of this text: 'Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.' Rev. 22:14.