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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,” in order to honor
the day of the sun. To supply the lack of Bible testimony, Satan was
ready with expedients. A zealous advocate of Sunday, who about
the close of the twelfth century visited the churches of England, was
resisted by faithful witnesses for the truth; and so fruitless were his
efforts that he departed from the country for a season, and cast about
him for some means to enforce his teachings. When he returned, the
lack was supplied, and in his after-labors he met with greater success.
He brought with him a roll purporting to be from God himself, and
containing the needed command for Sunday observance, and awful
threats to terrify the disobedient. This precious document—as base
a counterfeit as the institution it supported—was said to have fallen
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from heaven, and to have been found in Jerusalem, upon the altar
of St. Simeon, in Golgotha. The pontifical palace at Rome was the
source whence it proceeded. Frauds and forgeries to advance the
power and prosperity of the church have in all ages been esteemed
lawful by the papal hierarchy.
The roll forbade labor from the ninth hour, three o’clock, on
Saturday afternoon, till sunrise on Monday; and its authority was
declared to be confirmed by many miracles. It was reported that
persons laboring beyond the appointed hour were stricken with
paralysis. A miller who attempted to grind his corn, saw, instead of
flour, a torrent of blood come forth, and the mill-wheel stood still,
notwithstanding the strong rush of the water. A woman who placed
dough in the oven, found it raw when taken out, though the oven
was very hot. Another who had dough prepared for baking at the
ninth hour, but determined to set it aside till Monday, found the next
day that it had been made into loaves and baked by divine power. A
man who baked bread after the ninth hour on Saturday, found, when
he broke it the next morning, that blood started therefrom. By such
absurd and superstitious fabrications did the advocates of Sunday
endeavor to establish its sacredness.
In Scotland, as in England, a greater regard for Sunday was
secured by uniting with it a portion of the ancient Sabbath. But
the time required to be kept holy varied. A law was passed that
Saturday from twelve at noon ought to be accounted holy, and that
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no man, from that time till Monday morning, should engage in
worldly business.