the　papacy　exalt　itself　above　God；　whoever　should　understandingly　keep　the
  law　as　thus　changed　would　be　giving　supreme　honor　to　that　power　by　which　the
  change　was　made。　Such　an　act　of　obedience　to　papal　laws　would　be　a　mark　of
  allegiance　to　the　pope　in　the　place　of　God。
  The　papacy　has　attempted　to　change　the　law　of　God。　The　second　commandment；
  forbidding　image　worship；　has　been　dropped　from　the　law；　and　the　fourth
  commandment　has　been　so　changed　as　to　authorize　the　observance　of　the　first
  instead　of　the　seventh　day　as　the　Sabbath。　But　papists　urge；　as　a　reason　for
  omitting　the　second　commandment；　that　it　is　unnecessary；　being　included　in
  the　first；　and　that　they　are　giving　the　law　exactly　as　God　designed　it　to　be
  understood。　This　cannot　be　the　change　foretold　by　the　prophet。　An
  intentional；　deliberate　change　is　presented：　〃He　shall　think　to　change　the
  times　and　the　law。〃　The　change　in　the　fourth　commandment　exactly　fulfills
  the　prophecy。　For　this　the　only　authority　claimed　is　that　of　the　church。
  Here　the　papal　power　openly　sets　itself　above　God。
  While　the　worshipers　of　God　will　be　especially　distinguished　by　their　regard
  for　the　fourth　commandments；since　this　is　the　sign　of　His　creative　power
  and　the　witness　to　His　claim　upon　man's　reverence　and　homage；the
  worshipers　of　the　beast　will　be　distinguished　by　their　efforts　to　tear　down
  the　Creator's　memorial；　to　exalt　the　institution　of　Rome。　It　was　in　behalf
  of　the　Sunday　that　popery　first　asserted　its
  447
  arrogant　claims　（see　Appendix）；　and　its　first　resort　to　the　power　of　the
  state　was　to　compel　the　observance　of　Sunday　as　〃the　Lord's　day。〃　But　the
  Bible　points　to　the　seventh　day；　and　not　to　the　first；　as　the　Lord's　day。
  Said　Christ：　〃The　Son　of　man　is　Lord　also　of　the　Sabbath。〃　The　fourth
  commandment　declares：　〃The　seventh　day　is　the　Sabbath　of　the　Lord。〃　And　by
  the　prophet　Isaiah　the　Lord　designates　it：　〃My　holy　day。〃　Mark　2：28；　Isaiah
  58：13。
  The　claim　so　often　put　forth　that　Christ　changed　the　Sabbath　is　disproved　by
  His　own　words。　In　His　Sermon　on　the　Mount　He　said：　〃Think　not　that　I　am　come
  to　destroy　the　law；　or　the　prophets：　I　am　not　come　to　destroy；　but　to
  fulfill。　For　verily　I　say　unto　you；　Till　heaven　and　earth　pass；　one　jot　or
  one　tittle　shall　in　no　wise　pass　from　the　law；　till　all　be　fulfilled。
  Whosoever　therefore　shall　break　one　of　these　least　commandments；　and　shall
  teach　men　so；　he　shall　be　called　the　least　in　the　kingdom　of　heaven：　but
  whosoever　shall　do　and　teach　them；　the　same　shall　be　called　great　in　the
  kingdom　of　heaven；〃　Matthew　5：17…19。
  It　is　a　fact　generally　admitted　by　Protestants　that　the　Scriptures　give　no
  authority　for　the　change　of　the　Sabbath。　This　is　plainly　stated　in
  publications　issued　by　the　American　Tract　Society　and　the　American　Sunday
  School　Union。　One　of　these　works　acknowledges　〃the　complete　silence　of　the
  New　Testament　so　far　as　any　explicit　command　for　the　Sabbath　＇Sunday；　the
  first　day　of　the　week＇　or　definite　rules　for　its　observance　are
  concerned。〃George　Elliott；　The　Abiding　Sabbath；　page　184。
  Another　says：　〃Up　to　the　time　of　Christ's　death；　no　change　had　been　made　in
  the　day；〃　and；　〃so　far　as　the　record　shows；　they　＇the　apostles＇　did　not　。　。
  。　give　any　explicit　command　enjoining　the　abandonment　of　the　seventh…day
  Sabbath；　and　its　observance　on　the　first　day　of　the　week。〃A。　E。　Waffle；
  The　Lord's　Day；　pages　186…188。
  Roman　Catholics　acknowledge　that　the　change　of　the　Sabbath　was　made　by　their
  church；　and　declare　that　Protestants
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  by　observing　the　Sunday　are　recognizing　her　power。　In　the　Catholic　Catechism
  of　Christian　Religion；　in　answer　to　a　question　as　to　the　day　to　be　observed
  in　obedience　to　the　fourth　commandment；　this　statement　is　made：　〃During　the
  old　law；　Saturday　was　the　day　sanctified；　but　the　church；　instructed　by
  Jesus　Christ；　and　directed　by　the　Spirit　of　God；　has　substituted　Sunday　for
  Saturday；　so　now　we　sanctify　the　first；　not　the　seventh　day。　Sunday　means；
  and　now　is；　the　day　of　the　Lord。〃
  As　the　sign　of　the　authority　of　the　Catholic　Church；　papist　writers　cite
  〃the　very　act　of　changing　the　Sabbath　into　Sunday；　which　Protestants　allow
  of；　。　。　。　because　by　keeping　Sunday；　they　acknowledge　the　church's　power　to
  ordain　feasts；　and　to　command　them　under　sin。〃Henry　Tuberville；　An
  Abridgment　of　the　Christian　Doctrine；　page　58。　What　then　is　the　change　of
  the　Sabbath；　but　the　sign；　or　mark；　of　the　authority　of　the　Roman
  Church〃the　mark　of　the　beast〃？
  The　Roman　Church　has　not　relinquished　her　claim　to　supremacy；　and　when　the
  world　and　the　Protestant　churches　accept　a　sabbath　of　her　creating；　while
  they　reject　the　Bible　Sabbath；　they　virtually　admit　this　assumption。　They
  may　claim　the　authority　of　tradition　and　of　the　Fathers　for　the　change；　but
  in　so　doing　they　ignore　the　very　principle　which　separates　them　from
  Romethat　〃the　Bible；　and　the　Bible　only；　is　the　religion　of　Protestants。〃
  The　papist　can　see　that　they　are　deceiving　themselves；　willingly　closing
  their　eyes　to　the　facts　in　the　case。　As　the　movement　for　Sunday　enforcement
  gains　favor；　he　rejoices；　feeling　assured　that　it　will　eventually　bring　the
  whole　Protestant　world　under　the　banner　of　Rome。
  Romanists　declare　that　〃the　observance　of　Sunday　by　the　Protestants　is　an
  homage　they　pay；　in　spite　of　themselves；　to　the　authority　of　the　＇Catholic＇
  Church。〃Mgr。　Segur；　Plain　Talk　About　the　Protestantism　of　Today；　page　213。
  The　enforcement　of　Sundaykeeping　on　the　part　of　Protestant　churches　is　an
  enforcement　of　the　worship　of　the　papacyof　the　beast。　Those　who；
  understanding　the　claims　of　the　fourth
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  commandment；　choose　to　observe　the　false　instead　of　the　true　Sabbath　are
  thereby　paying　homage　to　that　power　by　which　alone　it　is　commanded。　But　in
  the　very　act　of　enforcing　a　religious　duty　by　secular　power；　the　churches
  would　themselves　form　an　image　to　the　beast；　hence　the　enforcement　of
  Sundaykeeping　in　the　United　States　would　be　an　enforcement　of　the　worship　of
  the　beast　and　his　image。
  But　Christians　of　past　generations　observed　the　Sunday；　supposing　that　in　so
  doing　they　were　keeping　the　Bible　Sabbath；　and　there　are　now　true　Christians
  in　every　church；　not　excepting　the　Roman　Catholic　communion；　who　honestly
  believe　that　Sunday　is　the　Sabbath　of　divine　appointment。　God　accepts　their
  sincerity　of　purpose　and　their　integrity　before　Him。　But　when　Sunday
  observance　shall　be　enforced　by　law；　and　the　world　shall　be　enlightened
  concerning　the　obligation　of　the　true　Sabbath；　then　whoever　shall　transgress
  the　command　of　God；　to　obey　a　precept　which　has　no　higher　authority　than
  that　of　Rome；　will　thereby　honor　popery　above　God。　He　is　paying　homage　to
  Rome　and　to　the　power　which　enforces　the　institution　ordained　by　Rome。　He　is
  worshipping　the　beast　and　his　image。　As　men　then　reject　the　institution
  which　God　has　declared　to　be　the　sign　of　His　authority；　and　honor　in　its
  stead　that　which　Rome　has　chosen　as　the　token　of　her　supremacy；　they　will
  thereby　accept　the　sign　of　allegiance　to　Rome〃the　mark　of　the　beast。〃　And
  it　is　not　until　the　issue　is　thus　plainly　set　before　the　people；　and　they
  are　brought　to　choose　between　the　commandments　of　God　and　the　commandments
  of　men；　that　those　who　continue　in　transgression　will　receive　〃the　mark　of
  the　beast。〃
  The　most　fearful　threatening　ever　addressed　to　mortals　is　contained　in　the
  third　angel's　message。　That　must　be　a　terrible　sin　which　calls　down　the
  wrath　of　God　unmingled　with　mercy。　Men　are　not　to　be　left　in　darkness
  concerning　this　important　matter；　the　warning　against　this　sin　is　to　be
  given　to　the　world　before　the　visitation　of　God's　judgments；　that　all　may
  know　why　they　are　to　be　inflicted；　and　have
  450
  opportunity　to　escape　them。　Prophecy　declares　that　the　first　angel　would
  make　his　announcement　to　〃every　nation；　and　kindred；　and　tongue；　and
  people。〃　The　warning　of　the　third　angel；　which　forms　a　part　of　the　same
  threefold　message；　is　to　be　no　less　widespread。　It　is　represented　in　the
  prophecy　as　being　proclaimed　with　a　loud　voice；　by　an　angel　flying　in　the
  midst　of　heaven；　and　it　will　command　the　attention　of　the　world。
  In　the　issue　of　the　contest　all　Christendom　will　be　divided　into　two　great
  classesthose　who　keep　the　commandments　of　God　and　the　faith　of　Jesus；　and
  those　who　worship　the　beast　and　his　image　and　receive　his　mark。　Although
  church　and　state　will　unite　their　power　to　compel　〃all；　both　small　and
  great；　rich　and　poor；　free　and　bond〃　（Revelation　13：16）；　to　receive　〃the
  mark　of　the　beast；〃　yet　the　people　of　God　will　not　receive　it。　The　prophet
  of　Patmos　beholds　〃them　that　had　gotten　the　victory　over　the　beast；　and　over
  his　image；　and　over　his　mark；　and　over　the　number　of　his　name；　stand　on　the
  sea　of　glass；　having　the　harps　of　God〃　and　singing　the　song　of　Moses　and　the
  Lamb。　Revelation　15：2；　3。
  （451）
  Chapter　26
  A　Work　of　Reform
  The　work　of　Sabbath　reform　to　be　accomplished　in　the　last　days