are　following　in　the　steps　of　papists。　Nay；　more；　they　are　opening　the　door
  for　the　papacy　to　regain　in　Protestant　America　the　supremacy　which　she　has
  lost　in　the　Old　World。　And　that　which　gives　greater　significance　to　this
  movement　is　the　fact　that　the　principal　object　contemplated　is　the
  enforcement　of　Sunday　observancea　custom　which　originated　with　Rome；　and
  which　she　claims　as　the　sign　of　her　authority。　It　is　the　spirit　of　the
  papacythe　spirit　of　conformity　to　worldly　customs；　the　veneration　for
  human　traditions　above　the　commandments　of　Godthat　is　permeating　the
  Protestant　churches　and　leading　them　on　to　do　the　same　work　of　Sunday
  exaltation　which　the　papacy　has　done　before　them。
  If　the　reader　would　understand　the　agencies　to　be　employed　in　the
  soon…coming　contest；　he　has　but　to　trace　the　record　of　the　means　which　Rome
  employed　for　the　same
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  object　in　ages　past。　If　he　would　know　how　papists　and　Protestants　united
  will　deal　with　those　who　reject　their　dogmas；　let　him　see　the　spirit　which
  Rome　manifested　toward　the　Sabbath　and　its　defenders。
  Royal　edicts；　general　councils；　and　church　ordinances　sustained　by　secular
  power　were　the　steps　by　which　the　pagan　festival　attained　its　position　of
  honor　in　the　Christian　world。　The　first　public　measure　enforcing　Sunday
  observance　was　the　law　enacted　by　Constantine。　（A。D。　321；　see　Appendix。）
  This　edict　required　townspeople　to　rest　on　〃the　venerable　day　of　the　sun；〃
  but　permitted　countrymen　to　continue　their　agricultural　pursuits。　Though
  virtually　a　heathen　statute；　it　was　enforced　by　the　emperor　after　his
  nominal　acceptance　of　Christianity。
  The　royal　mandate　not　proving　a　sufficient　substitute　for　divine　authority；
  Eusebius；　a　bishop　who　sought　the　favor　of　princes；　and　who　was　the　special
  friend　and　flatterer　of　Constantine；　advanced　the　claim　that　Christ　had
  transferred　the　Sabbath　to　Sunday。　Not　a　single　testimony　of　the　Scriptures
  was　produced　in　proof　of　the　new　doctrine。　Eusebius　himself　unwittingly
  acknowledges　its　falsity　and　points　to　the　real　authors　of　the　change。　〃All
  things；〃　he　says；　〃whatever　that　it　was　duty　to　do　on　the　Sabbath；　these　we
  have　transferred　to　the　Lord's　Day。〃Robert　Cox；　Sabbath　Laws　and　Sabbath
  Duties；　page　538。　But　the　Sunday　argument；　groundless　as　it　was；　served　to
  embolden　men　in　trampling　upon　the　Sabbath　of　the　Lord。　All　who　desired　to
  be　honored　by　the　world　accepted　the　popular　festival。
  As　the　papacy　became　firmly　established；　the　work　of　Sunday　exaltation　was
  continued。　For　a　time　the　people　engaged　in　agricultural　labor　when　not
  attending　church；　and　the　seventh　day　was　still　regarded　as　the　Sabbath。　But
  steadily　a　change　was　effected。　Those　in　holy　office　were　forbidden　to　pass
  judgment　in　any　civil　controversy　on　the　Sunday。　Soon　after；　all　persons；　of
  whatever　rank；　were　commanded　to　refrain　from　common　labor　on　pain　of　a　fine
  for　freemen　and
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  stripes　in　the　case　of　servants。　Later　it　was　decreed　that　rich　men　should
  be　punished　with　the　loss　of　half　of　their　estates；　and　finally；　that　if
  still　obstinate　they　should　be　made　slaves。　The　lower　classes　were　to　suffer
  perpetual　banishment。
  Miracles　also　were　called　into　requisition。　Among　other　wonders　it　was
  reported　that　as　a　husbandman　who　was　about　to　plow　his　field　on　Sunday
  cleaned　his　plow　with　an　iron；　the　iron　stuck　fast　in　his　hand；　and　for　two
  years　he　carried　it　about　with　him；　〃to　his　exceeding　great　pain　and
  shame。〃Francis　West；　Historical　and　Practical　Discourse　on　the　Lord's　Day；
  page　174。
  Later　the　pope　gave　directions　that　the　parish　priest　should　admonish　the
  violators　of　Sunday　and　wish　them　to　go　to　church　and　say　their　prayers；
  lest　they　bring　some　great　calamity　on　themselves　and　neighbors。　An
  ecclesiastical　council　brought　forward　the　argument；　since　so　widely
  employed；　even　by　Protestants；　that　because　persons　had　been　struck　by
  lightning　while　laboring　on　Sunday；　it　must　be　the　Sabbath。　〃It　is
  apparent；〃　said　the　prelates；　〃how　high　the　displeasure　of　God　was　upon
  their　neglect　of　this　day。〃　An　appeal　was　then　made　that　priests　and
  ministers；　kings　and　princes；　and　all　faithful　people　〃use　their　utmost
  endeavors　and　care　that　the　day　be　restored　to　its　honor；　and；　for　the
  credit　of　Christianity；　more　devoutly　observed　for　the　time　to
  come。〃Thomas　Morer；　Discourse　in　Six　Dialogues　on　the　Name；　Notion；　and
  Observation　of　the　Lord's　Day；　page　271。
  The　decrees　of　councils　proving　insufficient；　the　secular　authorities　were
  besought　to　issue　an　edict　that　would　strike　terror　to　the　hearts　of　the
  people　and　force　them　to　refrain　from　labor　on　the　Sunday。　At　a　synod　held
  in　Rome；　all　previous　decisions　were　reaffirmed　with　greater　force　and
  solemnity。　They　were　also　incorporated　into　the　ecclesiastical　law　and
  enforced　by　the　civil　authorities　throughout　nearly　all　Christendom。　（See
  Heylyn；　History　of　the　Sabbath；　pt。　2；　ch。　5；　sec。　7。）
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  Still　the　absence　of　Scriptural　authority　for　Sundaykeeping　occasioned　no
  little　embarrassment。　The　people　questioned　the　right　of　their　teachers　to
  set　aside　the　positive　declaration　of　Jehovah；　〃The　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；　other　expedients　were　necessary。　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；　which　contained　the　needed　command　for　Sunday　observance；　with
  awful　threats　to　terrify　the　disobedient。　This　precious　document　as　base　a
  counterfeit　as　the　institution　it　supportedwas　said　to　have　fallen　from
  heaven　and　to　have　been　found　in　Jerusalem；　upon　the　altar　of　St。　Simeon；　in
  Golgotha。　But；　in　fact；　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　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
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  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。　（See　Roger　de　Hoveden；
  Annals；　vol。　2；　pp。　528…530。）
  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。　An　edict　from　the　king　of　Scotland　declared　that
  〃Saturday　from　twelve　at　noon　ought　to　be　accounted　holy；〃　and　that　no　man；
  from　that　time　till　Monday　morning；　should　engage　in　worldly
  business。Morer；　pages　290；　291。
  But　notwithstanding　all　the　efforts　to　establish　Sunday　sacredness；　papists
  themselves　publicly　confessed　the　divine　authority　of　the　Sabbath　and　the
  human　origin　of　the　institution　by　which　it　had　been　supplanted。　In　the
  sixteenth　century　a　papal　council　plainly　declared：　〃Let　all　Christians
  remember　that　the　seventh　day　was　consecrated　by　God；　and　hath　been　received
  and　observed；　not　only　by　the　Jews；　but　by　all　others　who　pretend　to　worship
  God；　though　we　Christians　have　changed　their　Sabbath　into　the　Lord's　Day。〃
  Ibid。；　pages　281；　282。　Those　who　were　tampering　with　the　divine　law　were　not
  ignorant　of　the　character　of　their　work。　They　were　deliberately　setting
  themselves　above　God。
  A　striking　illustration　of　Rome's　policy　toward　those　who　disagree　with　her
  was　given　in　the　long　and　bloody　persecution　of　the　Waldenses；　some　of　whom
  were　observers　of　the　Sabbath。　Others　suffered　in　a　similar　manner　for　their
  fidelity　to　the　fourth　commandment。　The　history　of　the　churches　of　Ethiopia
  and　Abyssinia　is　especially　significant。　Amid　the　gloom　of　the　Dark　Ages；
  the　Christians　of　Central　Africa　were　lost　sight　of　and　forgotten　by　the
  world；　and　for　many　centuries　they　enjoyed　freedom　in　the　exercise　of　their
  faith。　But　at　last　Rome　learned　of　their　existence；　and　the　emperor　of
  Abyssinia　was　soon　beguiled　into　an　acknowledgment　of　the　pope　as　the　vicar
  of　Christ。　Other　conces