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THE KING’S BUSINESS
and most learned writers o f the Christian Church. . . . He was also equally zeal ous in opposing alleged heretics.” “ Schaff- Herzog Encyclopedia” ,says: “ In these works Justin professes to present the sys tem o f doctrine held by all Christian S and seeks to be orthodox on all points. The only difference he knows o f as existing between Christians concerned the millen nium. Thus Justin is an incontrovertible witness for the unity o f the faith in the church o f his day, and to the fact that the Gentile type o f Christianity prevailed.” Notice carefully: At thát date, A. D. 140, the only difference among Christians was about the millennium. Then they must all have agreed in keeping Sunday, as Jus tin says that was the day all kept as we will soon sed. Eusebius says that he overshadowed all the great men who illuminated the second century by the splendor o f his name. His writings are “the most important that have come to us from the second century.” Hr. Schaff says o f him : “After his con version Justin devoted himself wholly to the vindication o f the Christian religion, as an itinerant evangelist, with no fixed abode.” Not only were his books accepted without dispute as expressing the practice o f the Church, but his itinerant life, now in Palestine, then in Rome, Greece arid Ephesus, enabled him to know this prac tice, and stamps his testimony with a force equal to demonstration. So, then, Justin is an unimpeachable witness for the faith and practice o f Christians generally a few years after the death o f the apostles. Now hear what Justin says about the first day o f the week: “And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs o f the apostles or the writings o f the prophets are read, as long as,time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs and exhorts to the imitation o f these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended,, bread and wine and water are brought, and'the president in like manner
offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent,'saying, Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation o f that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is col lected is deposited with the president, who succors the orphans and widows, and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds, and the strangers sojourning among us, and, in a word, takes care o f all who are in need. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our communion assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ, our Saviour, on the same day rose from the dead. For He w;as crucified on the day before that o f Saturn (Saturday).; and on the day after that o f Saturn, which is the day o f the sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submit ted to you also for your consideration.” This “Apology” was written by Justin when Christians were being terribly perse cuted. It was addressed to Antonius, the emperor, “also to the sacred senate and the whole Roman people in behalf o f those who of, all nations are now unjustly hated and aspersed.” It was in behalf o f the entire Christian Church in all the vast Roman Empire, as he plainly states. Hence it presents the practice o f the genera! Church, not simply a local church at Rome as Adventists unfairly state. It was addressed to the Roman emperor and the senate to correctly inform them o f the faith and practice o f Roman Christian subjects. Justin was martyred because he would not sacrifice to pagan gods. Notice that he says that, “ On the day called Sunday, all who live in the cities, or in the country gather "together to one place," etc. “ But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assem bly.” This practice was general among all Christians as far as he had travelled, and
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