Page 34 - 35 Liberty of Conscience Threatened

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.)

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