Posted by Steve (Billy Steven Crider) on February 9, 2008, 1:29 pm, in reply to "Re: A study on Sabbath...Dec 9, pt 6"
(continued...)The following is an excerpt from an old book in my library, Once a Catholic School Reader, copyrighted in March of 1940 in New York by W.H. SADLIER INC. The book is titled "Church History" by Newton and Horan. William L. Newton, M.A. S. S. D. was a Professor of Sacred Scripture at the Catholic University of America, and the General Secretary for the Revision of the Bible in English. Ellamay Horan, held a Ph.D. and was the Editor of the Journal of Religious Instruction at De Paul University.
These three passages are an excerpt from Chapter six of "Church History" 'Constantine the Great".pgs 43-44
"The Battle At The Milvian Bridge.
At first Constantine wa ruler over only one-fourth of the empire. This was the country of Britain and Gaul. The Roman Empire had three other rulers, two in the East and one in the West. Maxentius was ruler over Italy and Africa. It was Constantine's ambition to unite all parts under himself. In the year 312 Constantine marched against Maxentius. He defeated Maxentius at Turin and marched upon Rome. At the Milvian Bridge, located at the banks of Tiber, he again encoutered Maxentius' army. It far surpassed his in number of men.
The battle that followed is one of the most famous in history. Constantine had been assured in a vision that he would conquer in the sign of Christ. The monogram of Christ, the XP, the first letters of Christ's name in the Greek, was mounted on the military standards. In his vision Constantine had seen mounted on the cross the words: "In this sign, you will conquer." Although the battle was most desperate, Constantine won. He publicly attributed the victory to the God of the Christians. Maxentius was defeated. Constantine became sole ruler in the West. As a result, Christians were treated with tolerance.
The Edict Of Milan
A few months later, early in 313, Constatine and Licinius, who had become sole ruler in the East, issued the
renowned Edict of Milan. This edict granted to Christians and to all others freedom in the exercise of religion. It was a time of great joy for the Christians. Those who were in prison were released. Even apostates sought forgiveness.
Constantine, Sole Ruler Of The Roman Empire.
Although Licinius, Emporer in the East, had issued the Edict of Milan with Constantine, he showed little respect for its toleration of Christian and pagan alike. To him a Christian was always an enemy. He even went so far as to persecute the Christians in his territory, particularly bishops and priests. However, in 323 Licinius was overthrown by Constantine. the event was lookded upon as a truimph for Christinanity. Constantine became sole emporer of the Roman Empire."
You see, Constantine, was a Pagan prior to his documented conversion to Christianity, and was highly criticized by both sides of the fence for his efforts to unite paganism and Christianity. As recorded in the above references, He received criticism from his own encampment for embracing Christians. But he likewise recieved Criticism from the Christians as well for his Pagan stances.
Remember that thing about Christmas formerly being celebrated in January? Here is some fun facts. As A pagan, Constantine worshipped the Roman Sun God, Mithros. Mithros supposedly was born of a Virgin and walked the earth some 300 years prior to Christ, and was celebrated as being born on December 25th. I guess it's kind of easy in that light to understand why Constantine felt the need to merge the two belief systems. Mithros, born of virgin, hailed as the Sun God. Christ, born of a virgin hailed as the Son of God, yeah, I can see his confusion.
As I said, Constantines criticism didn't just come from pagans, nor did it end with Licinius, there was a great controversy in the land due to the Edict of Milan. The events that transpired at the First Council Of Nicea in 325 AD would overshadow the decrees of religious tolerance established just a decade prior in 312 and 313 AD. The First Council Of Nicea was established to resolve continuing conflicts which were ongoing due to the attempts to merge pagan and Christian Belief systems. The stage for Sunday keeping was set earlier to this council by Constantine himself in 321 AD.
Ellen White is looked to as one of the Founders of the Faith in the Seventh Day Adventist Denomination and hailed as many as a prophetess. By the way, you should look up the term 'Adventist' in Websters, you might be surprised at who is included in the category. You may find yourself included in the definition.
William Miller is Credited as starting the Seventh Day Adventist movement about 1830. Ellen White came on scene a few decades later. In her lifetime, her views were highly controversial, and she was banished by the church from America, to "serve" in a remote region of the world, Australia. It would be sometime after her death before her writings would become so well known and accepted. Today, they are viewed within the denomination with quite a degree of reverence. Much like the writings of D.L Moody to the Methodists, Martin Luther or John Knox to the Lutherans,or Dr. John R. Rice to the Independent Baptists.
The following passage is and Excerpt for the book "The Great Controversy" by Ellen White. This is an excerpt from pages 573 and 574 of Chapter 35 of Ellen Whites book :
"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
Page 574
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. "
Appendix reference in Mrs. Whites work from pages 573-574:
The Sunday Law of Constantine.--The law issued by the emperor Constantine on the seventh of March, A.D. 321, regarding a day of rest from labor, reads thus:
"All judges and city people and the craftsmen shall rest upon the venerable Day of the Sun. Country people, however, may freely attend to the cultivation of the fields, because it frequently happens that no other days are better adapted for planting the grain in the furrows or the vines in trenches. So that the advantage given by heavenly providence may not for the occasion of a short time perish."--Joseph Cullen Ayer, A Source Book for Ancient Church History (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1913), div. 2, per. 1, ch. 1, sec. 59, g, pp. 284, 285.
The Latin original is in the Codex Justiniani (Codex of Justinian), lib.
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