The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 55

revealed as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and is thereby
distinguished from all false gods. It was as a memorial of the work
of creation that the seventh day was sanctified as a rest day for man.
It was designed to keep the living God ever before the minds of men
as the source of being and the object of reverence and worship. Satan
strives to turn men from their allegiance to God, and from rendering
obedience to His law; therefore he directs his efforts especially against
that commandment which points to God as the Creator.
Protestants now urge that the resurrection of Christ on Sunday made
it the Christian Sabbath. But Scripture evidence is lacking. No such
honor was given to the day by Christ or His apostles. The observance
of Sunday as a Christian institution had its origin in that “mystery of
lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:7, R.V.) which, even in Paul’s day, had
begun its work. Where and when did the Lord adopt this child of
the papacy? What valid reason can be given for a change which the
Scriptures do not sanction?
In the sixth century the papacy had become firmly established. Its
seat of power was fixed in the imperial city, and the bishop of Rome was
declared to be the head over the entire church. Paganism had given place
to the papacy. The dragon had given to the beast “his power, and his seat,
and great authority.” Revelation 13:2. And now began the 1260 years of
papal oppression foretold in the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation.
Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5-7. (See Appendix.) Christians were forced
to choose either to yield their integrity and accept the papal ceremonies
and worship, or to wear away their lives in dungeons or suffer death
by the rack, the fagot, or the headsman’s ax. Now were fulfilled the
words of Jesus: “Ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren,
and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put
to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake.” Luke
21:16, 17. Persecution opened upon the faithful with greater fury than
ever before,

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