Sabbath Observance
Originally published in The Catholic Record, London, Ontario, Sept. 1, 1923 (Vol. XLV, No. 2342)
Page 4 | Presumed authored by editorial staff
A “Tempest in a Teapot” Over Sabbath Observance
Not long ago, London, Ontario, experienced a minor stir over Sabbath observance. During a spell of sweltering weather, a proposal was made to allow children access to the municipal swimming pool on Sundays. The reaction from local clergy was swift and strong. One minister even declared they would not rest until they had “routed the hosts of hell,” seemingly envisioning infernal forces lined up behind the mayor and his fellow “Sabbath-breakers.”
But the real shock came when the London Free Press published an account of a sermon from Rev. J. Marion Smith of Emmanuel Baptist Church (Toronto), preached at Talbot Street Baptist Church. The headline read:
“Sabbath Observance Not Any Part of Man’s Duty as a Christian!”
Rev. Smith’s Sermon: No Obligation to Keep the Sabbath
Rev. Smith’s sermon wasn’t mainly about Sabbath observance, but rather addressed the topic: “Can a Saved Man Be Lost?” Still, it was his remarks on the Sabbath that caught the editor’s eye.
Quoting the Apostle Paul, Rev. Smith asserted that making Sabbath observance a test of righteousness was to place oneself back under the full burden of Mosaic Law. He said:
“I do not consider it any part of my duty as a Christian to observe the Sabbath. When Christ came, the old law was fulfilled and done away with.”
In a follow-up interview with The Toronto Star, Rev. Smith clarified:
“The Jewish Sabbath is not Sunday, the Lord’s Day. Christians are all wrong in speaking of the Sabbath as Sunday. Keeping Sunday is not a matter of law, but a privilege. It is not binding on the Christian for justification, but is a reasonable devotion of one-seventh of time to spiritual rest and worship.”
He added:
“One of the greatest blessings of Canada has been due to strict observance of the Lord’s Day. Throwing Sunday wide open would paralyze much good and increase temptation for youth.”
The Real Crux: Where Is the Biblical Authority for Sunday?
Despite Rev. Smith’s explanation, neither he nor his critics touched on the real issue:
On Protestant principles—Bible alone—what authority is there for replacing Saturday with Sunday as the Sabbath?
There is no scriptural support in the New Testament for transferring Sabbath observance from the seventh day (Saturday) to the first day (Sunday). The Bible teaches:
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The Sabbath is the seventh day.
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It is one of the Ten Commandments.
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Nowhere does the Bible say Sunday replaces Saturday.
For Catholics, this poses no problem. The Church claims the authority, through Christ, to “bind and loose.” Jesus told His Apostles:
“As the Father sent Me, so I send you… He who hears you, hears Me.”
The Church therefore has authority above the Bible, and this change in Sabbath observance is cited as proof of that authority.
“Deny the authority of the Church and you have no adequate or reasonable explanation or justification for the substitution of Sunday for Saturday.”
Protestant Dilemma: Sola Scriptura Fails Here
Protestants reject the authority of Divine Tradition and the teaching Church, clinging instead to “Bible alone.” But this approach fails to justify the change of Sabbath observance. As Rev. Smith said:
“The Jewish Sabbath is not Sunday… Christians are wrong in calling Sunday the Sabbath.”
Indeed, the Bible is silent on Sunday observance as a replacement for Sabbath. The few references to the “first day of the week” (e.g., Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2) do not indicate any new commandment or divine institution.
That’s the central issue—where is the authority for the change? It isn’t in Scripture.
A Brief History of Sunday Observance
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Early centuries: Sunday rest wasn’t strictly defined. The Council of Laodicea (late 4th century) merely advised abstaining from work where possible.
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6th century: Some began applying Jewish Sabbath rules to Sunday.
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Council of Orleans (538 AD): Rejected this practice as “Jewish and non-Christian.”
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After the Reformation: Puritanism gave Sunday an increasingly rigid Sabbath-like character, especially in England and Scotland.
This Puritan legacy lives on. In modern times, a harmless swim on Sunday may still be seen as “desecration of the Sabbath.”
Catholic Position: Church Over Scripture in This Matter
Catholics see Sunday, the Lord’s Day (Dies Dominica), as a distinct and separate institution, rooted in Church authority, not Mosaic law.
The Church:
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Does not confuse Sunday with the Jewish Sabbath.
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Instituted Sunday observance.
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Legislated its observance according to its own authority.
For Protestants who hold the Bible as the sole rule of faith, there’s no explanation for this shift. This exposes a contradiction at the heart of their position.
A Word of Reflection
Perhaps the debate over Sabbath observance would benefit from reflection on Mark 2:23–28, where Jesus says:
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Our Lord opposed the burdensome legalism of the Pharisees and emphasized mercy over ritual.
If followed through consistently, the discussion raised by Rev. Smith might lead to a clearer, more grounded understanding of the true origin and role of Sunday in Christian life.
Closing Notes on the Publication
This article appeared in the Saturday, Sept. 1, 1923 edition of The Catholic Record of London, Ontario.
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Publisher: Thomas Coffey, LL.D.
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Editors: Rev. James T. Foley, D.D., and Thomas Coffey, LL.D.
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Associate Editor: H.F. Mackintosh
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Manager: Robert M. Burns
The paper had received recommendations from several prominent Catholic bishops and archbishops across Canada and the United States.
Supplemental Statements from Popes
Pope Leo XIII – Providentissimus Deus (1893)
“Catholic doctrine… should be held as the supreme law… all interpretation is false which is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.”
Pope Francis – Address to the Pontifical Biblical Commission (2013)
“The Word of God precedes and exceeds the Bible… Scripture must be interpreted within the living Tradition of the Church.”
