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. 3, TITLE 12, LEX. 3. THE LAW IS GIVEN IN LATIN AND IN ENGLISH TRANSLATION IN PHILIP SCHAFF'S HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, VOL. 3, 3D PERIOD, CH. 7, SEC. 75, P. 380, FOOTNOTE 1; AND IN JAMES A. HESSEY'S BAMPTON LECTURES, SUNDAY, LECTURE 3, PAR. 1, 3D ED., MURRAY'S PRINTING OF 1866, P. 58. SEE DISCUSSION IN SCHAFF, AS ABOVE REFERRED TO; IN ALBERT HENRY NEWMAN, A MANUAL OF CHURCH HISTORY (PHILADELPHIA: THE AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, PRINTING OF 1933), REV. ED., VOL. 1, PP. 305-307; AND IN LEROY E. FROOM, THE PROPHETIC FAITH OF OUR FATHERS (WASHINGTON, D.C.: REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSN., 1950), VOL. 1, PP 376-381.

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