r how unrighteous the contest. Not so with this, for
our cause is one of the most glorious, tho' it be the most trying that
ever the sun shone upon since God placed it in the heavens. Onward and
victory, then, are our watchwords, and no retreating back to, or beyond
the cry at _Midnight_! But to the subject. Did our Saviour ever meet
with his disciples on the first day of the week after the evening of the
day of his resurrection? The xxi. ch. John says "they went a fishing,
and while there Jesus appeared unto them." In the 14th v. he says, "This
is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples after
that he was risen from the dead." Now turn to 1 Cor. xv: 4-7: Paul's
testimony is, 'that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve, after
that of above five hundred brethren at once, and then of James, then of
all the Apostles.' These are all that are specified, up to his going
into heaven. Now pray tell me if you can, where these men got their
information respecting the frequent meetings on the first day of the
week. The bible says no such thing. But let us pursue the subject and
look at the third text, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of
you lay by him in _store_, as God has prospered him, that there be no
gatherings when I come." Now please turn back to Dr. Dodridge's
authority, he says the argument is too obvious to need any illustration,
that the money was put into common stock, and that this was the
religious observance of the first day of the week. Now whoever will read
the first six verses of this chapter, and compare them with Rom. xv:
26-33, will see that Paul's design was to collect some money for the
poor saints at Jerusalem, and their laying it by them in store until he
came that way; for it plainly implies that they were at home, for no one
could understand that you had money lying by you in store, if it was in
common stock or in other hands. Again, see Acts xviii: 4, 11. Paul
preaching every Sabbath day, at this very time, for eighteen months, to
these very same Corinthians, bids them farewell, to go up to the feast
at Jerusalem, 21 v. By reading to xxi. ch. 17 v. you have his history
until he arrives there. Now I ask, if Dr. Dodridge's clear illustration
can or will be relied on, when Luke clearly teaches that Paul's _manner_
was, and that he did always preach to them on the Sabbath, which, of
course, [36]was the Seventh day, and not the first day of the week.
Fourth text, John says