It is now time to ponder, for a moment, the words of the nondescript writer quoted above. They are as follows: “We celebrate the eighth day with joy, on which Jesus rose from the dead.” In them is found not a single fact which, granting their authenticity, is at all decisive in the matter at issue. For, be it remembered, the controversy is not as to whether the ancients were in the habit of holding convocations for any purpose whatsoever, on the first day of the week, but, whether they called it the Lord’s day. It will, therefore, be admitted that the term, Lord’s Day, is not so much as mentioned; whereas, the day which it is supposed was entitled to the honor of being thus designated, is termed the “eighth day, the one on which Jesus rose from the dead.” Nor is it so much as intimated that the day in question was observed as a Sabbath, or esteemed as holy. The statement employed is that “they celebrated it with joy.” But this could be said with perfect propriety of any day of the week on which there regularly occurred a religious festival. As an illustration of this, it might be mentioned here that a historian of the present time, while mentioning the usages of this period, could not be charged with inaccuracy should he declare that the 25th of December, which is supposed by some to be the day of the Lord’s nativity, is regularly celebrated. Should he do so, and should coming generations infer therefrom that it is now regarded as holy, you will readily perceive the mistake into which they would fall. What we want, if we must have recourse to such _miserable material_ as that which we are handling over, is something positive and definite. This the text undeniably fails to give. We leave it, therefore, as worthless; 1st. Because we do not know _who_ wrote it. 2d. Because we do not know _when_ it was written. 3d. Because it is found in an epistle so corrupted by interpolations that it is not at all reliable as authority. 4th. Because it has no direct bearing upon the subject. 5th. Because its author—by the absurd and ridiculous sentiments to which he gave expression—manifestly had a judgment too weak to allow us to suppose that, in the providence of God, in which nothing falls out by mistake, he should constitute a pillar in any way necessary to the establishment of sound religious doctrine. The third authority brought forward is Justin Martyr. From him we learn that, on the day of the sun, the church at Rome were in the habit of convening, partaking of the Lord’s supper, listening to preaching, engaging in prayer, and in the contribution of alms.