In the East Indies

Since that time the Fast Indies have fallen under the dominion of Great Britain. Some years since, Mr. Buchanan, a distinguished minister of the Church of England, visited India for the purpose of becoming acquainted with this body of Christians. He says they have preserved themselves most free from Mohammedan and papal corruption, and that they have a translation of the Bible in the Armenian language, which has been pronounced the “queen of versions.” He says:ChSa 148.1

“They have preserved the Bible in its purity; and their doctrines are, as far as the author knows, the doctrines of the Bible. Besides, they maintain the solemn observance of Christian worship throughout our empire ON THE SEVENTH DAY, and they have as many spires pointing to heaven among the Hindoos as we ourselves.”-Buchanan’s Christian Researches in Asia, p. 2.59.ChSa 148.2

Purchas, a writer of the seventeenth century, also speaks of several sects of Eastern Christians, “continuing from ancient times,” as Syrians, Jacobites, Nestorians, Maronites, and Arhlenians. It seems evident that these are identical with those now known as Armenians. He says:ChSa 148.3

“They keep Saturday holy, nor esteem Saturday fast lawful but on Easter even. They have solemn service on Saturdays, eat flesh, and feast it bravely like the Jews.”-Purchas, His Pilgrimage, part 2, book 8, chap. 6, sec. 5.ChSa 148.4

This writer, like many first day authors, Catholic and Protestant, even at the present time, speaks disrespectfully of those Christians who observed the Sabbath. But this testimony, with the others, seems to leave no possible doubt that the Armenians observed the Sabbath.ChSa 148.5

Andrews, in his History of the Sabbath, page 463, says concerning other Sabbath keepers:ChSa 148.6

“When the Reformation had lifted the vale of darkness that covered the nations of Europe, Sabbath-keepers were found in Transylvania, Bohemia, Russia, Germany, Holland, France, and England. It was not the Reformation which gave existence to these Sabbatarians; for the leaders of the Reformation, as a body, were not friendly to such views. On the contrary, these observers of the Sabbath appear to be remnants of the ancient Sabbath-keeping churches that had witnessed for the truth during the Dark Ages!”ChSa 148.7

He proceeds to cite various classes of these in the countries mentioned, and gives the authorities to prove it, which the inquiring reader can investigate in that valuable work.ChSa 149.1