1 Corinthians 16:1, 2

We have now noticed every instance where the first day of the week is mentioned in the New Testament, excepting one, which we here present: “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do you. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”ChSa 67.3

This scripture is claimed as evidence for Sunday on the ground that public collections were taken up on that day, hence there must have been public meetings held, and therefore the first day of the week was the day for public assemblies of Christians. But does this language say that public collections were taken up on the first day of the week? The whole question turns upon the expression, “lay by him in store.” Would the act of taking money from the purse or pocket and placing it in a box or plate, be laying by him, i.e., by himself? Most certainly it would be just the opposite; it would be putting the money away from himself. The money would be gone. This is evidently an act to be done, not in a public gathering, but at home. This is most certainly the meaning of the original Greek. Various translations collected by J. W. Morton, late Presbyterian missionary to Hayti, read as follows:-ChSa 67.4

“Greenfield, in his Lexicon, translates the Greek term, ‘by one’s self, i.e., at home.’ Two Latin versions, the Vulgate and that of Castellio, render it ‘with one’s self, at home.’ Three French translations, those of Martin, Osterwald, and De Sacy, ‘at his own house, at home.’ The German of Luther, ‘by himself, at home.’ The Dutch the same as the German. The Italian of Diodati, ‘in his own presence, at home.’ The Spanish of Felipe Scio, ‘in his own house.’ The Portuguese of Ferreira, ‘with himself.’ The Swedish, ‘near himself.’ Dr. Bloomfield renders it ‘by him, Fr., chez soi, at home.’ The Douay Bible, ‘Let every one of you put apart with himself.’ Dr. Justin Edwards, in his Family Testament of the American Tract Society, p. 286, thus gives it, “Lay by himself in store; at home; that there be no gatherings; that their gifts might be ready when the ‘apostle should come.’”ChSa 68.1

Surely all these authorities, and others which might be cited, are sufficient to settle the question beyond all controversy, that no public collection was intended, but on the contrary that the act required was to be done at home.ChSa 68.2

Again, the act required is not such a one as would be consistent with Sabbath sacredness. They were to lay by them on the first day of the week as God had prospered them. To tell how God had prospered them during the week past, if a business man, would necessitate the reckoning of accounts. Our first-day friends would hardly relish the idea of finding some of their church members who were merchants, busy reckoning up columns of figures to ascertain their amount of prosperity during the past week, on what they call the “Christian Sabbath.” Yet this is precisely what this command of the great apostle to “lay by him in store, as God had prospered him,” would necessitate in the case of any one who had large business transactions.ChSa 68.3

Here we see the same fact stated which has been apparent in the other cases where the first day of the week is mentioned. Secular labor is spoken of as being done on that day; and in this last instance the apostle required it. Surely this is not consistent with Sabbath holiness. We therefore conclude that this last mention of the first day utterly fails to prove the practice of holding religions meetings on the first day of the week in the apostolic age, and fails to give the slightest sanction to any claim of sacredness.ChSa 69.1