Thomaston, Georgia May 22, 1934

Pope Pius XI Rome, Italy

Dear Sir:

Is the accusation true, that Protestant's accuse you of? They say you changed the seventh' day Sabbath to the, so called, Christian Sunday; identical with the first day of the week. If so, when did you make the change and by what authority?

Yours truly, (Signed) J. L. Day

(Reply)

THE CATHOLIC EXTENSION MAGAZINE (The largest Catholic Magazine published in USA) 180 Wabash Avenue, Chicago, Illinois (Under the blessing of Pope Pius XI)

Dear Sir:

Regarding the change from the observance of the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sunday, I wish to draw your attention to the facts:

(1) That Protestants, who accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and religion, should by all means go back to the observance of the Sabbath. The fact that they do not, but on the contrary observe the Sunday, stultifies them in the eyes of every thinking man.

(2) We Catholics do not accept the Bible as the only rule of faith. Besides the Bible we have the living Church, the authority of the Church, as a rule to guide us. We say this Church, instituted by Christ, to teach and guide men through life, has the right to change the Ceremonial laws of the Old Testament and hence, we accept her change of the Sabbath to the Sunday. We frankly say, "Yes, the Church made this change, made this law, as she made many other laws, for instance, the Friday Abstinence, the unmarried priesthood, the laws concerning mixed marriages, the regulation of Catholic marriages, and a thousand other laws."

(3) We also say that of all Protestants, the Seventh-day Adventist are the only group that reason correctly and are consistent with their teachings. It is always somewhat laughable to see the Protestant Churches, in pulpit and legislature, demand the observance of Sunday, of which there is nothing in the Bible.

With best wishes, (Signed) Peter R. Tramer, Editor

Mr. James L. Day first heard the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church at an evangelistic meeting in Thomaston, Georgia in 1934. Upon hearing the sermon on the change of the Sabbath he was greatly perplexed and thought the way to find out for himself the truth of the matter was to write to the Pope.

This letter was written by Mr. Day personally, upon his own initiative, to Pope Pius XI, who was then the ruling Pope of the Catholic Church. He said he waited thirty days for a reply and then received this letter from the editor of THE CATHOLIC EXTENSION, which is printed under Mr. Day's letter. The Pope had sent Mr. Day's letter to Mr. Tramer, who was editor of the Question Box of this magazine, for reply. The answer was sent under the blessing of the pope.