When did the months start – at conjunction or the first visible crescent?
The months started when the new moon could be observed. Many very sincere lunar-Sabbath keepers keep the black days (the conjunction) as the New Moon and declare the first work day to be the day following the first visible appearance of the moon. This is convenient because when you do it that way, each new quarter of the moon lines up perfectly with a seventh-day Sabbath. However, keeping the New Moon by conjunction is a new development. This is not how it was done in Bible times. The Jews, Arabs, Chaldeans, and Damacenes all had the same custom in reference to the beginning of their months – they all started the new month with the first appearance of the new moon after conjunction” (Grace Amadon, “Report of Committee on Historical Basis, Involvement, and Validity of the October 22, 1844 Position, Part V,” Box 2, Folder 4, Grace Amadon Collection, Center for Adventist Research, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.) There is abundant research showing that all the ancient calen
