The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-01

- Brooklyn IabernacIe' as pres
ident of the International
Bible Students association, addressed
the students twice today. His audi
ences were large and Intelligent we
report one of his addresses from the
text foregoing. He said:
Much speculation has been aroused
by our text. Some have claimed that
it signifies that Christ, after his death
on the cross and before his resurrec-
ton went to some place where human
spirits are imprisoned in some kind OF
purgatory and there preached to them
Not only is the Catholic theory in line
with this suggestion, but many Protes-
tants hold that the dead may be pray
ed for and thus be assisted to escape
from eternal torment. All of this is
wrong, as we shall shOw-quite con-
trary to the teachings of our text when
viewed in the light of its context.
Those preached to were not human
beings, but spirit beings-no, men, but
angels. This is clearly stated in verse
20, which tells US when these angels
were imprisoned and why. They were
imprisoned in the days Of Noah at the
time Of the flood. They were impris-
oned for disobedienece. So we read
(verse 19), He preached unto spirits
in prison which sometimes were DISC
bedient when once the long-suffering
of God waited in the days of Noah,
while the ark was preparing" Turn
ing back to the Genesis account of that
time we find quite a complete record
or history of these disobedient spirits,
in the sixth chapter, verses Is
Angels Preferred to Be Humans.
Some time after Father Adams DISC
bedience and his expulsion from Eden
the holy angels were permitted to
visit humanity with a view to assist
ing men back to harmony with God.
This doubtless was permitted for two
reasons: First, had such an opportu-
,ioIa onop1G
might in the conclusion of Gods great
plan, have been inclined to say, Yes,
God accomplished human salvation,
but in a very roundabout way and at
very great cost and trouble. Had he
given us an opportunity to mingle with
humanity we might have had an up
lifting influence upon the people and
have accomplished their reconciliation
to God.
Cod wished to forestan any such
misunderstanding of the wisdom of
the plan which he had arranged and
would, in due time, work out; second
", the angels themselves never had
come in contact with sin of any kind.
Hence they never had been tested or
tried in respect to their obedience and
loyalty to the Creator. They were per-
mitted to attempt the recovery of hu-
manity-partly in order to test their
own obedience and loyalty to God.
Our knowledge of spirit beings and
the powers granted TO Jnen by the
Almighty is limited to our observation
of the Bible record. The angels who
appeared as young men at our Lord s
sepulchre and again at his ascension
and who, as soon as they had accom-
plished the purposes of their visit, van
ished, are illustrations.
We remember the account of how
Abraham sat at the door of his
tent and, Behold, three men came to
him. He received them as men, enter
tanned them at dinner and, we read.
''They did eat and talk with Abra-
ham" They had human powers though
still spirit beings. When they dema-
terialized they vanished.
Genesis vi, 1-2, informs US that this
privilege Of naturalization for the as
sistance of mankind was eventually
misused by some of the angels as an
opportunity for sinful intercourse with
humanity. The time at which this be-
gan Is not definitely stated The ex-
preston, when men began to multi
ply on the face of the earth" might
safely be estimated at about a, thou
sand years after Adams creation and
fall. This would leave a period of 655
years to the flood. 1t was approx
mately during the long period that
the angelic sons of God. seeing the
daughters of men, took to themselves
for wives all that they chose of the
fair daughters of men. And they bare
children to them. The same became
mighty men which were of old men of
renown-and giants. We remember
that at that early day human life was
much longer than now and that man
hood was scarcely reached before a
century and that few became fathers
sooner; and when we remember also
that the children of the angels are not
mentioned as boys, but men. mighty
men, renowned men, 1t gives the
thought that the angels without Di-
vine permission had really started to
propagate a new race and that their
progeny was much stronger than that
of the poor, Adamic stock.
The disregard of Divine law meant
that the strength of these giants would
| be used selfishly and the licentious ex-