The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-09-30
Sermon by
CHARLES 7.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

In this city. Pastor Russell of th'
Brooklyn Tabernacle, as President o.
the International Bible Students Asso
citation, addressed the Students twtct
today. His audiences were large ant
intelligent We report one Of his ad
dresses from the text foregoing. Ht
said:- is
Much speculation has been aroused
by our text Some have claimed thai
1t 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-not 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 food They were imprisoned
for disobedience. So we read (verse
19). "He preached unto spirits in pris-
on, which sometime were disobedient,
when once the long-suffering of God
waited in the days Of Noah. while the
ark was preparing" Turning 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 10.
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 view to assist
ing men back to harmony with God
This doubtless was permitted for two
reasons: First, had such an opportu-
nifty not been furnished. the angels
might in the conclusion of Gods great
Plan, have been inclined to say, Yes,
God accomplished human salvation,
but In very roundabout way and at
very great cost and trouble. Had he
given us an opportunity to mingle with
hu.ndnztS- we might have had an up
lifting influence upon the people and
have accomplished their reconciliation
to God.
God wished to forestall 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 tie 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 them by the
Almighty is limited to our observation
Of the Bible record, The angels who
appeared as young men at our Lords
sepulchre and again at his ascension
and who. as soon as they had accom-
plished the purposes Of their visit, van
ished. are Illustrations.
4 We remember the account Of how
Abraham sat in 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.
iSThey did eat and talked 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
The time at which this be-
gan is not definitely stated The ex-
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 food 1t was approx
mately during~that 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 |
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 |
Divine permission. had really started |
10 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 hcentious ex-
ample of the angels had a democrat
ling effect upon the children of Adam.
as well as upon their own children
All this is stated and implied IN the
words. And God saw that the wicked
49, % xv,n- go. a. "a