method we are willing that all might be judged. Opinuions of men are
not the words of God, nor is the word of God to receive a private inter-
pretation as is clearly shown by the following: "Knowing this first
that no prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men
of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." [2 Peter 1:20-21] Opinions of men
shall not then prevail, but we will take the word of God for our gGuide,
"And when they shall say unto you, seek unto them that have familiar
spirits and unto wizards that peep and that mutter, should not a people
seek unto their God for the living to the dead?" (Isa. 8, 19) Let us
to the Scriptures then, and seek the word of God for a knowledge of the
dead.

After Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, fulfilled His mission
among the living and was about to depart to the unseen world and per-
form his work for the salvation of the dead; while he was suffering the
pangs of death upon the cross between two malefactors, he was railed
upon by one, yet worshiped by the other, to whom He said: "To-day shalt
thou be with Me in Paradise. [Luke 23:43] This saying has created a belief in the
Christian world that the vilest sinner on his death-bed or the murderer
upon the gallows by confessing Christ at the alast moment can be saved.
But let us find out what became of the thief. Where did he go? To
heaven? Not if the Scriptures are true. On the morning of the Savior's
resurrection and Mary's visit to the sepulcher, she thought Jesus to be
the gardener. Yet when He said "Mary" she at once recognized Him and
in her joy evidently sought to embrace Him, for it is said, "Jesus saith
unto her: touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go
to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your
Father and to my God and your God." (John 20, 17) If this be true, aare
we not justified in asking the question, "Lord, if thou hast not been
to they Father and God during those three days, where has though been,
and where didst thou take that thief?" Let the Scriptures answer. Men's
opinions are worthless on such vital questions. "For Christ also hath
once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us
to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit
by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which
sometime were disobedient when once the long suffering of Noah God
waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing, wherein few,
that is, eight souls were saved by water." (I Peter 3, 18-20) So then
Christ took the thief to the spirit world and there undoubtedly
preached the Gospel to him in connection with Noah's people. And why?
"For for this cause was the Gospel preached to them that are dead, that
they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according
to God in the Spirit." [1 Peter 4:6] It would seem that this can need no explanation
for by this rule all men are to be judged by the same law, whether they
hear the Gospel in life or after death. And herein is the justice of
Almighty God made manifest, for if it were not so, and if the modern
Christianity theory should prevail, viz.—that all mankind who do not
confess Christ are lost—what shall be said of four-fifths of the
people on the earth to-day, and those that have lived in like circum-
stances in the heathen world, who never heard of Christ? If, when all
mankind are brought before the judgment-seat to be judged, and the
heathen hears his sentence read by the

method we are willing that all might be judged. Opinions of men are not the words of God, nor is the word of God to receive a private interpretation as is clearly shown by the following: "Knowing this first that no prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Opinions of men shall not then prevail, but we will take the word of God for ourGuide, "And when they shall say unto you, seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto wizards that peep and that mutter, should not a people seek unto their God for the living to the dead?" (Isa. 8, 19) Let us to the Scriptures then, and seek the word of God for a knowledge of the dead.

After Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, fulfilled His mission among the living and was about to depart to the unseen world and perform his work for the salvation of the dead; while he was suffering the pangs of death upon the cross between two malefactors, he was railed upon by one, yet worshiped by the other, to whom He said: "To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise. This saying has created a belief in the Christian world that the vilest sinner on his death-bed or the murderer upon the gallows by confessing Christ at thelast moment can be saved. But let us find out what became of the thief. Where did he go? To heaven? Not if the Scriptures are true. On the morning of the Savior's resurrection and Mary's visit to the sepulcher, she thought Jesus to be the gardener. Yet when He said "Mary" she at once recognized Him and in her joy evidently sought to embrace Him, for it is said, "Jesus saith unto her: touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God." (John 20, 17) If this be true, are we not justified in asking the question, "Lord, if thou hast not been to thy Father and God during those three days, where has though been, and where didst thou take that thief?" Let the Scriptures answer. Men's opinions are worthless on such vital questions. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." (I Peter 3, 18-20) So then Christ took the thief to the spirit world and there undoubtedly preached the Gospel to him in connection with Noah's people. And why? "For for this cause was the Gospel preached to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit." It would seem that this can need no explanation for by this rule all men are to be judged by the same law, whether they hear the Gospel in life or after death. And herein is the justice of Almighty God made manifest, for if it were not so, and if the modern Christian theory should prevail, viz.—that all mankind who do not confess Christ are lost—what shall be said of four-fifths of the people on the earth to-day, and those that have lived in like circumstances in the heathen world, who never heard of Christ? If, when all mankind are brought before the judgment-seat to be judged, and the heathen hears his sentence read by the