Whatever may have become of them, we may be sure they are not now in a condition of suffering. Not only do the Scriptures teach that full and complete reward is not given to the Church until Christ comes, when he shall reward every man (Matt. 16:27), but that the unjust are to receive their punishment then also. Whatever may be their present condition, it cannot be their full reward. Peter says, "The Lord knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2 Peter 2:9) – and he will do so.

The thought that so many of our fellow creatures should at any time be lost from lack of having had the knowledge which is necessary to salvation would be sad indeed to all who have a spark of love or pity.

There are numerous scriptures which it seems impossible to harmonize with all this. How shall we understand the statements, "God is love," and "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish"? (1 John 4:8; John 3:16) Would it not seem that if God loved the world so much he might have made provision, not only that believers might be saved, but also that all might hear in order to believe?

"That was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world." (John 1:9) Has every man been enlightened? Our observation says, No! We cannot see that our Lord has enlightened more than a few of earth’s billions. Even in this comparatively enlightened day, millions of heathen give no evidence of such enlightenment. Neither did multitudes of others in past ages.

Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death "for every man." (Heb. 2:9) But if he tasted death for the one hundred and forty-three billions, and from any cause that sacrifice becomes efficacious to only one billion, was not the redemption comparatively a failure? Is not the Apostle’s statement too broad?

"Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to ALL PEOPLE." (Luke 2:10) But we see that it is only to a "little flock" that it has been good tidings, not to all people. We wonder whether the angels had not overstated the goodness and breadth of their message, and overrated the importance of the work to be accomplished by the Messiah whom they announced.