Paul beautifully and aptly expresses the principle in writing to the Corinthians: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (I. Cor. 15:19); but knowing that the gospel would be preached to the spirits in prison, and that untold millions of those who failed to accept the gospel here would do so there, he felt to rejoice in his heart instead of being the most miserable of men. He was fully aware that there was but one way to be saved, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4:5); that it was positively necessary for man to pass through the door to enter into the sheepfold; that the many devices whereby men sought to save themselves must of necessity fail, for "God's house is a house of order." He knew there was _only_ one name under heaven whereby men might be saved; that obedience to this law was a prime necessity to salvation, for "in vain do ye say, Lord, Lord, and do not the things I command you." Knowing these facts, the life of every good and true man, as was Paul, would be rendered miserable at the thought that so many millions of the human family must irretrievably perish, and be subject to torture throughout all the eternities to come; but understanding the great principle of the mission of our Savior to the prison world, they can rejoice in the fact that the plan of salvation is a complete one. They have hope that, not only in this life, but in the life to come, the gospel will be preached and men be taught its precepts. We here introduce the evidence of some learned men, who have a reputation for scholarly ability, far and wide. Professor Taylor Lewis, a prominent English writer, states: "We are taught that there was a work of Christ in Hades, He descended into Hades; He made proclamation in Hades to those who are there, in ward." Bishop Alford says: "I understand these words (I. Peter 3:19) to say that our Lord, in His disembodied state, did go to the place of detention of departed spirits, and did there announce His work of redemption; preach salvation in fact, to the disembodied spirits of those who refused to obey the voice of God when the judgment of the flood was hanging over them." Professor A. Hinderkoper, a German writer, says: "In the second and third centuries _every branch and division of the Christian church_, so far as their records enable us to judge, _believed that Christ preached to the departed spirits _." (Haley's _Discrepancies of the Bible_.) These writers were willing to ignore the teachings of tradition, and let the words of inspired men mean just what they said, without any "private interpretation."