s in the New Testament which speak of Christ as delivering
men from the wrath of God will lead, it seems to us, almost every
unprejudiced person to agree with one of the ablest German
critics, who says that "the technical phrase 'wrath of God' here
means, historically, banishment of souls into the under world, and
that the fact of Christ's triumph and ascent was a precious pledge
showing to the Christians that they too should ascend to eternal
life in heaven."7 The doctrine of the descent of Christ among the
dead and of his redemptive mission there has of late wellnigh
faded from notice; but if any one wishes to see the evidence of
its universal reception and unparalleled importance in the
Christian Church for fifteen hundred years, presented in
overwhelming quantity and irresistible array, let him read the
learned work devoted to this subject recently published in
Germany.8 He can hardly peruse this work and follow up its
references without seeing that, almost without an exception, from
the days of Peter and Paul to those of Martin Luther, it has been
held that "the death and resurrection of Christ are the two poles
between which," as Guder says, "his descent into the under world
lies." The phrase "blood of Christ" is often used in Scripture in
a pregnant sense, including the force of meaning that would be
expressed by his death, descent, resurrection, and ascension, with
all their concomitants. As a specimen of innumerable passages of
like import which might be cited, we will quote a single
expression from Epiphanius, showing that the orthodox teachers in
the fourth century attributed redeeming efficacy to Christ's
resurrection rather than to his death." As the pelican restores
its dead offspring by dropping its own blood upon their wounds, so
our Lord Jesus Christ dropped his blood upon Adam, Eve, and all
the dead, and gave them life by his burial and resurrection." 9

It was a part of the Mosaic ritual, laid down in the sixteenth
chapter of Leviticus, that on the great annual day of expiation
there should be two goats chosen by lot, one for the Lord and one
for Azazel. The former the high priest was to slay, and with his
blood sprinkle

7 Bretschneider, Religiose Glaubenslehre, sect. 59: Christus der
Erloser vom Tode.

8 Guder, Die Lehre von der Erscheinung Jesu Christi unter den
Todten: In ihrem Zusammenhange mit der Lehre von den Letzten
Dingen.

9 Physiol., cap. 8: De Pelecano.

the mercy seat. The lat