Though the future is most glorious to these people, the past is also
bright. The hopes of the future are well grounded on the facts of the
past. An ever-present theme is that of Christ's first visit to the
spirit world, when, having died on the cross, He brought life and light
and immortality to the world of spirits, entering even into the prison
house where the disobedient had lain for a long time, and preached the
gospel to them.

And among these who gloried both in the past and in the future were
Rupert and Henrik. Often they conversed on themes near to their hearts:

"It must have been a place of darkness, of sad despairing hearts, that
prison house, before Christ's visit to it," said Rupert. "There, as in a
pit, dwelt those who in earth-life had rejected the truth, and who,
sinking low in the vices of the world, permitted themselves to be led
captive by the power of the evil one. Noah in his day preached to them,
but they laughed him to scorn and continued in their evil ways. Others
of the prophets in their generations had warned them, but without avail;
so here were found Satan's harvest from the fruitful fields of the
earth."

"I can well imagine that long, long, night of darkness," added Henrik.
"No ray of hope pierced the gloom of their abode. The prison walls
loomed around and above them, shutting out any glimpse of heaven. These
had rejected the truth, which alone can make men free. They themselves
had shut out the light when it would have shone in upon their vision.
They had chosen the evil, and the evil was claiming its own. Outside the
prison were their fellows who had chosen to do the right, basking in the
light of a clear conscience, enjoying the approval of the Lord. These
faithful ones were going on to eternal perfection. How long would it