Elder Charles A. Callis
"Spiritual ruin came by the fall of man. This is the sad story told in the Holy Scriptures: 'Because that Adam fell we are; and by his fall came death; and we are made partakers of misery and woe. And men have become carnal, sensual and devilish, and are shut out from the presence of God.' (Moses 6:48-49)
"Man, by sin, brought himself into the captivity of sin. His nature, by reason of the fall, became evil continually. He was shut out from the presence of the Lord. What a terrible sentence! Imagination cannot conceive a more dreadful judgment. It was not in man's power to escape from the misery that never dies. This judgment mortal man could not reverse. There was no appellate court. It was to be of endless duration. Hope seemed to have bade the world farewell. In despair man stood helpless.
"Against this dark background, God, who is love and with whom there is forgiveness, caused to shine brightly, the three graces, Faith, Hope and Love. He told Adam that Jesus Christ, the righteous Judge, would come in the meridian of time and atone for original guilt.
"Down through the ages this living faith and hope sustained those who believed in the heavenly promises. The Messiah became the consolation of Israel. 'God had turned away his judgments because of his Son.'" (Conference Reports, Oct. 1937, p. 121)