doctrine was held unchallenged in the earliest years of the church after the apostolic era. [Ballou's "Ancient History of Universalism;" Beecher's "History of the Doctrine of Future Retribution."]
Angel.—The Greek angelos is the original of "angel," also is sometimes "messenger" in the Bible. It occurs one hundred and eighty-three times in the New Testament, and is applied t o good and bad spirits, men, armics, fire, and even to qualitics, and other agencies. Any messenger is an angel. It is applied to John, Matt. xi. 10; to his disciples, Luke vii. 24; to Jesus' disciples, Luke ix. 52; to the thorn in Paul's flesh, 2 Cor. xii. 7; to the Hebrew spies, James ii. 25; etc. Its highest meaning is disembodied, immortal spirits, which ultimately all human beings shall become (Matt. xxii. 30; Mark xii. 24, 25; Luke xx. 34–35). The word in the Bible must be interpreted by its surroundings. ["Universalist Book of Reference."]
Anger.—(See "God's Anger," "Wrath.") In the Scriptures anger is both forbidden (Col. iii. 8; Eph. iv. 31; Eccl. vii. 9; Prov. xii. 16, etc.) and commanded (Eph. iv. 26),—"Be angry and sin not." These seemingly opposite injunctious are reconciled by remembering that, like God, men must be angry towards that which harms others, and not at others. God's anger seeks the welfare of his enemies by destroying their (illegible text). Man's anger should be so aimed at the evil traits of his enemies as to transform them to friends. [Thayer's "Theology;" Hanson's "Bible Threatenings Explained."]
Anger, God's.—(See "Anger," "Wrath."). The word anger as applied to God denotes his feelings towards that which hinders the welfare of his moral offspring, the progress of his kingdom, and also the consequences that follow transgression. It is the opposition of Divine Love to whatever would harm Love's object. In a being of infinite
