National Republican., 1882-12-18
~ ANGTL sTRENGTnENs mIM.

! shall rejoice everfnOre in the privilege OF say
ing, "Our Father which art in heaven, Thy
will be DONE"
AN ANGEL STRENGTHENS HIM.
REV. DIR. W. W. HIoKs's ELOQUENT DISCOURSE
AT THE TABERNACLE YESTERDAY.
DIR. Hicks's sermon at the tabernacle yester-
day morning was on the text found in Luke
xxi, 43, land there appeared unto him
an angel from heaven strengthening him."
DIR. Hicks said: "Somo ancient authorities do
not give this and the succeeding verse in Luke
concerning the Christ. Any reason may be
assigned for the omission. The whole Chris
tian world accepts the account of the agony of
| our Lord in Gethsemane where his conscious
ness was so intense on behalf of the world as
to cause great drops to stand upon his face.
The record of this fact is part of my text,
and any objection to the one is good
against the other. Taking the history of our
Lords sufierings as told by all the
| evangelists, we must conclude that they were
| too intense for utterance and were deep in his
soul. He said My soul is exceeding sorrow
! full even unto death" His sense of the burden
upon him was beyond all human fellowship
and incommunicable to any but his father, and
beyond the intelligent observation of any
| finite creature except the ever watchful and
ever astonished angels. The text shows that
the angels of God not only looked, but tried
to enter into his sufferings, and that they
|
to say what was the nature of the commune
cation made by this good angel to the pros
| trate Jesus in the supreme moment OF his
agony, but it is reasonable to conjecture that
it was grateful timely and healthful.
1t would seem to be also rebuke to the
disciples who composed themselves to sleep
after great anxiety, while the master was
siezed with his agony. Itwas time for SYM
pathy if ever there was time. 1t was the
elimination of his human struggle; and the
supreme test of his voluntary subjection for
mankind. In him this hour, the forces met,
whose power and whose purpose no mind can
conceive, and the result no thought can en-
tertain. His own realization of it can be
family grasped in the appealing words
that went up to the father from his lips,
out of the deep solitude of his suffering,
father, if it be possible, let this cup pass
from me, nevertheless not as will, but as
Thou wilt" This was a cry for help. 1t was
challenge to the infinite powers. 1t was the
whole soul of child going out in one sud
denly-liberated cry of pityful anguish to the
all-powerful Father. The reality and some
what the extent of the Christ's suffering are
| approached in this cry.
1t shows us the nature in which he suffered.
| Perfect nature is not impossible, and in so far
as Christ reveals God to US, He shows him to
be compassionate even unto keenest sensi-
| bility of suffering. 1t proves, too, the real
humanity of Him who became our propitia-
tion. 1t reveals to us the relation existing be-
tween God and the Christ, and the divine con-
cern for our salvation.
Weare not told that the Father made answer
to the touching appeal of the Son. And we
are left to our own conjectures as to whether
this Cry was wrung from Christ by the shrink
ing of human nature under the advancing
consciousness of the magnitude of the burden
which love had assumed, or an involuntary
outcry Of the devoted loyal spirit. One thing
| 10 Chrf1 III from
imposed task, if it was a sudden surprise at its
magnitude The unalterable purpose caught
the breath of appeal as it winged out to God
in heartful emphasis: Nevertheless, not as |
will, but as Thou wilt" "And there ap
peared to Him an angel from heaven,
strengthening Him." Who was he? l wonder
| we know not; but doubtless some alert, swift
and strong winged lesser champion Of human
help and hope than the Christ himself hear
| ing the cry fastened to relieve. 1t was Gods
answer to the Savour's prayer, no doubt, but
it was also, l think, an angels tender of SYM
| pathy ON his own motion. Take the view
| that suits you best. But see that it was a.
time in the work of Christ when he needed
sympathy and the angels responded and
strengthened him.
The doctrine is that in the economy of the
universe angels may and do sympathise with
and help humanity. No finer illustration
can be found than the one of my text. No
relations with men and the history of men
than the truth affirmed. The method does
not concern us. No one method can be set
down as the favoritc one of God or of the an
gels themselves. By as many avenues as lead
to the human mind itself may Gods messen-
gers travel with their burden of sympathy
and aid. The paths of thought are unob-
| structed in all the universe. No barrier
mounts high enough to impede thoughts no
| distance retards it no confines limit it. Let
some one tell us how thought travels out of
the mind and holds no place foreign to its
right. The way thought goes out thought
can come. The doors of the mind through
which human sympathy goes out in search of
objects to bless, angel sympathy can come in
| to strengthen and commend, or on errands of
wisdom and goodness direct from God in an
swer to prayer.
Let lis for a moment, at this point consider
who the angels are? The word of God shall
tell us, They are the highest order of created,
intelligent beings. From the first they ap-
pear as Gods agents in the universe. They
were present at the beginning of creation.
They rejoiced at its progress. When the
morning stars sang together they were the
"sons of God who shouted for joy" From the
earliest human history they are found ming
| ling with men. and often shaping human af-
fairs. If they have other vocations we have
no knowledge of them. Inspired history
shows how really and essentially they are in
| terwoven in all the cOncers of man4ind. 1t
was an angel who found the frightened Hagar
| by the fountain in the desert, and who directed
| her to return to her mistress, with the
assurance of divine protection and favor.
| 1t was God who pledged to Moses in behalf of
all Israel, saying: Behold, / send an angel
before thee to keep thee in the way, and to
bring thee into the place which have pre-
pared for thee" 1t was q kindly angel who
stood in Ba!aams way when his heart was
! filled with evil purpose, and so we read
And the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam,
and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in
| the way, and his drawn sword in his hand"
| 1t was an angel that comforted Elijah, having
found him weary of his life under the juniper
| tree, and the angel prepared food for him and
| gave him to drink from his own supply ofwater.
The prophet lived upon that meal forty days
and nights. 1t was an angel who appeared to
Zacharias and said: :" Fear not, Zacharias, for
thy prayer is heard" 1t was an angel that
spread his glorious wings in mid-heaven, in
sight Of the shepherds, and said Fear not,
for behold l bring you good tidings of great
joy, which shall be to all people, And a
multitude were present, and the heavens
bazed with the glory of the angels presence,
and resoundcd with the majestic harmony and
rythmic thunder of the angels song.
| What part angels took in the education of
the child Jesus we do not know. We know that
when he was but IL years old he was found in
the temple engaged with the learned rabbis
discussing the work and kingdom of God.
| When, having attained manhood, he taught
in his native village the people said, "Whence
hath this man this wisdom, and how doeth he
these wonderful works." In his retirements