Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-07-17
"The Angels Of God..'


Their duties and their occupations. IL
we were TO iind a lost book of the Bi-
bic which treated of the nature of an
gels it would be unimtelligible TO us
The fish in the sea could as easily un-
derstand our science of psychology as
we could comprehend the nature OF
angels.
There are some side-lights thrown
on their appearance, aud Il few eX-
press statements Of the effect of their
presence on men. The word used to
designate our disembOdied souls is
often used to denote angels. Not be-
cause they are the same, for we know
they are not. But, | suppose, be-
cause of their similarity in appear
ance. And we may gather some faint
idea of how redeemed souls look BY
looking upon Moses and Elias when
they met Jesus on the Mount OF
TRANSPORTATION. But they do not al
ways appear the same. Their mis-
sion seems to suggest which side OF
their multilarious-sided nature shall
be turned to man.
When death for three days had con-
quered life an angel came to roll
away the stone, and "his countenance
was like lightning, and his raiment
white as snow ; and for fear of him
the keepers did shake, aud become as
dead men, But when the mighty
Gabriel came TO the young and timid
Mary so gentle and assuring was his
appearance aud bearing that she was
surprised Into talking with him face
I" face, almost as friend TO friend.
We know more ABOUT their occupa-
tiOn. They are not restricted as TO
location. They are in Heaven at
home, and at home upon the earth.
Jacob in his dream saw a ladder with
one end on earth aud the other rest
ing In Heaven, and angels ascending
and descending thereon. From the
day ofAdam's birth they have known
the tracklcss path from Heaven TO
earth, aud like flashing arrows OF
light have often winged their way
hither.
Iu Heaven II seems their work is
two fold. They are about the throne
of God to worship as only angels can.
John, when permitted TO go behind
the things that are visible, caught
view Of one of their services. lie says,
II behcld, and | heard the voice Of
many angels round abont the throne
> and the number was ten thou
sand times ten thousand and thou
sands of thousands" And Isaiah in
a vision SAW this assembly and heard
one cry out 10 another and answer in
chorus; "lIoly! Holy! Holy is the
Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is
full of His glory. Aud the posts of
the door moved at the voice of Him
that cried, aud the house was filled
with smoke"
Their other Office is to remain still
when God would speak that they may
know His will to do 1t. The Savior
taught us to pray "Thy will be done
In earth as ii is in Heaven" There
lie has but TO speak, but to will, and
"ten thousand times ten thousand
and thousands of thousands" stand
with outstretched wings willing and
ANXIOUS TO 90 if need be to the end of
the universe. In Heaven there is but
one will-God's. Among the angels
there is but one desirc--to know that
will.
The Bible has many accounts of
their being used by the Father as
messengers in his dealings with his
earth-children. They came frequent
ly TO warn of pending dangers. You
remember when Heavens wrath
against the cities Of the plain had
rolled up like mighty tempest, and
was ready to rain fire and birthstone
upon them as il from hell, that two
messengers came with haste unto the
one faithful man, and taking him aud
his wife and two daughters by the
hand drew them from the city, say
ing, Escape for thy life lest thou be
consumed in the iniquity of the city,"
And when lleroG whose hands were
red with the blood orhis own wife aud
children, was feeling his way to the
manger, all angel came quietly in the
night, aroused Joseph and said to
him: "Arise and take the young
child and his mother and flee into
Egypt"
They are sent to protect from dan
ger. Jesus said "Take heed that ye
despise not one of these little ones
for | say unto you, that in Heaven
their angels do always behold the
face Of my Father which is in IIeav-
en-" What does this mean? Is it
that special angels watch over us in
our weakness and ignorance, and
stand in the presence of God TO claim
permission to come to our relief?
10 come to shield us from the
blows of our enemy? TO guide us in
the paths Of right and duty ? If this
saying of our master does not mean
this what can it mean? There is
nothing to the contrary IN the Bible.
David said "The angel of the Lord
encampeth round about them that
fear him, and dclivereth them" These
statements with the known fact that
our Father so loved us as to give his
Son to die for our rescue make it en-
tirely reasonable to put this construc-
ton on the passage.
They were sent to instruct when
mems hearts cried out for unattaina-
BILE truth. Cornelius, that heather,
vhO fnnra1 God with oil l,;e honeo