The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-01-10
OUR ANGELS,

New York Herald.
Angels came and ministered unto him.
| Matthew, iv.. II.
1t is a glad surprise to the careful
student Of the older and the newer
Scriptures that the beings whom we
call angels occupy so prominent a po-
sition in the Fathers dealings with
His children on the earth. And it is
not the least curious fact in the HIS
tory of our modern religious life that
the mission of these angels be either
ignored or practically discredited.
We have not been willing to admit
that God uses any secondary agencies
in the accomplishment OF His pur-
poses.
AS a consequnce we suffer spiritual
loss, for there is great comfort to be
had in the belief that a throng of in
visible beings are nigh at hand in our
time of trouble, pitying us in our dis
tress and lending such aid as lies in
their power. How many Of our bur-
dcns are lightcncd by their succoring
strength, how frequently VIC are ena-
blcd to resist temptation by their
power added to our own, how often
holy suggestions come which we
attribute to our own hearts, no one
can tell. But that they do come from
heaven to earth and that our daily
lives are blessed by their presence, no
one who accepts the record of Christ's
ministry as veritablc history can pos
sibly doubt.
Their doings run through the pages
of the Old Testament like IA golden
thread in a costly fabric. The dark
places in the life of the ancient He
brews are illuminated by them, and |
every prophet held communion with
them and received from them the
mandates of the Most High. Daniel,
when speaking of the strait he was in,
said, "Behold, there stood before me
as the appearance Of a man
and he informed me and talked with
me-" and his experience is so multi
piled by others OF like nature that
we are almost startled by their con-
stapt recurrence. They Slime like
stars on winter night; and to them
the Hebrews were indebted for their
courage and their national glory.
The birth of Christ was announced
by an angel; when the temptation Of
Christ was ended He was ministered
unto by angels; when the fearful
women stood at the tomb it was an
angel, "whose raiment was white as
snow" who proclaimed the resurrec-
tion, and when the mob followed the
Lord, and the disciples talked Of re-
sistance by force, lie rebuked them,
saying that II necessary he could call
on more than twelve legions Of an
gels"
adduce only a few out Of many
instances, but they are sufficient to
establish and emphasize the fact that
we are seen though we do not see, and
that heaven holds the earth In It's
arms as a mother does her babe. No
distance forms Il barrier either to our
longing or their response to 1t. We
may not feel the hand that Is placed
In ours, but II is there; VIC do not
hear with the hearing Of the car, but
with the hearing Of the heart; we do
not see the guardian spirits with the
,yc, but with the inner consciousness |
We are sure that they are close by.
What q glorious realm Of thought
We are exploring! What a glorious |
.ealm Of fact Is revealed to US! Tie (
poor soul that Is being driven along |
;he downward path Of the fury oihis
passions is accompanied at every step
u Gods messcnycrs-the messengers
II His pity and His lovc-and with
heir supremcst efforts they try to bar |
~ WY TO further wFelcnedeeoA ~