The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-05
HAVE ANGELS WINGS?
Baltimore SUM-

a curious ease is pending in the New
York courts which probably involves a
point never before submitted for judi
cial decision. According to the state
ment OF the case in New York paper,
Mr.. John e. Mcintosh, of Syracuse, en-
ployed Miss Mary e. Tillinghast, an
artist, to paint Il memorial window in
ST. Marks church, in J at city. There
were to be three angels in the window,
but when it was concluded, Mr.. Nc
lntosh refused to accept it because while
two Of the angels had wings the third
had none. This angel he declared to be
incorrect and ''inaTtistic" and declined
to pay for it. Mss Tillinghast there
upon entered suit against him for the
sum agreed upon, and the courts will be
called on to say whether the omission of
wings on the angel constitutes barrier
to recovery. The terms Of the contract,
If sufficiently explicit, Will, OF course,
determine the rights Of the parties. If
the artist contracted to furnish angels
in full uniform, with all the traditional
angelic equipment, including the motive
power ascribed to these inhabitants of
better world, then she will undoubtedly
lose her suit because one of her angels
is wingiess and does not fulfill the spe-
cifcations Of the contract. IT, however,
she simply contracted to paint angels
without binding herself to provide them
with any particular kind of costume or
to furnish them with any special kind of
motive power, the question will be more
difficult to settle and viii turn upon the
point whether angels really have wings
or not. If all angels have wings, she
was bound, in pledging herself to paint
them, to make them, in all essential par
ticulars, like the originals, and if she
omitted the wings, she omitted as inn
portant part of their anatomy as if
she had painted horse and left off its
legs. But have angels wings? 1t is
true they are generally so represented by
painters, and their wings are referred to
in Scripture and in poetry. The cheru-
bins which Moses was commanded to
place upon the mercy-seat are described
as having wings; bat, on the other hand,
the angels which Jacob saw in his vision
assembled and descended by means of a
ladder, which they would not have done
II they had possessed wings. But are
such references and representations to
be considered as absolutely conclusive?
May not the scriptural illusions be
simply fgurative to indicate ability for
flight through space? We speak of rich
es having wings to suggest how quickly
they can get away from us, and we pic
ture time as a high-hyer, who wings his
way along at tremendous rate. But
all these figures Of speech were invented
at a period when wings seemed to typify
the most rapid mode of travel imaginable.
They belong to past age, and have no
place in the modern world. Angels in
modern times probably travel either by
steam or electricity, or even on bicycles,
and most Of them have long since dis
carded wigs as slow and old-fashioned.
Austin Dobson tells us:
In merest prudence men should reach
That science ranks as monstrous things
Two pairs of upper limbs-no wings
Fen angels wings are fctions."
Without undertaking to assert that
angels never had wings, it seems only
reasonable to believe that progressive
angels, at least, have laid them aside for
more modern devices, probably sending
their discarded motive power to the poor
rural angels, who have not yet been able
to afford the latest improvements. If
this last supposition is entertained, then
the court will have further to consider
whether the artist had the right, under
her contract, to furnish an up-to-date
city angel, or whether she was obliged
to ignore progress and present country
angels in by-gone costume of wings,
not in any way typical or representative
Of present fashions. To paint an angel
without wings indicates some measure Of
originality on the part of the artist, as
well as true appreciation of the require
ments Of progress, and it is likely that
the court will decide in favor of the
painter. If human testimony on the
subject Ii needed, there are thousands
of young men in Syracuse and elsewhere
who will be willing to swear that they
have frequently met angels without
wings. The angels of our homes never
wear these outstretched appurtenances
on their shoulders, but the feminine
virtues of devotion, unselfishness and
tenderness are wings which raise them
and those they love into higher atmos-
phere and give to domestic life its sweet !,
est peace and sanctity. If our church |
angels are to claim deepest sympathy /
an appeal most strongly to the heart, |
they must proclaim their heavenly ORR
gin by their spirituality, rather than by
a traditional trademark suggestive of
feathers and the poultry yard.