The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-15

into the CONVEX sation. slept upon the
skins of animals spread upon the floor,
acted so entirely in harmony with the
usual conduct of human beings that
braham "entertained angels unawares"
Their social instincts and qualities are
such rs to cause the writer of the epistle
to the Hebrews to base an eXhorta ton to
hospitality upon it, assuring us that by
dispensing an uugrudging and graciou s
hospitality, angels have been entertained
without their hosts being aware of it
What immaterial companions sit silently
10y OR firesides, share our joys and sor-
rows and then walk alphabetically with
us to the tomb when we bury our dead
out of sight, is not simply u matter of
speculation but is more than intimated
in the word of God.
il. OF the number of angels we have
no definite knowledge but from certain
glimpses that come to us through Revela-
ton it is easy to conclude the number to
be very large. 1.-THE chariots of God are
IA thousand angels" says the Psalmist.
Christ declared that he had Mt his com.
mand "More than twelve legions of an
gels" At the Saviour's birth there was
a multitude of the heavenly host pruis-
ing God' and by their glad acclaim
showing their interest in the worlds re-
oCuPbiOu. III luC cplSItc " tnC tlcOI0WS
they are spoken of as "an innumerable
company of angels And in the took of
Revelation we are told that "the voice of
many angels was heard about the
throne" All of the intimations given
clearly indicate that when Christ shall re-
turn in the second coming to judge the
earth and all His holy angels with Him,
that they will fill the heaven, and that
where u definite number is given it is
simply term of earth to Indicate the
indefinite, incalculable number of the
celestial spirits known among mortals by
the name of angels.
And all this Notwithstanding the defec-
tion of "the angels who kept not theil
first estate" If Milton is right in de-
claring that Satan when he fell as light
ming from heaven, carried with him II
third OF the angelic host, then indeed may
our conception of the original number of
this high order of beings he indefinitely
enlarged.
III. What of their employments: With
this phase of the subject we enter upon
an examination of their mission-of he
real and sole purpose of their creation.
We have already treated of what they are
and their number, now we seek to under
stand their utility in the plans of crea.
ton.
o. In the first place they are wor-
shippers OF their Creator. Before His
face angels and archangels veil their face
saying, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts,
heaven and earth are full of the glory:
glory be to Thee o Lord most high.
Though higher in the order of creation
than man they are more limited in the
range of worship. For their creation
and present existence and opportunities
they can and do laud and magnify His
great and excellent name, but into the
gladness of His redepming love they can
not enter. The atoEenent may secure to
them n safe and unsuitable I lace about
the throne and for this their grateful
hearts may praise Christ's matchless
grace, but into the sweet and blessed fel.
lowship made possible by the atoning
work of Christ their unsull;ed, sinless
spirits cannot come 1t is into these
Things the angels desire to look. Casting
their crowns before Him and worshippiug
before His throne they fulfill the first
purpose Of their creation. With them as
with man, their chief end is to glorify
Goh and enjoy Him forever.
But (2) they are Gods messengers.
They do His will, hearkening 10 the voice
of His word. Whatever needs doing in
any part of the vast universe, they are
the messengers, who on swift and tireless
wing perform it with alacrity. They
delight to do Gods bidding whether In
service 70 other purely spiritual beings
or to the human race. The number of
times they have been used as vehicles of
communication between heaven and earth
is simply incalculabe. They spoke to
Abraham, warned Lot, guided Moses,
touched Elijah, comforted David,
strengthened Christ, delivered Peter
from prison, stood 10y Paul in times of
danger and in n thousand ways showed II