The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-12-03

So of angels and they;
would have been.
given him; they are said to number;
ten thousand times ten thousand and,
thousands Of thousands.
We would speak of two instances,
especially in which this shining host.
mas figured.
The first has to do with the story of,
Jacob. He was on his way back from
Haran after an exile of twenty years.
Thoughts of meeting Esau on the NOR:
row troubled him. for he was learning
that sins come home to roost." How!
beautiful to read, And Jacob went on;
his way and the angels Of God met
him. And when Jacob saw them, he!
said, This is Gods host: and he Called
the name of the place Mahanaim," /. e.;
two hosts. The idea which he exT
presses is this: that while about him,
is his little encampment. all unpre,
pared to meet Esau and his four hun
dred men Of war, yet above him is;
Gods army for his defense.
The other instance is referred to in,
the Thirty-fourth Psalm: The angel
of the Lord encampeth around about
them that fear him, and delivereth
them" This Psalm seems to have
been written when David was fleeing.
from Saul. The night would bring it's.
terrors for the little company which
was with him, but his faith saw the
mountains full Of Gods chariots, and.
expressed itself in the words we have
quoted. 1t will be noted that he re-
fers to the angel Of the Lord who is,
at the head of the heavenly array, but:
his words include the vast multitude
which camps about the saint.
In this age the question may be-
raised as to whether such a truth has.
any Importance for US; indeed some,
may even feel that to speak of angels.
puts a barrier between us and God.
But If we will understand that these,
are simply his messengers fulfilling:
the voice Of his word, the difficulty
vanishes. We have in mind a couple,
of incidents which show that this
truth may become of vital concern in,
times Of danger. :
For example, the %biographer of Mrs,
John Scudder, wife of the famous mis-
sionary to India, tells Of a most inter-
esting experience in her life. With
her children she was being carried
through the Jungle by native bearers,
The tent had been pitched for the
night and this frail woman with her
babes was looking to her servants for
protection: but as twilight deepened,
the roar of lions and tigers began,
sounding through the jungle and
struck terror into the hearts of the
men. One after another took to flight,
leaving this woman and her children;
alone among the wild beasts. She
prayed to God for protection and IL
was granted her. That her danger
was real is shown by the fact that she!
heard the lions and tigers shining
about her tent in the night; and yet
no paw was raised against her, and
when the morning dawned her chill
dren we're sleeping in peace and safety
Her biographer suggests an explana7
ton which is worthy of attention. He!
says: There was an inner circle; for!
the angel Of the Lord encampethj
around about them that fear him and
delivereth Them"
Again this subject is suggested I'M
the last entry found in the journal Of
that Christian soldier, Chinese Gorj
! don. As is we'll known, he lost his life
in the siege Of Khartum. The rel
endorsements came all too late, but.
| nevertheless. the faith of this man did
not fail. He says in his closing entry
The hosts are with us-Mahanaim. u:
1t is Jacobs old word, and shows that
the faith of this Christian hero realized
that God had sent his angels. 1t is,
true that Gordon lost his life; but he.
could lay it down in the confidence,
that It wal not because God had left
him without protection, but that in,
the wisdom of his heavenly Father his
death was permitted,