The Harrison times., 1915-12-18

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
has 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,' i. e.,
two hosts. The idea which he eX-
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 deliversth
them" This Psalm seems to have
been written when David was fleeing
from Saul. The night would bring its
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 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 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
prot oCtion; 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 fight,
leaving this woman and her children
alone among the wild beasts. She
prayed to God for protection and it
was granted her. That her danger
was real is shown by the fact that she
heard the lions and tigers shifting
about her tent in the night; and yet
no paw was raised against her, and
when the morning dawned her chill
dren were sleeping in peace and safety,
Her biographer suggests an eXplana-
tion which is worthy of attention. He
says: There was an inner circle; for
the angel Of the Lord encampeth
around about them that fear him and
delivereth them,
Again this subject is suggested in
the last entry found in the journal OF
that Christian soldier, Chinese Cor.
don AS is well known, he lost his life
in the siege Of Khartum The re.
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.
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 IL was not because God had left
him without protection, but that IN
the wisdom Of his heavenly Father his
death was permitted,