The Ministry of Angels.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 84, 17 September 1915, Page 4

The Ministry of Angels.

"He shall Rive His Angels charge over thee." Psalm 91, 11. The ancient Hebrew poem from which tbe above passage is quoted bas often proved a source of very real comfort and inspiration in times of great trouble and adversity. But its wonderfully inspiring consolation seems to reach tne climax in the definite announcement tbat God gives His Angels charge over us in the days ot calamity. And while we cannot be expected to accept as literally true all ' tbe stories from the various battlefields concerning Arg.lic protection and comfort, we must remember that the doctrine of the "Ministry of Angels" is no new and unsupported fancy of modern times. As a matter of fact,

THE BIBLE IS FULL OK IT. The Old and the New Testaments both emphasise and illustrate the assertion ot our text, over and over again. Indeed, this is one cf the unreasonably neglected subjects, like tbe second coming of Christ, repeated and insiatid upon throughout the Bible, but neglected by modem Christians. Away back in the Old Testament times the "Ministry rf Angels" was recognised and made use ot, and it is the same in the days of Christ and His Apostles. Elisha, surrounded by bis enemies, calmly tells bis servant tbat there are more on his side than against him; for he saw the hills covered with the hots of God, sent to deliver him from the Syuan army. Yes, and he was right, for they did deliver him.

Our Saviour Himself spoke plainly and frequently about the important work of the Angels of Go.l. They ministered to Him after the Temptation in the Wilderness; and He told the disciples that He could call for legions of Angels to come to His assistance, only tbat He pave Himself up t) redeem the worll, and He mußt forego their reinforcement".

Sir William Ramsay, a great living scientist, has shown S. Luke to have been a "first clas3 historian," very accurate and reliable in his statements, and S. Luke tells us in the "Acts of the Apostles" that Angels often helped the disciples in times of danger. He carefully descibes the deliverance of S. Peter from a Roman prison by an Angel of God. The great. Apostle of the Ge~tiles, S. Paul, also owed a great deal tj tbe comfort, encouragement and help he received from Ang?lieministrations. During bis tempestuous journey to Rome he says "there stood by me this night the Angd ot Gud." And then the last bcok in the Bible rings with the gnat deeds of ths Angels. From Scripture, therefore, we have every encouragement to believe tbat

A DEFINITE METHOD OF OPERATION

with God in His moral and spiritual government is by the Ministry of Angels. This simply means that God sends messengers to carry out His plans, The word Angel is just the English form of the Greek word Angelos, a Messenger. It does cot mean anything mysterious or incredible. It would be a piece of human conceit to imagine that we were the highest beings in all God's Dominions. That wouH certainly bi incredible if we read the newspapers. Our Bible shows that the Great Architect of the Universa has myriads of pure, loyal and devoted messengers, some of whom He often s.nds to take charge of their weaker, younger brethren, when th y are in danger or troubl?. Unseen ministraotß watch over little, sleeping children; ready to wing them away to the Children's Friend if anything happens tu their trail bodies. They are an lays present in the Children's Hospital (sometimes in human form), never sorry when a little sufferer dies, because they cuddle tbe little soul under their wings in perfect safety, and take it back to God.

Before the dreaded telegram reaches a lonely wife or mother, kind Angels have been seen to uphold and comfort them That is why they are able to bear such awful sorrow with such amazing fortitude.

Again, on the battlefield, sturdy, fearless men bear witness to the comforting and inspiring ministry of Angels, ibis is indeed, and in truth, one of God's wonderful ways of working for the benefit of His people. He is always operating in this way, though our actual

EXPERIENCE MAY BE BAKU

We seldom see anything unusual, though we often realise help and comfort received. Ordinarily the sacred ministry of Angels goes on quietly and unobtrusively, like all true ministry; but day by day the spiiitual results are enormous.

Children are preserved from fearful risks caused by careless peopla: men are saved from committing reckless crimes that they have deteimined upon; women aie inspired to bear torturous pain and bitter disappointment with a fortitude almost divine. These and many other wonderful things like them are due to the fulfilment of God's faithful promise to give His Angels charge over us, if we will only look to Dim. And, oh! what a difference when the help is withheld!

But while the actual appearance of Angels is very rare, there are many striking instances on record, in all countries and ages, quite apart from the Bible. Totally independent of, and different from, the effects of morphia ur a fevered brain, sweet visioi.s have been seen by innocent chiiden, and godly men and women on tbelr death-bed?. It is nearly always the same appearance: Angesl in white; pure, qweet, smiling, beckoniag. Tims and space fail to enable us to record srtiking and authentic modern instances, but they all go tu show that God does indeed give His Angels charge over us. "Angels! Sing op, your faithful watched keeping. Sing ns sweei fragments ol the sontrs ainve."

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