PROTESTANTS have possibly been led to think less of the angels and their wonderful work in doing God’s service to the children of men, I believe, owing to the Romish doctrine of worshipping angels, and so we, some of us, have gone to the other extreme and not thought about them at all. Yet in the Bible we have no less than two hundred times angels mentioned, and nearly all instances of appearing to or helping man, or testifying to the Ward of God. This Michaelmas Day, the 29th of September, 1912, has brought the subject very close to our minds as it has fallen on the Sunday, and doubtless in all churches, chapels, and meetings, hymns about the angelic host have been sung, especially that one refrain, so tuneful and so sweet to our ears―
“Angels of Jesus, angels of light,
Singing to welcome the pilgrims of the night.”
or
“Father before Thy throne of light
The guardian angels bend.”
How our dear Lord, during His life on earth, was ministered unto by angels! At His birth they sang that glorious “In excelsis Deo.” In the wilderness they ministered to His famishing body. In the garden an angel appeared to strengthen Him. At His resurrection they were present at the tomb, and rolled away the stone. In the ascension angels maybe bade the everlasting doors be open for His entrance as the King of Glory; whilst two remained behind to speak to and comfort His gazing disciples, so that they were enabled to rise up, and “returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” And this same Jesus shall come again in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him. The Lord Jesus Himself spoke about the angels at least twenty times as recorded in the Gospels, and one of the sweetest words are these: “Take heed ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father, which is in heaven.” A child’s guardian angel is a truth we love to think of, and that pretty picture we all know is not a myth of the two little darlings catching butterflies on the brink of a precipice, but the angel is there to keep them safe.
How many times have we heard of little children passing unharmed through accidents. The late Bishop of Exeter’s (Dr. Bickersteth) little granddaughter was run over by a carriage. Her mother thought she must have been trampled to death. No, she was unharmed. The little girl said nothing at first, but after a time her mother prevailed on her to say how she escaped without even a bruise. With modest fear she at last said, “Mother, I saw an angel lift the wheel.” Again, Dr. Moberley’s (late of Winchester) little boy of four saw his mother coming up the drive, and, all unwitting of a carriage and pair that was coming, ran out to meet her, and was knocked down and run over before his mother’s eyes. She in her agony rushed to the rescue, expecting to find his little dead body, but no, he was safely standing on the pathway, and said, “a man in white picked me up and stood me here.” Surely this, too, was an angel, for no one else saw a man in white. How often it occurs, and if only God’s children would “observe these things” (Psa. 107:4343Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. (Psalm 107:43)) they would understand the loving-kindness of the Lord in letting His angels minister to their help and comfort.
I love to think of His angels guarding round the house at night, and keeping back any wicked thing from entering our chambers.
“Watch o’er our defenseless head
Let Thy angels’ guardian host
Keep all evil from our bed.”
And during the day we may be sure not only is our blessed Heavenly Father’s eye always on us, but He sends His angels to minister and to help. Once, where I used to live, I was alone in the house and wanted to shut or open one of the heavy drawing-room windows, the pulley snapped and the heavy sash fell on both my hands, and there was I, pinned to the window ledge, unable to move or drag my hands out. The pain for a minute or two was great, but when released my hands were perfectly whole. I have always felt it was an angel ministered to me. Again; another time I felt sure it was angelic ministration when I apparently fell down a flight of wooden stairs in a furniture shop.
Carpets were hanging each side of the stairs, so that there was no rail of any kind to catch hold of. The heel of my boot caught on a nail on the stairs. I was precipitated, but an angel held me up and I was not hurt. Again, as in the Bible angels spoke to Joseph in sleep and many others, so shall we not say that now and then in dreams they still speak to God’s children to direct them? Here, I believe, is an instance. A relative of mine was being defrauded of a share in money that he knew was his for life. He continued in prayer about this business, for it was all-important for his comfort. One night, in his sleep, he heard the words, “Go to London and see the will in Somerset House.” He obeyed. His enemies were confounded, and he enjoyed the property to the end of his life. A friend of mine was walking past a house that was scaffolded and being repaired. A voice peremptorily said, “Stop” — not a human voice. She obeyed, and that instant a sharp-pointed instrument fell from a height and stuck upright in the ground at her feet! Was it not an angel said “Stop”? Doubtless many another instance we could tell, but there is one remarkable and wonderful account, related by Alfred Knott, that I often think of: — A minister in Australia was sent for to see a dying man a long way from his home. On his return journey darkness overtook him and he knew not which road was right. He was also impressed with a sense of danger. So dismounting from his horse he knelt and prayed for protection, then resumed his journey and arrived home safely. Sometime after he was called to visit a condemned convict. The man said, “I remember you, sir.” “How? Did you attend my Bible classes?” “Oh, no, Bible classes are not in my line, but do you, sir, remember kneeling by the four cross-roads and praying one night? My mate and I were there to rob and even kill you, but who were those two men in white that joined you and rode on each side of you?”
It thus appears that God opened the eyes of these wicked men to see the angels, so that they were afraid to touch the man of God.
Step bravely forth on life’s rough way
Nor have one fear;
Some angel hand still day by day
Thy path shall clear.
All thorns remove, all clouds dispel,
For from above
His mission is to do thee well
And guard with Love.
Trust him, His love is not His own,
It is a “charge”
He hath from God for thee alone,
Deep, full and large.
Deep as God’s love who sent Him forth,
The Sinless One,
To save thy soul from boding wrath,
His only Son.
Full as that Love which pleased to die,
Itself to give;
Bent His meek head on Calvary,
That thou might’st live,
Large as that Love which never can
Itself expend;
But widens on for sinful man
Unto the end.
Thus bravely then thou may’st go,
Thou shalt receive
Strength for each day as it shall flow,
“Only Believe.”
Poem by C.W.L., sister of
Emily P. Leakey.