IF WE praise God that He has created for us the dear sun, the
moon, wine and bread, we should surely praise Him that He
has created the dear angels. My God, I thank Thee that Thou hast
set Thy good angels to care for us, and guardest us with such
heavenly princes round about us! —Luther.
All nations believe that there are individual intelligences beyond
the skies— that these are subject to no change and no passion;
that they are in the enjoyment of the fullest and most
perfect life, which consists not so much in action as in contemplation
; that they have a King, that they differ from men and are
inconceivably more excellent. —Aristotle.
The ancient Greeks and Romans held a profound faith in the
existence of angels or demons, and cherished a lively sense of
their communion with mankind. Plato, in the ensuing terse words,
explains their views: "Every demon is a middle being between
God and man.' All the commerce and intercourse between gods
and men is performed by the mediation of demons. Demons are
reporters and carriers from men to the gods, and again from the
gods to men ; of the supplications and prayers of the one, and of the
injunctions and rewards of devotion from the other." He furthermore
asserts that every person has two demons, or genii, to attend
him through life— one of whom is a prompter of good thoughts
and actions; the other of evil. Plutarch asserts that the holy
angels are the overseers and auditors of divine worship, of all
acts of which they are watchfully observant ; and alludes to a very
ancient belief in the existence of certain wicked, malignant demons
who, prompted by envy, endeavor to hinder good men in the pursuit
of virtue, lest finally they should become partakers of greater
happiness than they can hope to enjoy. Hesiod, also, one of the
earliest of the Hellenic authors, and in whose writings is said to
appear the first distinct religious recognition of demons, main-
tains that good angels are frequent visitors to earth on errands of
love. Thus he describes their authority and ministrations :
"Aerial spirits, by great Jove design 'd
To be on earth the guardians of mankind;
Invisible to mortal eyes, they go,
And mark our actions, good or bad, below;
The mortal skies with watchful care preside,
And thrice ten thousand round their charges glide;
They ease reward with glory or with gold;
Such power divine permission bids them hold."
—Edward I. Sears, A. M.
Thine angels, Lord, we bless with thankful lays,
Dwelling with Thee above yon depths of sky;
Who 'mid Thy glory's blaze
Heaven's ceaseless anthems raise
And gird Thy throne in faithful ministry.
We celebrate their lore, whose viewless wing
Hath left for us so oft their mansion high.
The mercies of their King
To mortal saints to bring,
Or guard the couch of slumbering Infancy.
—Bishop Heber.
