p. 346 | The Ministry of Angels

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Apr 10, 1913

The Ministry of Angels

IN answer to an inquirer, who had come to believe that angels were only influences or impulses, the New York Weekly Witness says:—

If the Bible contains an authoritative revelation of spiritual truth, there is no getting away from the fact that angels are commissioned by God to intervene in the affairs of men under his direction, and at times have appeared in human forms. The language of the Bible on this subject is quite unmistakable, and the facts can not be disputed without denying the authority of the Bible. Any one who feels inclined to question this statement should read carefully the chapters in which angels are mentioned and try to substitute in his own mind the word influence, or any other word, for the word angel; and unless his mind is prejudiced against the truth, he will see at once how impossible such a substitution would be. See, for example, Genesis 18, 19; Dan. 9:20-22; 10:5-15; Matt. 4:11; Luke 1; 2; Acts 12:1-11; and Hebrews 1; 2.

A wide-spread effort is being made to-day to discount the Word of God, to spiritualize away its most literal teachings. Of the evil effects of this false philosophy the editor of the Witness says:—

The object in denying the personality of these heavenly visitors is to get rid of the supernatural element in the events narrated, and any one who tries to do that will eventually find himself compelled to deny the truth of the Bible—except as to such teachings in it as he chooses to consider true; for from beginning to end the teaching of the Bible deals with supernatural occurrences.

The most supernatural events recorded in the Bible are the birth, life, and death of the Son of God as a son of man. He who created the universe and by whose power all things are upheld (Heb. 1:1, 2) came into the world as a baby, lived a divinely perfect life, died a natural, and at the same time, a supernatural death, rose again from the tomb at the time when he had promised to rise, appeared to his disciples frequently in mysterious ways, and then ascended bodily into the sky in their presence, to be seen no more on earth till he comes in glory.

Any one who accepts this teaching of the Bible about Christ can not deny that the Bible tells of supernatural occurrences, and should not see any difficulty in believing the statements of the Bible about all these occurrences. On the other hand, any one who denies the miraculous birth and resurrection and ascension of Christ might as well throw away the Bible altogether; for the whole teaching of the book hinges upon these facts. If Jesus had been only a man, he could not have atoned for our sins. If he did not rise from the tomb, we have no means of obtaining any assurance concerning our own future destiny; for his resurrection was necessary to set the seal of God upon all his teaching and upon all his promises, and upon the teaching of his apostles in his name. See 1 Cor. 15:12-21.

Charity Banquets

RECENTLY the Associated Charities of San Francisco held its annual banquet, for the ostensible purpose of raising money for carrying forward its work. J. Stitt Wilson, mayor of Berkeley, was invited to attend. In declining the invitation he made this very appropriate protest against such methods of raising money for the cause of Christian philanthropy:—

There is something positively vulgar and ostentatiously pagan in the spectacle of a group of citizens of a twentieth century city sitting down to a three-dollar banquet while pictures are being shown displaying the hunger of the poor. I am not a very good Christian. I wish I were. But in the name of Christ and his hungry people I enter my protest against the word “charity” being used in connection with any such function. I prefer to give this three dollars to some needy family. Three dollars will buy three suits of children’s underwear or keep a child for a week.

In commenting upon this incident the Northwestern Christian Advocate of Feb. 10, 1913, refers to a famous ball given by the high society of Chicago for “sweet charity’s sake where ten dollars admission was charged. Cigarettes were sold by women in one booth, ballet dancers were brought in to gyrate, champagne flowed nearly all night, and a general ‘good’ time was had. The display of jewels and dresses ran into the millions of dollars, while several women came to the ballroom under police’ protection. A little over twelve thousand dollars was cleared for charity.”

It is well to consider what methods prompt people to attend functions of this character. Possibly there are some who do so with true philanthropic motives, but it is safe to conclude that the large majority of the attendants at balls and banquets of this character go for the sake of selfish gratification, personal pleasure, and social intercourse, rather than for the interest which they feel in the cause of the poor. How much better it is to support the cause of Christ in the earth and the various Christian philanthropies which are carried forward, by the Bible plan of straight out-and-out giving. It is such giving as this that carries a blessing to the recipient and comes back in twofold measure upon the head of the giver. We can not improve upon God’s methods of carrying forward his work in the earth.