Not Dark Within.

It was not dark within! I dreamed, at first,

A lamp burned there, such radiance mild I saw

Lighting the hewn walls, and the linen bands;

And in one corner, folded by itself,

The face-cloth. Coming closer, I espied

Two men who sat there- very watchfully -

One at the head, the other at the foot

Of that stone table where my Lord had lain.

Oh! - I say "men" -- I should have known no men

Had eyes like theirs, shapes so majestical,

Tongues tuned to such a music as the tone

Wherewith they questioned me: "Why weepest thou?"

by Edwin Arnold

"The Angels Not Only With You, But For You."

      We, who hope one day to partake of the nature of angels, should make it our delight even here below to imitate their heavenly tempers, and join in their holy employment; like them, to be ever ready to praise God and do His pleasure; to fulfill His commandments and hearken unto the voice of His words. Thus, from meditating on these holy beings, do we learn how we, even while in the flesh, may hold such communion with them as to prepare for their constant companionship in heaven. As they tarry round about us to deliver us, and have charge over us to keep us in all our ways, so let us cherish and follow their holy influences. Thank God for them, and pray to Him to continue them to us. As thy continually serve and praise God before His throne, so let us, their fellow-servants, strive to do His will on earth as they do it in heaven. With angels and archangels, let us unite to praise and magnify His holy name. --Dean Hook.

Angel Playmates.

      In the Jewish view, only the chiefest of the angels were before the face of God within the contained Veil or Pargod, while the others ranged in different classes, stood outside and awaited His behest. The distinction which the former enjoyed was always to behold His face, and to hear and know directly the Divine counsels and commands. This distinction, therefore, was one of knowledge; Christ taught that it was one of love. The simpler, the more receptive and clinging, the nearer to God. Look up from earth to heaven; those representatives, it may be guardian angels, nearest to God are not those of deepest knowledge of God's counsel and commands, but those of simple, humble grace and faith-- and so learn, not only not to despise one of these little ones, but who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. --Edersheim.

"We Can Not Know How They Help Him."

Their beautiful brows are lifted,

Evermore in dazzling sight

Of the Father's unseen glory,

His unapproachable light.

Yet His ineffable brightness

Does not blind, but fill them still

With higher rapture of service,

A sweeter worship of His will.

These strong, glad worshipping angels

Who dwell in excess of light,

Loves, each, some dear little earth child,

And cares for him day and night.

We can not know how they help him,

Nor what the mysterious tie,

That binds pure and deathless angels

To frail little ones that die

by Mrs. Merrill E. Gates.

Sweetest Name In Seraph Song.

      Of what rank was the Archangel Gabriel who was sent to Mary? It is against our preconceived notions to consider the Archangel Gabriel as belonging to any of the inferior ranks of angels, both because of the dignity of Mary, as well as the solemn, tremendous and absolutely unique mission on which he came. The question arises, then, is any member of the higher choirs ever sent on a message to earth? St. Athanesius, Scotus, Molina, say yes. Great names say so. St. Dionysius, Bonaventure, St. Thomas; Suarez, however, says that God does sometimes dispense with the laws that guide the angelic kingdom, as He does in the case of miracles on earth; and the common belief is that Gabriel must be one of the highest of the order of Seraphim, if not the very highest, because of the Incarnation. --The Holy Angels