The Invocation of Angels

Source: The Catholic Layman, Vol. 6, No. 72 (Dec. 17, 1857), pp. 136-138
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 IAs THE CATHOLIC LAYMAN. [DECEMBEn 17, 1857.
judgment as this is untenable there is no difficulty in lated, and is ajpubi&sedih ithe pproba
the two questions have each'their pecuar diiceultYes,
though they have many amo il ommon. The difculties apostolie in Scotland, whose imprimatur
Sowing. But it is not the theory of emsae O rchm of
leugland Protestautism, for which alone we smtend. Wewith respect to the worship of angels will be aean alk,as wewe are told i the preface, been appro
secognise the existence of the Churh as a divinely insti- bishop Hughes, of New York. Tkis, sur
prooeed. Besides, also, it is tazbe observed that Roman
teaching,
Catholics do not practically regard the invocation of andauthorizedteaching; andwh
tuted society, the members of which are net isolated in-
saints and that of angels in the same light; they seem
dividuals in their religious capacity, but ar dependent on of -to
it ? That saints and angels see all things
each other for instruction and edification. We hold, consider the former as much more important-at lneast theyknow all things, and areomniscient-
moreover'-that the Head of the Church appointed an orderwe should say so, judging by the amount :ofprayers gods.
they Now, we wish to make no misrepr
of men whose special business and duty it is to teach theoffer to the angels an saints respectively. Romanists to take no unfair advantage; but we
great doctrines of His religion, and to expound the Holy offer very few petitions to the angels; some none meaning
at all. that the words of Mr. Keenan
Scriptures which the Spirit bas dictated for the perpetual
We have before us an old French prayer-book, ia which that the saints and angels are omniscien
instruction and guidance of the Church. The Church, sessed of infimite knowledge. If they a
in the litany of the saints there are ninety-seven invo-
again, in primitive times, when her teaching had not yet cations of dead men and women, and only five in which they are so far at least equal to God,
been corrupted by human additions and perversions of the angels are addressed. It is much the same in all them so is palpably idolatrous. It is,
the truth, drew up Creeds and other formularies in whichRomish devotional books, and, of course, in the private from Holy Scripture that the angels d
most of the grand fundamental principles of the Christianexercises of Roman Catholics themselves. things. Our Lord Himself said, speaking
faith were embodied; and in her worship and ritual or- With respect to the service of angels, as practised Hisin second coming, " Of that day and tha
dinances she furnished practical commentaries on such of no man; no, not the angels which are i
the Church of Rome, we have to consider it in two lights
the primary doctrines of the faith as were not expressly Psalmist says of God that "His way is
in which it naturally presents itself-first, the invocating
noticed in her dogmatic statements. A succession of wri- them or addressing prayers to them; and secondly, His:path in the mighty waters, and His f
ters, too, from the earliest times, have commented on the worship due to them. We shall chiefly occupy known."' St. Paul beautifully says, " Oh
the Scriptures, and transmitted to us the means of as- ourselves with reviewing the passages of Scripturethe ad- riches both of the wisdom and kno
certaining, with more or less of exactness, what were duced by Roman Catholics in support of the teaching how
of unsearchable are Mis judgments, an
the doctrines deduced from them by the great masstheir Church. finding out; for who hath known the mind
of Christians in the ages nearest to the apostolic times, As to the first, we may remark, as we have formerly who hath been His counsellor.'' If ther
and during which we may suppose the memory of the oraldone concerning the invocation of saints, the question secret counsels of divine wisdom into whi
teaching of the Apostles still survived. Consequently, the resolves itself into these two propositions-that the angelsbeing can penetrate, and if God's ways b
man who, in the supposed exercise of his right of private know when we call on them to pray on our behalf, ble and and past finding out, surely the an
judgment, takes up the Bible, and, disregarding every that they do pray for us, even for each individually. said to know all things by seeing them
aid towards its interpretation, endeavours to deduce This is supposing the case where angels are simply the
re- opinion as to their knowing all thing
from it a system of religion for himself, acts, in reality, quested to pray for men. We shall see in the sequel to thatall our notions of one God, that we c
contrary to reason, and forgets that the right which Roman Catholics are taught to pray directly to angels, refuting it. Infinite knowledge can on
he claims carries with it a corresponding obligation and request favours from them. This raises another infinite being : if the angels be infinite in
to omit no available means of coming to a right judg- question, which we will also discuss. must possess all perfections in an infinite
ment. Would any one, desirous of becoming thoroughly Do angels, then, know when men invocate them? If they must be all gods. If we conceive t
acquainted with the meaning of an ancient classic author, the Roman Catholic address them intelligently he mustniscient we cannot stop short of conceivi
be satisfied with merely studying the bare text, discarding be satisfied that they do. But this supposes that they gods.
all the aid that might be obtained from the labours of know all things which are going on, at least on this our But if angels do not know all things, they know some
commentators, especially those who were pearly contem- earth; for if there be one thing of which they are igno- things, and they know many things that occur on earth;
poraneous with the author bimself? It may, indeed, be rant, that thing may be the petition that the good Roman- they often come hither on errands of mercy, ministering
said that there is an essential difference between the studyist is directing to them. And if there is a possibility of to those who shall be heirs of salvation, and we are told
of the Bible and that of a profane author, inasmuch as thetheir being ignorant of the prayer offered to them, it be- " there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over
reader of the former is promised the aid of God's Holycomes unsafe to pray to them at all. It is in that case one sinner that repenteth." Well, but do they hear
Spirit to enlighten his understanding and to unfold to him only a chance whether they can hear or not, and their when we pray to them? The mere assurance that the
the true meaning of the oracles of God. But it must bepetitioner runs the risk of being disappointed. That risk angels know something will not satisfy the intelligent
remembered that if the Holy Spirit be the gife of Christ, inquirer so as to make him feel authorised in addressing
so also are the ordinances of His Church, and that no man may
nort be more
it is or less--how
a matter much or how
of uncertainty aboutlittle
whichwe we
know his petitions to them. He must know that they are.
can
has a right to expect a private and supernatural illumina- have no information, and which puts undoubting faithacquainted with his petitions. It will not satisfy him
tion, if he neglect to avail himself of the ordinary aidsout of the question ; and undoubting faith is necessary to that " St. Michael the archangel" knows about some-
which God in His providence has placed within his reach. prayer, at least the faith that the prayer will be heard, body that was converted last week at the other end ot
What scope, then, it may be asked, is left for the exer-and may be answered. Do angels, then, know all things the world, or even that his next door neighbour was
cise of private judgment in the formation of our reigious on earth? If they do, they are, at least as far as man- converted to-day. He must have a definite answer to
opinions. To any one who asks this question inipincerity kind are concerned, so many gods. We are not here the question, Does the angel know my prayer ? It is no
and earnestness we would reply-study the Bible in an going to trace out the labyrinthine mazes of the opinions that the angel knows anything else, if he does not
use
humble and prayerful spirit. Examine the great doctrines of schoolmen and theologues with respect to the know- know that. DI)oEs HE KNOW THAT ? Where is the Roman
of the faith, which all admit to be ancient, with the re- ledge of angels-it would be an almost endless and un-Catholic who, when praying to an angel or a saint, if he
profitable task; but we may just observe that it is a should ask himself that question, is able to answer-I
spect due to their antiquity, and all but universal reception.
Compare them with the written word of God. Distrust matter about which they differ very considerably. Letknow that he hears me? If he has not that full assurance
your own judgment when you find it opposed to the con- us see what Peter Dens says-'1 What things do angels and firm persuasion, his prayers are quite unmeaning
sentient opinion of the vast majority of wise and learned know? Ans. They know God, themselves, and other and useless; they resemble more a game of chance than
and good men, who were as desirous to discover truth as angels; also, according to St. Thomas (Aquinas), all anything else. But, supposing the angel should know
you, and felt as much anxiety about the soundness of theirmaterial things which are beneath them; also, whenabout the prayer, does he know whether the prayer
belief as you do. In difficult and doubtful cases of in- they know all natural causes, they know all future ne- ought to be answered or not ?
terpretation, if you enter upon them at all, make use of cessary things, but those future things which frequently Besides, even if the angel should possess the knowledge
are wont to happen from natural causes they can knowrequisite in such a matter, that is not enough. He must
the means proper and indispensable for coming to a rational
determination. Keep a careful watch over your fancy and by conjecture. Do angels know future free contingencies also be able to answer or grant the petition presented
imagination, and beware lest your preconceived opinions, or those which depend upon free will? No; for to know to him. The angels are often, we know, sent to various
if you have any, unfairly influence your judgment. And, parts of God's wide universe: they do His bidding
these things is proper to God alone, according to that,T2
with respect to the particular points in dispute between throughout creation. If, then, a Roman Catholic should
libr. Paral. cap. 6. v. 30., ' Thou only knowest the hearts
Roman Catholics and Protestants, weigh dispassionately of the children of men,"' &c. "Blessed angels pray to an angel, that angel may at that time he in some
and fairly the evidence on both sides. Bring the dogmas can see our thoughts in God."'b St. Isidore of Seville,part of the universe, millions of millions of leagues away,
in dispute to the test of Scripture and of the general whom we have quoted in our number for March last, p. not attending to his prayers, but something else which
analogy of the faith; and, depend upon it, if you exercise 27, says ' that the angels know all things, even future God may have commanded him to do. Now, according
your right of private judgment in this spirit and in this things.'' to Dens and Thomas Aquinas, an angel cannot be in
way, you will neither, with the rationalist, reject any of But of all this, and much more which might be more places than one at the same time,"h so that the one
the essential verities of the faith in which all Christians quoted, it might be said that they are old, obsolete opi-prayed to may be out of the hearing of the petition, even
agree, nor, with the medievalist, throw yourself into the nions, only existing in musty tomes in the libraries of though his be angelic hearing, and out of sight of the
petitioner, even though his be angelic sight. Having
armsofasupposed infallible Church, tobelieveimplicitly andthe learned, but which exert no influence on the opinions
without inquiry everything that she may see fit to pre-of the many, and have practically nothing to do with other offices to look after, he may not be attending to the
scribe, no matter how opposed to God's word or man's
the working of the Roman Catholic religion. Be prayer, or may not be able to attend to it. He may not
common sense.
it so. Let us see whether the modern teaching and en- be looking on that '.face" of God in which scholastic
tertained opinions of Roman Catholics represent thedivines pretend the angels see the prayers offered to them,
THE INVOCATION OF ANGELS. angels as possessed of this extensive knowledge, extendingso that there are many possibilities that the angel may
even to the thoughts of the heart, which the Scrip-know nothing and be able to do nothing about the
In a former number we observed that Romish teach us are known only to God. The Rev. Spetition directed to him. Now, the Roman Catholic
contro-
tures
versialists and theologians not unfrequently Keenan,
endeavour Controversial Catechism, has the fol-ought to be convinced that no one of these possibili
in histo
support the practice of invocating saints bylowing:-
quoting pas- takes place, or that they are not possibilities, befor
sages of Holy Scripture, which they say speak ofnot
" Q. Do thethe angels and saints SEE ALL THINGS can
in be justified in offering up a single prayer to
worship or invocation of angels; whereas the God two things angel.
are really distinct, and should be treated of "A. YEs; and hence they must see ourThen,
separately. again,and
actions is it the angel's business to attend to
We now repeat the same observation, and add hear that prayers in Him and through prayers
there
our Him, as of it
menIs at
inall ? Have they anything to do
are some features of difference between them. In the Him we live and move and have our being. these prayers?
They see The Scriptures nowhere say that t
first place, the invocation of departed saints has noGodsanc-face to face, and know Him even as they have. areIn allknown
the passages of Holy Writ quoted on
tion whatever in the Scriptures; nothing which amounts(Ist Cor. xiii 10, 11., 12) half of the Roman Catholic view of this question th
"Q. Are not the angels and saints our guardians ? in which the Roman Catholics themsel
to an intimation that it is permissible, and scarcely any- are only two
thing which the utmost ingenuity of schoolmen and say the angels are represented as offering prayers to G
"A. Yes; and hence they snust know ALL our actions,
divines can construe into an authority in favour&c.d of it. This book of Mr. Keenan has beenItwidely is well tocircu-
consider these passages; one is Rev. vii
Os the other hand, there are several passages of Holy "And another angel came and stood before the alt
Writ which at first sight would seem to indicate that having a golden censer, and there was given to
* Petri Dena Tractatns de Angelis, n. 80, pp. 112, 113. Dublin,
religious service had been, or is to be, offered to anges,
1813. M Mark xaii, S2.
b Ibid.
or that oar prayers are to be directed to them. We shall, t Rom. i, 33, 84.
*
however, presently see that these afford no real counte- S isidori, mentent. lib. L, cap. x., tom. 6, p. 17. Rome, 1802.
9 Psaem Ixvtih., It.
d Keenan's Controveriaz Catechiasm, chap. xv., section 1, p. 139.
nanoe to our praying to or serving them. Then, Edinburgh,
again, 1854. h Petli Dean Tractatus do Agelia a. 79, p. 11t, tom. i D
1813.

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 DEaMBZln 17, 1857.] THE CATHOLIC LATMAN. 137
Much incense that he should offer th be pryers
employed of in
all the
saints
sense of invokingimageor worshipping;
of God; for, saith he, andI have seen God faee to fa
upon the golden altar, whieh is betore theuse
this throne
of theof word
God." in Gen. xxiii. 7and ought
my life isreally toBat
preserved. have
the face of God is she ward
Now, it is manifest from the passageguarded
itself that this was
Roman a
Catholic writers from
by whichfalling
God is made into
known. the For then Jacob was called
priesly angel. According to the law of Moses
mistake whichnone webuthave pointed out, Israel, when he had
instead ofseen the Lord God."
leading
the priest duly consecrated had a right
themto offer
into incense
error, as it seems to have done.
8. Another text adduced in defence of the inweation of
before God-Corah, Dathan, Ablram, and But their
further,followers,
we may add, that many angels isancient writers
Genesis rlvii. 16, in which the words of Jacob are
were consumed by fire and earthquake for daring to
have asserted that it was our Lord "' Jesus
The GodChrist
that fed me who
all myap-lifelong unto this day; the
burn incense before Him--and that peared
no strangerto the patriarchs,
which is and especially to Abraham,
angel that deliveteth me fkem all evil, bless the lad#.'
aotof the seed of Aaron should come under
near tothe offerform of an angel, as recorded
incense Would not the in verythe bookof these words show slt
construction
before the Lord."' This angel, then, of must
Genesis.have been for
Thus, a example, Justin
& the angel" Martyr,
of the latter whomember is the same as " thd
priest - but he was also an universal high
lived in priest; for century,
the second he and whomod"is one
of the of the memaber
former earliest of the sentence? Tere is n
offered the prayers of all saints. Who, then,is for
authorities the priest
the belief of the primitive Church,between
copulative conjunction next the two denotit a dis-
in heaven? St. Paul will tell usafter (ieb.the iv., 14): of
times "'We
the apostles, writes as follows:-"
;inetion; Moses
it is just the same as when he says in the same
hare," says he. "agreat high priestthat
writesis passed
that Godinto the
appeared to Moses at sentence,
the oak "God,
ofbefore
Mamre, whom as my fathers Abraham and
heavens- Jesus, the Son of God." Who is He that offers
he sat in his tent door in the heat ofdid
tsaac thewalk,day.
the God . .which
. By fed me." These certainly
up the prayers of all saints, but He to whom
which all saints
it appears, wre not
as I said, that he who two Gods, but
appeared toone and the same; and we have no
Abra-
send up their prayers? who but ham, He who andsaid to and
Isaac, all, Jacob, and the other
reason patriarchs,
to suppose that" the angel" in the next clause de-
whatsoever you shall ask theFather inandMyisname,
calledthat
God, was ordained bymotes
will theany Father,
other being.andThiswas
is made even clearer by the
I do (John xiv., 13:, 14)? who but "He who
obedient heareth
to His ate ofat
will."' Again, Origen, thethe
singular verb "bless." The original reads
beginning
of the
prayer, and unto whom all flesh shall third
come century,
(Psalm lxv. writes thus-" l2'Observe,
(Yebaraih), Inblessthe first
he or let him bless, or he shall
2) ?" We suppose, then, Cbristto be place,
the angelhere
that thespoken
Lord Himself came to Abraham
bless. The pluralwith form two
would be -.'h (Yebarecoo),
of and in this view we are borne outangels,
by authorities
whereasstand-
only two angels proceed forward to visit
ing high in the Romish Church. Ambrosius Ansbertus et them bless, or they shallh bless. In the Vulgate also9
Lot.'ro Again, Clemens Alexandrinus, .he verbwho lived benedicat.
is singular, at the Now, if God and the
writes thus in his commentary on thecloseRevelations
of the second:- century, thus writes-" Our
angel were schoolmaster,
not the same in this place, the verb would be
" ' And another angel came,' &c.. the holy God, Jesus, .....appeared to Abraham."
)lural instead of being singular. But how can God be
But that angel came by the flesh, but he stood by his 'alledIqCov
an angel? It is unquestionable that Christ is called
1 li qaIarpoc
divinity. . . What, also, is designated by the racrdaywyoc,
censer ayo Geoc OC
oroc w.Oq rwo Afppaap. Again,m Tertullian, at He
angel in Mal. iii. 1, when the
is termed the Messenger or
except the humanity of Christ? ' Andclosethere
of thewas giren,'
second century, writes thus--" Christ
Angel of the covenant. Himself
And, indeed, He is constantly re-
&c. But that compunction might be accepted
appeared of God,
to Abraham, in company presented
with angels."5*, We
in the Old Testament under the character of
there was given to the angel incense;
knowthat
that is,
St. to our
Augustine advocates a different
angel, as in the New view, andChrist is designated by
Testament
Redeemer the care of our prayers are entrusted,
maintains that all the angels seen by St.
Abraham were
Paul as " the created
Apostle,''w which is a term of similar
&c., &c."J Primasius, bishop of Utica,but
angels; concurs in
his authority, however justly
import. entitled
So also, to very often speaks of
Jesus Himself
the same opinion.k Albert the Great, Bishop
respect, of Ratis-
cannot be placed against that of throughout
Himself several St. writers,
John's gospel as being sent by the
bon, the most eminent of the schoolmen, perhaps,
much older in point of time, and who, therefore,
Father; and the wordare more
angel simply means one sent on a
with the exception of Thomas Aquinas, in his com-
credible witnesses of the belief of the primitive Church in
message.
mentary on the Revelations says-" this
' And another angel;'
point. 4. Again, Roman Catholic writers assert that the being
that Is, Christ, who is the angel of the greatnext
2. The counsel (Isa. adduced by who
passage Roman appearedCatholics
to Moses at thein burning bush (Exod. iii, 2t
9), according to another translation.defenceAnd of Hetheis called
invocation of angelsand toiswhom
Gen. xxxii.
Moses 24,
did reverence, was a created angel,
an angel because He announces the Father
where an to account
us, &c."' is given of Jacob's
and wrestling
it is said that he with an
is distinctly called an angel by St
The other passage quoted by Roman Catholics
angel; to show
and Hoses xii. 4 is quoted to prove
Stephen, that
in Acts Jacob,
vii., 30, and that this angel was with the
that angels pray for us is Zechariahon i. 12.
thisIt occasion,
is, however,prayed to the angel
Church inwith whom
the wilderness, andhewas the same who spake to
very likely that the angel here spoken of is none other
wrestled. "' Yea, he had power overMoses theatangel,
Mount Sinai.
and Butpre-
if, as we have seen above,
than Christ Himself, as in the former instance. But, sup-
vailed; he wept and made supplication our Lord JesusuntoChrist him;
is spokenhe of in the Old Testamezt
posing that this should not be the case,
foundand him
it is in
certainly
Bethel, and there spake
as the with
angel of us, even (Mal.
the covenant theiii., 1), and if He is da-
somewhat questionable, there is nothing
Lord that
God canofbeHosts:
called the Lord is his memorial." Now,
scribed as the angel of God's presence (Isaiah ixiii., 9), the
a prayer offered to God by the angel. He simply
nothing can bemade an
plainer than that whole
Jacob prayed
question to this
at issue really is, not whether an angel ap-
inquiry of the Lord of Hosts as to howangel;longbutit who
would was be this angel? The passage
peared to Moses, for itself tells but whether thisbeing
that is admitted,
ere he would have mercy upon and restore
us veryJerusalem.
unmistakeably. He It tells aswas
that this angel was
a created angel, or our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in
did not pray for the restoration of found
the city, but merely
by Jacob in Bethel ; that thereExodus
this iii.,
angel2, we spake
are told with
that " the angel of the Lord"
inquired about it. And what is very them important to be
(probably meaning with their forefathers)
appeared to Moses in the ; and
midst that
of the bush, and in the fourth
borne in mind, Zechariah did not pray this to the was
angel angel,thenor verseit is whose
Lord God of Hosts-Re said that "God called unto him out of the midst
memorial
ask the angel to pray for him. or title is the Lord (Jehovah). Nothing, we think,
of the bush." Surely, if canit can bebe proved independently
So, then, we may say that theseplainer
passages afford
than no is the meaning
that this thatof
God the
(in thepassage.
person of our TheLord Jesus Christ) is else-
Countenance to the supposition that angels pray or present
fifth verse expressly states that this angel
where called was the
an angel, theLord.
passage before us almost he-
prayers to God. It is never once saidAndin if the Scriptures
we refer to the account of this matter
vitably leads us in the Book
to identify the angel of whom it speaks
that angels pray. They are said to minister
of Genesis, or we
serveshallus find the same view of the
with Christ Himself. case most
by the command of God, but neverfully said to pray out.
borne for us The ; angel, for instance,
And so we may said to him,
observe, the passage was actually in-
amr are we taught to pray to them. St. Augustine
"Thy name shall says, no more be called Jacob,
terpreted by butmanyIsrael ; for
of the oldest and best authorities in the
"A mediator between us and God asought
a prince to thou
possess hasta power with God" Church. We do not
T'"ltt wish needlessly to multiply authori-
(Sareetha).q
transient mortality and a permanent blessedness; that by
So that
means of that which is transient he might the
suit angel
those that with whom, as ties, and, therefore, we can only refer to them very briefly.
Hosea said, he "had
power" was, according Thus,own
to the angel's for example,
words, Irensus
God. writes-" Christ Himself,
were to die, and that he might transfer them from the
We also read,r ",Jacob called the name of the
dead to that (happiness) which is permanent. Therefore,
therefore, with the Father,
place,is the God of the living, who
Peniel (the face of God); for I have spokeseen
to Moses, Godand who was manifested
face to to the fathers."t
good angels cannot be mediators between wretched mortals Again,shows
Justin Martyr
and blessed immortals, because they face, and my also
themselves life are
is preserved." Which that writesJacob as follows:-" Our Christ
himself considered that the angel appeared
was toGod. Moses inBut a flametheof fire at the bush, and said
blessed and immortal."''
prophet
Is there any authority for praying to says that
or invoking angels? Jacob found thisunto him, 'at
angel PutBethel,
off thy shoes, and &c."'' Other assages might
be quoted from Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian to
Roman Catholics say there is. Let usthat there
briefly this angel
examine the spake with the people of Israel.
the same effect."
This refers to Jacob's vision of the ladder reaching from
principal texts on which they rely.
earth
1. In Genesis xviii. 2, three angels are to heaven,
said to have and upon the top It ofis sometimes
which argued, stood however,
the that, as St. Paul says,
the law " was ordained by angels in the hand of a Media-
Lord, who
appeared to Abraham, and he is described asthen spake with him, and made many promises
" bowing
to him andAgain,
his posterity. And when tor" (Gal.
Jacob iii., 13); and as St.out
awaked Stephen asserts, that the
himself towards the ground" before them. in Jews received the la' " by the disposition of angels (Acts
of his
Gen. xix. 1, Lot is said to have " bowed sleep with
himself he said,his the LoaD is in this place: this is
none other than the house of God. And he called the vii., 53), it must have been a created angel who delivered
face towards the ground" before two of these angels. the law to Moses. The weakness of this conclusion, how-
name of that place Bethel ;"' that is, the house of God.
Roman Catholics assert that it is indisputable from these ever, will be at once evident if we turn to Deut. xxxiii.,
passages that both Abraham and It is quite
Lot plain, then,
invoked or that
wor- this angel was no mere creature,
but the Lord God Himself. 2, where we are told that " the Lord came from Sinai; He
dipped these angels. Those who urge this argument came with ten thousands of saints (or holy ones); from Lfis
must suppose their readers to be very Weignorant
may add, that ofit Scrip-
appears from Justin Martyr,
Clemens Alexandrinus, and others, that this interpretationright hand went a ffiry law for Ihem." To the same
tare, or else they would scarcely put it forward with such event the Psalmist refers when he writes (Ps. lxvlii., 17),
of the passage
confidence. In another passage of Genesis in question
(xxiii. 12) we was held by the Church in
the most ancient times. We have only space to quote one " The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands
are told that Abraham ' bowed down himself before the of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the
of these statements
people of the land;" that is, the children of Heth. in full, The
that, namely, from Clemens
holy place." These passages prove that angels were present
Alexandrinus, "a most ancient man,'' "a most learned
man,"' whosame
lived atas thethat
close of the second century." at the giving of the law at Mount Sinai; but they prove
word here used (.'fIZ'tt.l) is exactly
which occurs in the two former passages. tle equally that the Being from whom the law proceeded was
"That it If, then,
was the Word, accord-
the Schoolmaster of human na- no other than God Himself.
ing to the argument used by Romanists, tore, whoit wrestled
is indisputable
with Jacob, is evident from this. Jacob
that Abraham and Lot invoked or worshipped
asked him, saying the angels,
.---Tell me thy name. And he said, 5. We need not dwell long on another passage which
it is equally indisp'table that the patriarch Abraham in- ? For, as yet, the Lord is sometime& quoted in defence of the invocation of angels,
why askest thou after my name
voked or worshipped the children God of wasHeth!
without We believe
a name, because be was not yet incar-viz., 1 Tim. v. 21, "' I charge thee before God and the
that the Vulgate has contributed, in nate.
some Anddegree,
Jacob called to the
leadname of that place, The elect angels." This passage proves, it is said, that we may
Roman Catholics into error ia this point. Speaking of call upon the elect angels, as St. Paul has here done. But
Abraham and Lot (in Gen. xviii. 2, xix. 1) it uses theciC ^ plaiv, 4qr11 6 E~0&6does St. Paul call upon the angels in this passage ? Surely
Kai roi Apfpadpy, dpotiEc Mh
7r 6nc r 'pvi t
words "a doravit in terrainm" in both cases-" he adored to r Map/pp11 .r.X.--Justin. Martyr. Dial. not. He joins the angels with Jesus Christ, saith
cun. Tryph. pp. 408, 409. London, 1722.
the earth." But inasmuch as it uses the " Primovery same
asmen observa, Abraha cumr duobuha auff ls etflw Theodoret, oaX &s boripovc, dAX' n $odXovc, " not as
phrase
quod
in Ge. xxiii. 7 (Surrexit Abraham, Dominus
et adoravit populum
swfuit, ad Loth vero duoe tantunmmodo acgeli pergu.-- equal in honour, but as servants to Him ;" as those who
terre, filioa ridelicet IIeth-i.e., Origen,Hom.
Abraham in GAn.arose and
Tom. it., cot. k p. 71 Pari. 173k.
Christus
the ....
adored the people of the land; that Abraham.
is, sons. Ideoque
of et pe coum angelis tune spud
Heth)> 'w Heb. W.1. I
. . . apparuit. -Tertall. adv. Mare. i. 9, p.i Ipse Igitur Christas rum Patre, vivorum est Deus, qui locutus
it is quite plain that the word "adored"
402. Pari.(adoravit)
1675. cannot
Moysi, qu et Patribus manifestttus est.-r-Irennt, lib. iv., c. xl.,
q Gea. xxxit., 28. lbid, ver. $0. 282. Oxon. 1702.
' Numbers xvi., 40. Gel. xxviii., 16 to end.
J Abrosit Anaberti Comment. In Apoc., li iv., fol. 49T C. D., tom.
xli. Bibliotheca Patrum de la Bigae. Luad. 1677. tAvip &pXatbraroc, Sozomen.
k Primnali Afr.can Episc. Uricensis Comment In Apoe, 1ib. f, cap. ueno judteio omnlam eruditlumous.-Jerome. Si,Xporrbc,
repoc I u rvpbc ix Bdrov
Kal rvcv. rpocitrpiXeAtv
w.r..--Justin Mart. Apol. ., abry ~ 6 _i-
k, em.x., l.289. . Bibttot ea Patram de ai Bigne. Lngduvn 1677. Clem. Alex. Pfed. Lib. I, p. 13, Oxen, 1715.-See also Justin p. 92. .Lond. 1722.
SAlbertaus Magnus in Apoc, viit., p. 67, tom. xi. Parts, t165, ' cem.
MartSr, Dital. Cam. Trypht, p. 407. London, 1722. Concil AnLioch
spud Routh. Rel Sacr, ii., p. 470. Contr. Jud.,Alex.
c. 9, p,Cohort
194. ad Gexres, p. 7. Ool., 1715. Teotil.
a Augustin. de ci it lte Del, lib. ix., cap. xv.

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we to attend Him at the great day of judgment, and commit idolatry, but was. checked by the command, above all that we ask or think, and that His mercy
sho will then be witnesses of the rewards which He will
" worship God.''d goodness are co-infinite with His ability. That sain
beeow upon all them who now obey Him, and keep His It has already been shown in the pages of the CATHOLIC angels can hear or pray for us is at best a sheer un
wsmmandments. LAYMAN how dishonestly Roman Catholics have treated tainty; that Christ hears and intercedes for us adm
the passages of Scripture in which we read that the
4. Another passage adduced in defenceof the invocation no doubt whatever. And we do not feel disposed to
of angels is Apoc. i. 4, " Grace be with you, andangels
peacerefused to be worshipped. To our minds such a certainty for an uncertainty, to leave a sure and suff
refusal seems a sufficient ground for the rejection of angel Mediator for those of whom it is most likely that the
&*ar Him who is and who was and who is to come, and
worship.
lom the seven spirits which are before His throne." We We are told that it may be because the apostle no mediators at all. We do not dishonour the ang
wiN make no observation of our own upon this, but offered
give to the angel that worship which was due only to saints; we rather give them the true honour, and wha
God. That is very true, because all religious service is due conceive to be the only true honour ; for any honour
the opinion, first, of one of the fathers, namely, Prima-
only to God: it cannot begiven to any other without idolatry.
sins. He says, " From the seven spirits who are in sight them that is not just we believe to be dishonour, be
Now, wherein consists the difference between mere civil
qfihe throne of God, on account of the sevenfold operation not compatible with God's will, and therefore not plea
honour and religious worship? Civil honour appears to
of the Holy Spirit, his spiritual is said to be septiform- to those holy beings, who delight in that will. W
consist, in general, in the awarding of praise to merit, the
tiat is, of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and forti- not put them in the place of their Creator, nor give t
conferring of privileges, the ascription of superiority to
tude, of knowledge and piety, and the fear of the Lord,"' any portion of that undivided service which we owe
&e.0 Ambrosius Ansbertus, a Roman Catholic writer tiany,ofthe external acts by which our sense of that supe- They seek no such service, nor would they accep
te Cistercian order, commenting on the same passage, riority or worth is expressed, and those various means of They glory in being fellow-servants with us of onr
n3ysi "But when the Spirit of the Father and denoting
the esteem and respect which custom and the laws mon God, co-heirs with us of one common glory, and
Sea is one and the same person in one Trinity, of human society sanction. Divine worship, which is ticipators with us of the same divine nature. Our p
wherefore does John in this Revelation introduce properly all of religious worship, consists in the uplifting rather to endeavour to serve our Master and theirs, as
of the heart to the olject worshipped, the reposing of the
seven spirits, except he intended to denote the sevenfold are told they serve Him, with cheerful and willing he
operation of one and the same Spirit by the soul's best and highest affections upon Him, the acknow-
seven- with all the faculties of our souls, and during all the
ledgment and sense of complete dependance on andi
kfld appellation of spirit? This is what the prophetb of our existence, and so shall we join them in the b
had in view when he represented the one spiritentire subjection to Him, the consecration of our lives
of the heaven held out to us, and bask in the light of that D
and energies
Lord as resting upon our Redeemer, saying, ' The spirit of to HIis service, and the hope of spiritual and countenance before which all clouds of doubt and i
tfe Lord shall rest upon Him.' Presently into the eternal
one hegood to be obtained from Him, through Him, and rance shall be dispelled, and sorrow and sighing sha
introduces seven, and says, ' The spirit of wisdominand ofand all external actions of whatever kini, by away.
Him;
which these feelings are expressed. Each and all of these May we all, Roman Catholics and Protestants, wh
understanding, the spirit of counsel and of might, the spirit
of knowledge and of piety, and the spirit of the fearproperly
of the belong to religious worship, and none of them read these lines, join the brilliant host in no matter h
canaway
Lord shall fill Him."' But we need not go so far be referred to any being besides the one God set humble an order, and unite with them in ascribing glory
forth
for this view of the case. The edition of the Douay in the Gospel, without incurring the guilt of idolatry.
Bible honour, and majesty to Him who died and rose again, a
Now,
published in Dublin, under the sanction of the late the first of these, which we call civil honour, or that
Arch- now pleads for us on high, the blessed Lamb of Go
which
bishop Troy, in the year 1816, has the following note on one man renders to another, may be referred in who taketh away the sin of the world.
this passage-" From the seven spirits, &c. The kindHoly
by one creature to another, or by man to an angel;
but divine worship, or religious service, cannot in whole,
Ghost may be here meant and so called, for His sevenfold THE TABLES TURNED; OR, WHAT HAPPENED
or in part, be referred to any lesides the Great Creator and TO LARRY O'DONOVAN ON MONDAY.
ginfs and graces, as some expositors think." The note of the universe. This worship is described in
Governor
hen goes on to say that it is a preferable interpretation PART II.
which supposes angels to be meant. Scripture as one that must be in spirit and in truth.
We are told in the Gospel that the angels of God's chil- LARRY was very well pleased with his Sun
Now, with respect to the worship of angels, a word
he began to think that in the wide world
must be said. Passages are quoted from the Olddren do always behold the face of our Father in heaven.e
Testa-
Uponasthis such a useful guide for a poor man as Mr.
ment where angels are said to be worshipped ; such in expression Romish theologians build a curious
and this,
fanciful superstructure: they imagine that the angels " It is a fine thing," said he to himself, "
the case of Abraham and Lot (Genesis xviii, xix). Of
perceive in this face of God all things, past, present, and education. If I was not able to read, how c
Br. Delahogue, professor in Maynooth College, says, in
be so clear to me as they are now that I s
his Treatise on the Incarnation, in the appendix,to "' come, and, among the rest, the prayers offered to them
It is book. No wonder the priest is advising eve
very uncertain whether they knew them as angels, by men
and,on earth. They imagine this " face" of God to be
therefore, whether that adoration was not mere a sort of mirror, in which the blessed spirits see reflected
civil ' What Every Christian must Know and
The nice new coat he had bought made h
honour."' We have already proved, by referencethe toimages
the or ideas of things, and that hence they know
look so shabby, he resolved to thrash som
Rebrew texts of those passages, that no adoration these
was in-things. But this expression does not afford any
tended in either case. authority to such a fabrication. Seeing the face of God In two or three days' time he bought so
does not denote the image of things reflected therein, but neighbour's shop, and put the materials in
Besides these, the cases of Balaam and Joshua wor-
simply enjoying His favour, and living and being happy in Tom Stack, who promised to have them read
shipping angels are supposed to give authority to that
His presence. It means, also, actually beholding the mani- the fair day.
practice. In the case of Joshua the angel said, he was
captain of the Lord's hosts. Now, this word I (Sar),festation of the Divine Being, of whatever kind that may jlceordingly, he sent his sister Mary ove
be. In a passage above citet, Jacob said, " I have seen day; and after a little delay, she returned"w
or prince, is applied to angels in the Book of Daniel; but God face to face." Moses also saw God, and "1talked for article of dress, and Larry proceeded to
itIs also applied to Christ in the prophet Isaiah, where He walk
with Him face to face," and this while they were on earth ; through the fair.
is alled the Prince of Peace. In the New Testament He
yet who will say that these good men saw in that face the When he examined the trousers, he thoug
is called the Captain of our salvation. Other similar and skimpy looking, and when he put the
images of all things, and so knew all things
apelations are referred to Him in both Old and New The Jewish high priest, when blessing the people, prayed them very tight and not nearly long enoug
Testaments. Well, then, supposing this Prince of the did not reach near his ankles. Oh, mur
Lord of Hosts to be Christ, it is no way wonderful that Hethat GAd would "cause His face to shine upon" them,5
'c that villain Stack; was there ever such
ohould be worshipped; but if an angel, it is wonderful, and that He would lift up the light of His countenance
upon" them. Surely this benediction did not mean that honest tailor? and Mr. Carty said I had plen
indeed, and we should pause well before we come to that toSo,
make them large and roomy."
they might see all things in that Divine countenance.
determination. The angel, for such we will call tim for Boiling with rage, he rushed down stree
also, St. Paul, when he said he should see God face to face,
the present, told Joshua to take off his shoes from off his
did not mean that the face of God was a mirror in which house, and accused him of being a plun
feet, for the ground on which lie stood was holy. There
" What are you at, at all, at all, to be med
the images of things are reflected, but that he should really
is only another instance of the like in the Scriptures.
namely, where God appeared to Moses in the bush. In see divine truth, not through the veil of mortality, as character
now; in that sort of a way ?" said the
wonder at you to be so nigh our passio
that case it was God Himself who gave the command.not darkly, as through a perspective glass, but immediately at all," retorted Larry. "Did you ever see
Why was the ground holy? Because it was sanctified by and truly and without distortion or refraction, if we may
use such a term in such a matter. In a quotation you have made of me." "Sure if they are
given
the Divine presence, in the same way as the holy of holics said
in the tabernacle and temple was sanctifed by the peculiarabove, Mr. Kecnan represents St. Paul as saying that he the tailor, " they'll gather the less mud
Hew do you know but it's the fashion to ha
manifestation of the Deity ; in the same manner as heavenshould know God even as he was known. If saints or
tight and short."
angels may know ' God" even as they themselves are kinown,
itself, the true sanctuary, is hallowed by the full and un- "Fashion, indeed. Maybe you want to
clouded display of God's glory. Angels appeared on other then there is an end of Godhead altogether; then they
one of them savages out in New Zealand. S
know God intimately and perfectly, as well as He knows
occasions; they never made any such command as that of when some clothes were sent out to them, o
taking off the shoes. That homage is due only to God them; ; then they are as much God as He is. St. Paul,
landish fellows mistook a great coat for a p
however, says no such thing as this. The word "God"
snd still in the East it is a piece of the divine worship. is
foisted in by Mr. Keenan himself, and alters the and sensethrust his legs into the arms and threw
So that this circumstance show's that it was no less than considerably. his shoulders. Do youa want to have me lik
God who thus appeared to Joshua. Btut in one of the I've a mind to knock you down for stealing
following verses (ver. 2, cap. vi.), the saue narrative being Peter Dens and Thomas Aquinas inform us that there
are three hierarchies of angels-the highest, the middle,"4Steal. Do you take me to be a rogue,
little tailor.
sitll carried on, this person is called the Loscu (Jehovah),and tise lowest--and each of these consisting of three
Just at this moment who should pass b
orders. In the highest, say they, are cherubim, seraphim,
.snd He gives
Jericho, as it directions to purpose
was for this Joshua He
about the
thus taking to
appeared of
Joshua. and thrones; in the middle, dominations, virtues,Laurence
anti O'Toole, thle priest, a fine, tall,
powers; in the lowest, principalities, archangels, gentleman,
and with such respectable gray hai
'But, then, as to thle case cif Balsam, it is not at all hotitMaynooth priests, who would settle eve
angels. As it must be hard for them to prove this,
likely that he either offered or intended to offer religious the stick. Hearing the noise he turned i
wrahip by falling down to worship the angel. This must be equally hard for us to refute it.
angel, however, might be shown to be God Himself, thus We Protestants do not pretend to be wise abovehouse,
tha and asked what was the matter?
"6He's just after accusing me of being a th
which is written, nor do we pretend to be able to tell how
visibly apparent. Balaam intended to reverence the
sx~gel; but it does not appear that he offered religious the angels know things, or what things they know."9We and your reverence knows well I have to
simply say that we know nothing about these matters,for the laws of God and the Church to be a
reverence. Where is the Protestant that, if he were
and, consequently, if we address ciur prayers to them "&Do
we you mean to say you put all my
to see an angel, would not bow before him, and render trousers, and that you kept none ?"
can have no assurance that they will be heard or regarded.
him obeisance as a superior being ? Yet, he would not be 6"I am no thief, I say."
remdering him any religious worship. We have two in- We do not pretend to know how many angels there are,
"Did I not tell ye all to buy that nice
what is their power, or what is their occupation, and, con-
stamces in Scripture of religious worshiphaving been offered
sequently, we have no knowledge that they can or will Mr. Furniss, and that you could not have
ts-angels. and on both occasions tlley refused to accept it.
'Tes were the cases in which St. John was about to attend to any petition of ours. But we know. on God's "1And so I did, your reverence, and it is m
own authority, that there is ONE whose office it is toand
take sure he says it is no sin to keep pieces o
our wants and our requests into consideration--Oneever who there is a common custom of doing i
always hears and even knows our prayers before we book
a Primasui Epise. Utic. Apoc. lib. L, cap. i., foi. 285 D., tom. x. utter is called ' What Every Christian MosT
SbUMotht Patrum de l Bigne. Logd. 1677. them. We know that He has power to do exceedingly It is not what they may do, but what they
-If sm., 2, .
Ambarosa Araberti Comment. In Apoc, lib. ., fol. 414 0. tom. " Rev. xiz. 10, xxii. 9. * Ma". xviti. 10 is clear to me that a Christian tailor must
of cloth."
4L. Atibloth. Patrum do la Bigne. Lugd. 1677. f Numb. li., 25, 26-

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