Article June 24, 1922 Issue

Angels

ETTA M. GILBREATH

Mankind has always had a belief in angels; and this belief, although apparently submerged in matter, yet stood as a recognition of God's grace. It expressed their faith in God's protection and guidance, although so vaguely defined and so enveloped in materiality was it that little practical use could be found in it for either protection or guidance. This belief continued to be held, however, until Mrs. Eddy, with her clear vision, rescued "angels" from matter, and defined them in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 581) as, "God's thoughts passing to man; spiritual intuitions, pure and perfect; the inspiration of goodness, purity, and immortality, counteracting all evil, sensuality, and mortality." Thus, she made it possible for us to realize that we "abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

Christian Science teaches us that spiritual understanding is the great necessity; so that, even after we know that angels are "spiritual intuitions," we must have a means of recognizing them; for many a demonstration of Truth is delayed simply through our ignorance of the form these "intuitions" take. As angels are thoughts, that angel which is probably the most familiar, and possibly the least recognized, is the angel which appears in the form of a question. If we stop to consider our thought-processes we may realize how often they are filled with questions. Especially is this true at times when we are confronted with some unusual problem.

In the pleasant experiences of human existence we may drift or swim with the current of mortal thought with which we seem to come in contact. Mental idleness or apathy may lead us to go ahead carelessly and unheedingly in unquestioning blindness. But let us run against a snag, or let a storm break and ruffle the waters of our dream, and immediately our thoughts are filled with questions; in fact, the more disturbed we are the more the questions envelop us. These questions are often truly angels; for it is the intuition of Truth, the intuition of God's presence and power that makes us question the testimony of the senses. As we learn more of Science, we shall learn also to invite these questions. We shall, indeed, recognize them, and go out to meet them, as did Abraham the angels that visited him, inviting them to come in and sup with us; or, as Jacob wrestled with the problem he had, so we must learn to wrestle with every question that comes to thought, never ceasing until the day dawns—until we have the correct answer. It is in this way that we gain in understanding.

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