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THE
BLESSED
ANGELS
he eality of hings Unseen
y
MANLY P. HALL
c'
_
, . os gees, Califrnia
ISBN No. 0-89314-8075 LC 8027119
Copyright© 8 By the Phlosophl Rsh Society, I
All of rihts No part thisreserved. book may be reprodued in any for m without permsion om the pu lisher
ibrary f Cngress Catalng in Publicatin Data Ha, Mnly Pamer 1901 The blessed nges
1. Anges I Tite. BL47734 2912'15 ISBN 0-89314807-5
8027119
Published by THE PHOSOPHCA RESEARCH SOCETY NC 3910 s Felz Bulevad, s Angeles, CA 90027 Pinted in the U.SA.
TLE OF CONTENTS
ntductin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The Beed Ange . .... .... .. 9 Ange n At . . . . 16 The Ceeti Hechie .. . 19 The Beed Ange f Thm Heywd The Bk f Ench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
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Dnyu the Aepgite . . The Pnety Achnge . .
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.
7 . 34
LIS F ILLUSTRATIONS The olemaic System of Astronomy Rying Buddhist Angels . A Siamese Angel : A Six-Winged Seraph . . The Nine Hierarchies . The Works of St.Dionysius the Areopagite . "When the Morning Stars Sang Together Seraph Mosaic and Postage Stamp . The Seraphim .... . The Cherubim . . . The Throne The Dominations The Vertues . . The Powers . . . The Principat . . S Michael Archangel . The Angell
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T LSSD NGLS T RLITY OF TINGS UNSN
INTRODUCTION
Chitin nept f mg wee bed upn the unive heme fmuted b Cudiu Pt em n gptin tnme wh fuihed in the end entu A. He w pbb indebted t Pein ttheg Pthgen mthemti phi ph, nd Jewih metphi f the tem whih he deveped He ped the eth in the ente f the tem beue f humnit i nened mi fe nvege upn the gbe inhbited b mn kind The geenti Ptemi nept dminted t nm t the time f Gie Cpeniu, Bhe nd Kepe The eehe f thee tnmemthemti in euted in the etbihment f heienti tnm. ven thugh the diveed tht the pnet inuding the ethevved und the un, thee vnt ptied tg nd t thei hpe ding t the d geenti tem Mt mden 5
THE BLESSED ANGELS
trologers their example. There is evidence that Pythagorasfollow was aware that the gods of the planets drove their chariots around the flaming altar of the sun, but his thoughts on the subject received little attention for over two thousand years Modern astronomy deals with the anatomy and phy siolgy of the universe whereas the Ptolemaic system was psychological and in a sense theological It sought to organze the invisible processes which maintained phy Nurmbrg sical existence. That wonderful old bookhundreds Chronicl published in 93, contains of wood engravings Among these is a full-page illustration depicting the Ptolemaic system of astronomy. t is divided into three sections. Deity is enthroned and bears the rb of the world. He is attended by a retinue of spiritual beings who adore him and become the ministers of his will. He is seated above and beyond the zodiac as the Primum Mobile the first motion by which all other things -
areThe moved. two circles outside the zodiac are referred to in Genesis as the regions above the firmament These con stitute the imperium and from these descend the heavens of the fixed stars most especially the zodiacal constella tions which enclose the orbits of the seven sacred planets known to the ancients Below and within these are the regions f the material elementsfire, air water and earth. To the viewer's the corners nine hierarchies are listed inof descending order. left At the are representations the four winds. The complete picture sybolizes the regions of spirit or the zodiacal hierarchy regions of the soul or the planetary system and the regions of body
N.H ) N
d - : s ts OJ -s u t 1 f£ mu OJ n a wqai o U/ pa·
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8
THE BLESSED ANGELS
which i theieceptace f the enegie Thi engaving baed upn theupephica initiatin ite f eteic de and wa deived fm a ti de paten taught in the Mte Sch It wa futhe aumed that thi inviibe gvenment etabihed the patten f a tem pal uehip Timu Shah bette knwn a Tameane wa bn abut 1336 and died in 1405 He deveped a tem f gvenment baed amt entie upn gecentic at nm atg. divided hi dmain accding t the and zdiac ceatedHe a piv cunci anagu t the panet paced himef unde the ue f cmic de and imped the tem upn the cuntie and egin ve which he had authit A phica thing ae manifetatin f piitua pinci pe Thee ae inviibe but a-pwefu and the king dm f the eath ae a ubevient t the kingdm f heaven Paaceu decaed that man i a theefd ceatue deiving hi piit ta hi u f m the panet and hi bd fmfm the the eam f phica matte The atnm f the Bibe i gecentic If we ack nwedge a divine authit bend u wn it i bviu that the hieachie f beed being becme necea t the gvenment f the cm. The cai ficatin f ideea adminitat f the Divine Wi euted age fm the ab f tw mteiu pe nthe pphet Ench and Diniu the Aepagite Wking fmtematized the tete-bad Ptem the pacepvided ppuatingbit Caudiu with ea but inviibe ceatue. Fm thei ab and vaiu in tepetatin theen the angeg f St. Thma Aquina wa funded. Reigin ha awa had it m
TH BLSSD ANGLS
9
ere mu becnfdence apprached by fah bu here me n he dea ha rderpreval hng npre and ha he Crear ha ampe reurce wh whch admner h crean Arlgy a we nw day f helgzed, wuld uan he dcrne f he bleed angel and he cncep ha ar and plane are em are f he cmc rder
TE BLEED NGEL
Reference angel ccur hrughu he Bble frm Gene Revelan Only hree are acually named n he acred cannhe archangel Mchael, Raphael and Gabrel A furh archange, Urel named n he ap cryphal Secnd B f Edra hefurher B f The nereed n purung h and ubjec canEnch mae ue f he cncrdance whch are appended m Engh edn f he Kng Jame Bble wrh nng ha nne f he andard reference b nclud ng he Encyclopedi Britnnic The Ctholic Encyclo pedi The Univerl Jewih Encyclopedi Encyclo pedi of Religion d Ethic (eded by Jame Hang) and A Religiou Encyclopedi (eded by hlp Schaff,
D.D, hee myeru beng paed be fg men LLD) f heaume magnan N judgmen cncernng he realy f angel and hey are acceped by all hee urce a belngng relgu beef whch have been veneraed fr age
0
H BSS ANGLS
The Bible indicates that angels are capable of taking on a physical appearance and functioning in the material world. This is certainly implied in the account of Jacob wrestling with the angel In other cases the descriptions suggest that angels appear in visions, dreams or mystical experiences n pre-Christian art winged figures also occur as in the designs which adorn Etruscan vases. n Roman times the guardian spirits of communities and illustrious persons were winged and resemble ery closely the anges of Christian art. Although angelolatry or veneration for angels did not arise in Western Chris tianity until the ourth century AO. it rapidly gained favorespecially with artists depicting sacred scenes Illu minated Christian writings were soon embellished with angelic figures. The oo o K now in the Dublin Mu seum dates from the seventh or early eighth century and is a Latin transcript of the Four Gospels based upon the Vulgate Version The extraordinary ornamentations of this manuscript include quaint depictions of angels and the symbols of the Evangelists. The four great archangels are included and Uriel is among them. n the symbolism of the Evangelists Mark is represented by the lion Luke by the ox and John by the eagleall shown with wings. Matthew is in his approved natural form but is also por trayed winged. Angels and archangels are found in many early rishChristian remais and monuments. The belief in angels found many supporters and inter preters among respected scholars of the Church. The writings on this subject attributed to Dionysius of the Areopagus formed the bridge between Neoplatonism and the scholastic philosophers. The writings of Oionysius were popular in the Eastern Church for several centuries
THE BLESS ED ANGES
1
befre hey were ranlaed n an Jhanne Scu Ergena n he nnh cenury In hbyreprn f Dr Everard ranlan f The Mytcl Dvnty he Rever end Jhn arker nclude a frewrd enled "Relang Dnyu Th ungned, bu cnan me ueful nfrman ncludng he fllwng "Many her ran lan fllwed geher wh nnumerable Cm menare by he m emnen hnker f he me, amng whm were uch a Hug f S Vcr, Alberu Magnu, Thma Aquna, andwh Dnyu he Carhu an Bnaenura auraed her nfluence and are al he grea German myc Eckhar and Tauler arker al ne ha afer he Refrman he mycal deal f Dnyu f he Arepagu nfluenced a uccen f rean myc ncludng Jacb Behme See The Mytcl Dvnty ranlaed by Dr Jhn Everard, wh remark by Revered Jhn arker hladelpha 1926) . Unvel ewh Encycloped Accrdng Thehad he ec f he Eene an ndependen angellgy he ecre and myere f whch were enrued nly he naed Member f he ec were requred under ah never dcle he ecre eachng f he cmmuny The ame urce furher ne ha he arcana f he Eene Order very pbly had dcrne abu he Meah r he angel, and me f hee eachng may have fund her way n apcalypc leraure The
December ay ha abu k refuge n1958 a relgu cener a 100 BC he Eene f
Ntonl Geogphc
Wad Qumran n he Judean wlderne Th hey aban dned n 68 BC and cncealed her lbrare n cave whch hey never reurned
2
THE BLESSED ANGELS
In Judaism he hierarchy of anges, ofen caed he hos of heaven or he company of divine beings' is no sricy defined Seve anges someimes caed archanges ead he heaveny hoss These are se forh in he noncanonica Firs Book of Enoch chaper 20, as rie (eader of he heaveny hoss) Raphae (guardian of h human spiris) Rague (avenger of God) ichae (guardian of Israe) Sarie (avenger of he spiris) Gabrie (ruer of Paradise, he seraphim and he cherubim) and Remie aso caed Jeremie! (guardian of sous in he aferife) In Isam four archanges are recognized Jibri or Gabrie (he reveaer) ika!, or ichae (he provider) Izrai (he ange of deah) and Israfi (he ange of he Las Judgmen) (See Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15h ediion). Differen arrangemens occur in oher ri ings I mus be udersood ha he docrine of anges passed hrough a series of recensions by hich i gra duay became compex The Chrisianizing he beiefs expressedmore in he Od Tesamen resued inofcon siderabe confusion Various iss of arhanges are no aays consisen. Names appear ofen ihou appro priae inerpreaions Wih he rise of he cabaa srange names ere besoed upon a muiude of siderea spiris, boh good and evi and demonoogy provided ong iss of subversive spiris each ih a srange and unfamiiar name Cabaism ineresed a number of pro minen Chrisian ineecuas, among for hem von Rosenroh o hom e are indebed heKnorr firs Lain ransaion of he Zhar. The beief in anges aso found is ay ino he fairy aes of Hans Chrisian Andersen and he Brohers Grimm. The guardian ange no akes he
TH BSSD ANGS
13
appearance fairy godmother bringsThe miracu lous poers of to the rescue of mortals ho in distress star tipped and of the good fairy is reminiscent of the magic scepters carried by the archangels Several modern mys tica sects offer prayers to these invisible beings convinced that their supplications ill be heard. The beief in angeic eings as eld by many ancient peoples each culture group developed its on explana tions and interpretations of these mysterous creatures They are asoand prominent in the ritings the oroastrians in Persian artscriptural Figures of angelsof and archangels are numerous in Christian art afer the fourth century A Choirs of celestial beings atend representa tions of Deity, the Holy Trinity, and the Blessed Virgin. Pictures of this type are called o and the various hierarchies are depicted in the order of their preemi nence. Both the Eastern and Western Churches have venerated especially the archangels ichael, Gabriel and Raphae elevating them to sainthood by canoniza tion According to scriptural testimony both angels and arch angels have appeared in human form ith or ithout ings. They are androgynous creatures and artists in depicting them have been required to call heavily upon inspiration or intuition Some painters have been more successful than others and perhaps Raphael has been the most inspired These supernatural beings hich Dante caed Birdsith of God are shon youthfu handsome persons quiet and benign as expressions variously robed and garmented according to prevailing customs. Archanges may ear elegant vestments ela borately embroidered and beeeled Each carries sym-
4
TH BLSSD ANGLS
bolic attributes witness his station and mission They are neverbearing represented astoaged and, while they are not actually considered immortal they endure as long as they are sustained by the will of God The principal arch angels have been named but the angeic host is con sidered as a group mong the angels a body of celestial musicians is recognized forming a heavenly chorus Some are also shown playing upon terrestrial musical instruments incuding harps violins, and trumpets Christian art wings an adornment and are notand to bentaken literally Theseare pinions are of various sizes artists have devoted much time and talent to this subject They are almost invariably derived from the natural wings of birds and may be varicolored with the iridescence of peacock feathers and other rare plumage Though some times depicted in flight angels are more often represented standing or kneeling with their pinions folded The kingdomcourt of heaven wasofregarded in early times ast a magnificent like that an Oriental monarch was appropriate in fact more or less necessary, that God should have a retinue suitable to his station n contem plating the wonders of creation it was unreasonable to assume that Deity could alone regulate the realms of exis tence s the chief executive of the world he must administer his domain through orders of living beings bound to him by eternal love Mortal kings have their prime ministers and their and these in turn delegate other officials to privy carry councils out the divine commands The word from the Greek means "mes senger, and the angelic orders of life inhabit qualitative distances between divinity and humanity Their equiva
THE BESSED ANGES
15
lets must exist i every solar system ad beigs of icoceivable spledor preside over cosmic systems ad galaxies. There is o doubt that this cocept gave verisi militude to the agelic hierarchies. Most religios ad philosophies have directly or idirectly sactioed the reality of orders of ivisible life assistig i the maage met of uiversal law the West St Gregory the Great affirmig the exis tece of ie orders of agels follows the classificatio of Dioysius of the Areopagus Joh of Damascus also followig Dioysius attempts a defiitio statig that a agel is a itellectual substace which is always mobile ad edowed with free will is icorporeal serves God has received accordig to grace immortality i its ature ad the form ad character of whose substace That aloe who created it kows (See Encyclopadia of Rli gion and Ethics, "Demos ad Spirits) Peter Lombard (1100?-160 or 1164) is recogized as the first systematic theologia of the Wester hurch He also arraged the hierarchy accordig to the order give by the Areopagite Thomas Aquias the greatest of the scholastic aters devoted a etire tract to the agels i his Summa. He writes "Agels are altogether icorporeal ot composed of matter ad form; exceed corporeal beigs i umber ust as they exceed them i perfectio differ i species sice they differ i rak ad are icorruptible because they are immaterial Agels ca assume a aerial body but do ot exercise the fuctios of life Thus they do ot eat propri as hrist did after His resurrectio. Agels ca be localized but caot be i more tha oe place at the same time. The substace of agels is ot pure thought because i a created beig activity ad sub
6
THE BLESSED ANGELS
sane are never idenial Similarly he of anels is no pure houh They have no sensory oniion Their oniion is objeiveno hoever hrouh deermina ions in he obje bu hrouh innae aeories The oniion of he hiher anels is effeed by simpler and feer aeories han is ha of he loer Anels by heir naural poers have knolede of God far reaer han men an have bu imperfe in iself The anels ere reaed in a sae of naural no supernaural beaiude Alhouh hey ould love God as heir Creaor hey ere inapable of he beaifi vision exep by Divine rae They are apable of aquirin meri hereby perfe beaiude is aained; subsequenly o is aainmen hey re inapable of sin Their beaiude bein perfeed hey are inapable of proress
ANGELS IN ART
n Chrisian ar erain aribues ame o be assoiaed ih anels and arhanels and hese ere elaboraed and refined in laer enuries They ere shon in human form and ere radiionally of he masuline sex bu ere feminized in he orks of many rea ariss They ere usually houh no alays shon as ined o emphasize heir poer o asend or desend hrouh he various levels of he spae dimension n Chrisian ar hey inheried hese ins from pre-Chrisian soures Anels are alays represened fully lohed Prior o he sevenh enury heir robes ere hie and of a Greian
ANGLS N ART
7
yle aer her garmen were lred red r ble, fen magnfenly Angel andarhangel have nmb ab rnamened he ead Th nmb ally gld anda n he Eaern Chrh may be rnaely deraed Orgnally hee perphyal beng wre n har rnamen b, n mre reen me a haple, rle, r rne ha been nrded Gradally her arbe ave been added and bh angel and arhangel may arry ymbl bje h a wrd, lane and pray f flwer Angel are ally hwn baref, b he arhangel are fen prvded had wh very andal The rean Refrman lle effe pn he l f angel In he Anglan Chrh he angel a meenger f he Dvne Wll are flly regnzed In he re f me, hwever, ngregan have hwn very lle nere n he bje In he Book of Common Pryer he wenynnh f Sepember dedaed S Mhael he Arhangel, and by exenn all angel beng n Bddh ar TheyIn areAngel allybeng hwnfreqenly aendngappear Bddha r Bdhava parade ene hey fla amng ld, aer flwer, r fll he ar wh her m The grea fane f Hryj, he andng example f xh enry Japanee rel g arhere, wa rgnally deraed wh a ere f mral panng f Bddh dvne Thee exqe wr f ar wer nearly all deryed by a dar fre n 1949 One f he few rvvng panng dep a Bddh angel Thee radan beng, fen alled tennin, are ally repreened n mn They d n have wng b her flwng garmen ream frm her bde n graefl fld The har arranged n a hgh
8
Flying Buddhist angels; from Toshio Nagahiro.
THE B LESSED ANGELS
A Study of Hiten or Fying Angels by
hnn nd the hed s rnetted Drk tresses hn pn the shlders nd t wld pper tht the mery sBdhsttv bsed pn trdtnl lkenesses f dy Knnn the f Cmpssn nd Mery. Grdn sttes tht n Bddhsm nels re lwys femnne whees n the West they r e rdtnlly mslne (See Wor Heaer pes 390-39) . There s lss f pntns referred t s Raigo-Zu, r vsn senes In these the Bddh Amd flts thrh the r n lmns lds t ndt the sls f tre belevers t the re nd Amd s ften mpned by lry f nels There fmsbyvsn sene t nd Mt Ky n whh Bddh s s ttended bdhsttvs twentyfve rdnt bens plyn vrs msl nstr ments snn the sns f prdse r rryn sred bnners In the henx Hll t Uj n Jpn, Amd s m pned by fftytw Unh KyBsts represented s stndn r seted pn lds (See Buhm an Py chotherapy pes 7475) . In Bddhst wdrvns nels re ften nlded n the elbrtely rved nd lded nmbses pled dretly behnd the mes In few nstnes these re shwn s hmnheded brds nd rry msl nstrments Anels pper mn the
THE CEESIA HIERARCHES
19
A Siamese angel from an lluminated manuscrp of the eghteenh centuy.
empe painings of Korea and he sacred ar of India Siamese painings of he ife of Buddha ofen sho him accompanied by guardian spiris from he unseen ords. Anges accompanied uhammad on his nigh ourney o heaven he ange (Gabrie) appeared o he Prophe and in he cave Jibri on Hira o announce his minisry. I is obvious herefore ha Asia recognized he reaiy of the bessed anges.
TE CELESTL ERRCES
Ahough accouns of he inercessions of spiriua beings in human affairs are scaered hroughou Hoy Wri i remained for he eary Chrisian heoogians o cassify he various divisions and eves of he heaveny
20
THE BLESSED ANGELS
host Thewere invisible powers whichhierarchies Deity administers his creation divided intobythree which were further subdivided into nine choirs The first hierarchy is the Councillors of God which are made up of the three choirs of the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones; these remain in constant attendance upon Deity The second hierarchy is the Governors, composed of the choirs of Dominations, Virtues, and Powes these regulate the created universe The thir hierarchy is the Messengers whichthese are divided into Principalities, Archangels, of andGod Angels are principally concerned with the well-being of humanity In this arrangement of the celestial hierarchies accord ing to Dionysius, only the lower choirs are technically members of the angelic orders n the crse of time the various levels of the divine hierarchies were not clearly distinguished, and they are all grouped together and referred to as members of the archangels or the angelic order Aof tenth division sometimes consists the human soulsis on three levelsmentioned of spiritualand de velopment These are liste as good souls, aspiring souls, an sanctified souls With the exception of the archangels indiviual members of these hierarchies are not specifically named Those belonging to the angelic order when pictured in religious art are usually shown in white robes a nd winged Seven archangels are recognized as possessing special characteristics andart clearly defined responsibilities In old religious the Seraphim are often depicte as chillike faces only, usually with six small wings A good example is shown in Perugino's painting The Assumption f the Virgin. The Cherubim resemble the Seraphim
TH CLSTIAL HIRARCHIS
A sx-wged eaph om the Assumption of he
21
Virgin by Peugo.
excep ha hey have ony four ings. The cherubs on he Ark of he Covenan are ofen picured ih four faces human bodies and ings ha mee over he ercy Sea The Thrones Domnaions Poers Virues and Principaiies sedom appear in ar and no acua ikenesses are appied o hem. Severa of he Archanges are described in deai and are herefore e represened in sacred ar. The Anges appear ny in groups and ogeher ih he Archanges are specificay described as messengers communicaing he Divine Wi o moras and coming o he assisance of orhy persons in disress. In Raphae's paining in he Vaican shoing he reease of S Peer from prison an angeic being comes o he aid of he grea discipein one scene he ange is depiced as inged bu inbyanoher sceneaura is shon ihou ings and surrounded a radiaing of igh. I is ineresing o noe ha in hagioogy he Archanges ichae Gabrie and Raphae have been canonized
22
THE BLEED ANEL
TE LESSED NGELS OF TOMS EYWOOD
The mos mporan book deang h hs subec s The Hierarchie of he Bessed Anges by homas Heyood London 1635. The upper par of he e page s devoed o a symboc represenaon of he angec orders surroundng he rune naure of Dey. The voume sef s usraed by engraved paes of he chors of anges accompaned by mporan symbos These are reproduced a he end of hs arce. Ths s a rare nsance n hch a of he nne orders of anges are acuay pcured. The seraph n hs seres of paes s smpy pcured as an ange, bu s of speca neres ha s suspended beeen Jerusaem and Dephos, possby sugges he mngng of Jesh and Greek nfuence n o angeoary. The cherub has he radona four ngs and beo s a scene shong he banshng of Adam and Eve from he Garden of Eden. In he foreground are sages and schoars ho have conrbued o he docrne of anges. The desgn for he Thrones s obvousy nfuenced by he Book of Reveaon. The enyfour eders are grouped abou he eerna hrone. The four creaures assocaed heage he Evangess are presen. The on, bu and he are appropraey nged bu he fourh evanges s shon as a seraphn hs case a face h ngs. Beo he ark bears o cherubs as nged heads. The broken saue s caed Dagon and s used o
THOMAS HEOOD
2
Te nine ieacies; a deai fo te te page of Heywood's
Hierarchie of he Blessed Anges.
•
symboize idoatry The Dominations are symboized by an ange carrying the cross and sord Beo the nine hierarchies are arranged as a gory around the Agnus Dei. In the engraving of the Virtues the angeic being is fying toard the symbo of the Hoy Spirit and is carrying embems of the Passion At the vieer's eft is a group of cherubs and at the right the Grecian deities associated ith the panets. At the bottom of the design the three reigions hich taught the mystery of the anges are represented. oses stands for the Od Testament the crucified Christ for th Christian dispensation and the seated figure of uhammad is intended to portray Isam
2
THE BESSED ANGES
He is accompanied by a small demon he Poers are pictured by a valiant angel ith the flaming sord of punishment in one hand and the heart of mercy in the other At upper right is a hand holding the thunderbolt of Zeus Belo are the as of perdition ith fallen angels and evil spirits cast out of the heavenly regions It is implied that the Poers have sovereignty but act forever ith ustice tempered by mercy he Principalities have authority over the governments of the orld he inged angel carrying a scepter of sovreignty is surrounded by symbols of temporal poer. A good monarchy is shon in clouds at the vieers left and in the loer foreground the false kingdom that as set up in the abyss ruled by might rather than by right Spiritual poer is suggested by the church and temporal poer by the alled city he Archangels are personalized in the form of St Michael carrying symbols of Christendom He is croned it stars and stands on the prostrate body of the fallen angel from hose mouth proceed monstrosities and infernal creatures he Angels picture forth the story that is told in Luke 2:911 hen the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds In the loer foreground are the shepherds ith their sheep; behind them a magician standing in a magic circle is conuring up evil spirits and these finally turn upon the sorcerer and destroy him. he Star of Bethlehem is above beteen the ings of the angel he order of blessed souls is not pictured in Heyood's ork It as recognized hoever as part of the heavely hierarchy When man as placed upon the earth he as given dominion over all the creatures hich the ord had fashioned He had responsibilities to the animals plants
•
H BOOK OF NOCH
2
meals ad all te elemets o s plaet. I ode to asced godless e must see tese lesse oms o lg tgs ad be mecul accodg to te laws o eae ad atue; t s toug log kidless tat uma souls atta to te edempto
THE BOOK OF NOCH
No study o agels could be cosdeed compeese wtout a dscusso o te Book o Eoc. Ts wok is o ukow oigi ad as be te subject o co sdeable teologcal cotoesy. Ealy Cista wtes make equet eeeces to te mystcal expeeces o Eoc ad wile book iso ot caoical it was edetly kow by te te auto te Epistle o Jude I Jude eses 14-15, we ead "Ad to tese also Eoc te seet om Adam popesied sayg Beold e Lod comet wt te tousads o s oly oes To execute udgmet upo all ad to coce al te ugodly o al tei woks o uodless wc tey ae ugodly wougt ad o all te ad tgs wc ugodly ses ae spoke agaist im. Tee ae two of Enoch o wc oe is called te esios te Book Etopao ad te ote te Slaoic to idicate te egos wic te ealest mauscipts wee oud Te Book o Eoc is a omdable wok lagely co ceed wt alle agels el spits ad elapsed
26
THE BESSED ANGELS
hman Thee s no Fahes dob ha nlenced he hnkngbengs o ealy Chch who wee wanng heecs and nonconomss o he eenal hoos ha awaed hem beyond he gave Chsan a o he welh ho egheenh cenes develoed many vaaons on he heme, esecally n eesenaons o he as Jdgmen The ohec wngs o Enoch esled om a sees � vsons n whch he ohe was led o he hghe ealms whee he was nsced by odoveall and ealed bengsnsaon Howeve nhee s no slendosal and myscal he Book he o Enoch as s se oh n he es o Donyss o he Aeoags canno be dobed, howeve, ha Enoch olaed he ay dsances wh naons o good and evl ss The Slavonc Veson o Enoch was anslaed no Englsh by WR Moll, MA and blshed n 896 a he Claendon Pess Ood, nde he le he Book of he of wes, Enoch"The n hs nodcon wok R HSeces Chales Slavonc Enoch noshs esen
om was wen somewhee abo he begnnng o he Chsan ea s aho o nal edo was an Hellens Jew, and he lace o s comoson was Egy n he same nodcon Chales he saes ha n s svvng om s easonably cean ha ognaed n he s ceny A obably n Aleanda n he Slavonc Veson he cosmologcal elemens ae eanded Enoch ae o he hsnsons. The sevealbyvsons moeenlghenmen eavagan o han he Ehoan Veson Thee s consdeable emhass on angels who gde Enoch hogh he nvsble ealms o he cosmos
DIONYSUS THE AREOPAGIE
27
I s beeved ha he Frs Book of Enoch s assocaed wh he Essene communy a Qumran. Some secons probaby go back o he second cenury B.C, and ohers were added as ae as he second cenury A. In The Book of the Serets of Enoh here s an addona accoun of Enochs fe and hs fna ascenson o he heaveny regon Modern hnkng es hs wh Aex andransm. The sevenh chaper of he Frs Book of Enoch (Rchard Laurence ransaon) s of speca neres o our presen subec. I happened afer he sons of men had muped n hose days, ha daughers were born o hem, eegan and beaufu. And when he anges, he sons of heaven, behed hem, hey became enamoured of hem sayng o each oher, Come, e us seec for our seves wves from he progeny of men, and e us bege chdren.
DONYSUS TE REOPGTE
The frs reference o Donysus he Areopage s found n Acs 17: 34 Bu some men oned hm, and beeved among hem Donysus he Areopage, and a woman named Damars, and ohers wh hem. In The Golden Legend of Jaobus de Voragine (Voume I, page 617, RyanRpperger ransaon 194 1 edon) s saed ha Donysus was caed he Areopage because of he secon of Ahens where he had hs dweng. The Areo pagus was he quare r of Mars and was he bes secon of
28
THE BESSE ANGES
he city where nobles and scholars assembled. It may be remembered that the trial of Socrates was held in the Areopagus Dr ohn Everard in his introduction to The Mstcal Dvnt of Donsus, The Areopagte writes hough we know nothing of the man who is called Dionysius the Areopagite except the few references he has made to himself and his contemporaries (and history cannot help us he stands at the fountain head of Christian Mysticism: reflecting what was the best and noblest in the spiritual thought of the Old World Philo sophy re-expressed in the ight of Christ. The works of Dionysius referred to in the writings of the early Church Fathers are first On the Heavenl Herarch; second On the Ecclesastcal Herarch third On the Names of God; and fourth On Mstc Theolog. In addition are ten letters which are generally accepted as authentic. The basic concepts set forth in these works provided the pattern necessary to the structuring of a systematic Christian philosophy After being converted by Paul Dionysius with his wife Damaris and his whole household were baptied The Golden Legend also states that this Dionysius was instructed for three years by St Paul and that he was ordained Bishop of Athens The account then continues "It is said that Paul made known to him the things that he had seen when he was rapt to the third heaven and this Dionysius himself seems to insinuate in seeral places. Hence he has written so aptly and clearly of the hier archies of the angels their orders dispositions and offices that yo would not think that he had learned this of another but had himself been rapt to the third heaven and had there viewed all these things
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30
THE BLESSED ANGELS
In the Nag Hammadi Codices edited by Douglas M. Parrott, published in Leiden 1979 there is a translation of the Apocalypse of Paul One cannot read this without receiving the strong impression that it describes the initia tion of the Apostle into a system of Christian Gnosticism. Paul was caught up to the third heaven and then passed to the fourth heaven where there were angels resembling God He then ascended to the fifth heaven where there was a great angel holding an iron rod He then went on to the sixth heaven from which he passed to the seventh heaven where he saw an old man seated upon a throne From here he passed to the eighth heaven, then to e ninth, and finally to the tenth. Of the upper regions there is no description and the brief work ends with the words "The Apocalypse of Paul t has been stated that Dionysius was present at the death of the Blessed Mary. He also visited Rome and was later sent to France by Clement where he built a number of churches He was burned afterwards as a martyr in95 A. The life and career of Dionysius, however, would have slight interest for modern scholars had it not been for the small but important tract On Mystic Theology by Dionysius the Areopagite which had come into circula tion about the fifth century A.. It has been widely assumed that this was written by an unknown author who has come to be termed the Pseudo-Areopagite. From the time of their first appearance the Dionysian writings pro foundly influenced Christian mysticism Even today the concepts which they set forth are held in the highest veneration by both Catholic and Protestant religionists It seems to me that the books may be based upon an oral tradition that could go back to the first or second century
DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE
3
A We knw fr exmple tht the Cptc mnuscrpts fund t Ng Hmmd belng t the furth r erly ffth centures A Evdence hwever pnts t these bks beng trnscrptns f texs knwn tw r three centures erler f the Dnysn bks were sscted wth the Gnss they culd hve been held n secret fr lng tme befre beng publcly crculted One mght suspect they were prductns f the Alexndrn schl whch prduced cnsderble number f pcryphl wrks sscted wth bth Old nd New Testment wrtngs f such be the cse they belng t clss f erly pstChrstn lterture the uthrshp f whch remns unknwn t the present tme Dnysus the Arepgte s credted wth hvng systemtzed erler belefs but the mysteres f the hevenly hsts nd the herrches f ngelc bengs s frequently referred t by the gret Church thelgns St Pul mentns severl f these rders f celestl bengs n the Epstle f Pul t the Clssns 1:16, "fr n hm were ll thngs creted n the hevens nd upn the erth thngs vsble nd thngs nvsble whether thrnes r dmnns r prncpltes r pwers n the uRems Englsh Versn f the Bble fvred by Rmn Cthlcs n the Epstle f St Pul t the Ephesns 1:2021 there s further reference t the her rches "Whch he wrught n Chrst rsng hm up frm the ded nd settng hm t hs rght hnd n the hevenly plces Abve ll prncplty nd pwer nd vrtue nd dmnn nd every nme tht s nmed nt nly n ths wrld but ls n tht whch s t cme n the Kng Jmes Versn the wrd virtues s mtted
32
THE BESSED AGES
Robet lit Fludd in hi Collecto Operum the the tenRoicucian hieachie mytic in the followin ode decendin fom the hihet oup Seaphim Cheu bim Thone Domination Powe Vitue Pinci palitie Achanel and Anel He include humanity a the lat of the hieachie unde the name "Soul. He alo place the ten ode upon the ten banche of the ephiothic tee of the late cabalit n hi Three Books of Occult Phlosophy Heny Coneliu Aippa include a numbe of table theinanelic hieachie and of thecoepondence ode of piitbetween involved cee monial maic. Pofeo Milton S Tey in hi book The Sbyllne Oracles mention a lae body of peudepiapha which oiinated between 150 B.C. and 300 A He include the Book of Enoch and the Second Book of Eda and note that the poduction of uch wok wa mot notable in Alexandia in the time of the Ptolemie. Mead Oracles, that they believe accodin to The Chaldaean wee "a poduct of Hellenitic and moe peciely Alex andian) yncetim. He ay "The Alexandian eliio philoophy pope wa a blend of Ophic Pythaoaean Platonic and Stoic element and contituted the theo loy of the leaned in the eat city which had adually fom the thid centuy B.C. made heelf the cente of Hellenic cultue. The manificent libaie of Alexandia wee a ich
ouce of ancient eliiou and philoophical witin which wee lot to the wold when thee eat collection wee detoyed. t i not neceay to aume that the vaiou aced text which wee fit available to chola wee actually witten by Alexandian theoloian. They
DIONSIUS THE AREOPAGITE
33
may have only translated or transcrbed earler works, gvng credt to the orgnal athors Ths brngs certan dobts abt the exstence of the PsedoAreoagte No nformaton s avalable concernng hm excet that he mst have lved abot 500 A Whoever he was, t s sosed that he falsely attrbted wrtngs of hs own to Donyss of the Areoags A Relgous ylopeda, edted by Schaff, contans the followng nterestng qota ton: The non-athorsh of Donyss the Areoagte once agreed on, the qeston arose, by whom, then, and at what tme, these works were wrtten and a nmber of hyotheses were roffered, from that of BamgartenCrss, lacng the athor at Alexandra, n the thrd centry, to that of Westcott, lacng hm at Edessa, at the begnnng of the sxth centry Actally there s no roof that the PsedoAreoagte actally exsted If Bamgarten-Crss s correct the Donysan wrtngs mst certanly be nclded among the rodtons of Alexandransm It s qte ossble therefore that the mystcal wrtngs of Donyss of the Areoags cold date back to the frst centry A and are roerly credted to ther tre sorce In roblems_ of ths knd, modern onons are not alwas deendable The great Alexanran lbrares were destroyed by Arelan n 273 A The Seraem was comletely razed n 388 A on the edct of Theodoss As a reslt whch of mght these have destrctons, vndcated the vrtally aocryhal all sorce wrtngs materal was lost to the world The fate of the relgos books whch were rejected by the Concl of Ncaea, 325 A, also remans ncertan
THE BLESSED ANGES
34
TE PLNETRY RCNGEL
There s lack of conformty n the tables of the planetary angels The orgnal concept nspred cabalstc specula tons whch resulted n the namng of hundreds of sprts, good andofbad For our purposes we wll follow class fcaton Robert Fludd as t appears n hs the Collecio Operm Although Fludd wroe extensvely on the cabala, he was bascally an exponent of the Roscrucan teachngs of the early seventeenth century e lsts the planetary archangels as follws SATURN
Zephkel, the contemplaton of God
UPITER MARS SUN VENUS MERCURY MOON
Zadkel, of God Samael, the the rghteousness severty of God Mchael, lke unto God anael, the grace of God Raphael, the medcne of God Gabrel, the strength of God
In the Old Testament the Archangel Mchael s the guardan of Israel, Gods vceregent, the heavenly hgh prest, and the keeper of the keys of heaven In Chrs tanty he s patron sant of the Church on earth and judge of the souls of the dead As generalssmo of the armes of heaven, Mchael was commssoned by the ord to war aganst ucfer and hs rebel sprts In Revelaton 12:710
THE PLANETAR ARCHANGELS
35
th ifGoldn of th Lgnd rbiouitpirit i ad th dragon, but in Th i tatd that thi dragon wa Luifr Miha i omtim hown in Roman armor baring a an and arrying a baan or a for th wighing of ou Rapha i rgardd a th guardian of humanity and i th patron of th haing art Rapha wa th arhang who brought to th hphrd th gad tiding of th birth of Chrit H i rprntd with a kindy and gnt xprion drda taff a aand pigrim hairhung i bound with a fit and H arri ha aHi wat on hi bt Rapha i oftn hown arrying a fih a a harm of mdiation ( Tobit 66). n 1921 Pop Bndit XV dard Otobr 24 a Rapha' univra fat day Sin th ixtnth ntury St Rapha ha ao bn rognizd a th patron of travr Th Arhang Gabri i mntiond four tim in th Bib, twi in Dani and twi in Luk H i bivd to hav fortod thth birthkpr of Samon Aording popuar bif, h wa of th tiatotraury Aording to Luk Gabri annound th birth of John th Baptit and Ju n ary painting of th Annun iation n, Mary humbd hrf bfor th ang, but aftr h bam th Qun of Ang Gabri kn to hr n art thi arhang i prntd a a grafu bing with a bautifu fa and had and a fam ik ur of hair abov th forhad Hi attribut ar a iy and a ro inribd witha "Av Maroriaan Gratia H hown with ptr oivPna branh aiaomtim ymbo of pa on arth On January 12 1951 Pop Piu XI dard Gabri to b patron of tho invovd in troni ommuniation tviion, tphon, and
36
THE BESSED ANGELS
tlgraph ths phaszng Gabrls nton as a s sngr. Passng rns t o th othr or arhang ls or n Jwsh rlgos lgndr bt ar not arrd ovr nto Chrstan anglolog. On othr arhangl thogh not assoatd wth th plantar sptnar shold b ntond Url th lght or r o God s on o th or ajor arhangls. H stands wth Mhal Raphal and Gabrl as a gardan o th thron o God H s not ntond n arl Jdas bt s nad n th Sond Book o Esdras and th Book o Enoh. H s sad to b assoatd wth natral phnonash as arth qaks, volan rptons and thndrstors. H also ors n th Gnost tradton. n addton to ths shold b ntond Mtatron on o th ost portant o all th arhangls n Jwsh ths and lgnds H s assgnd to th Primum Mbile th rst oton o th world t s th oton o ong orth ot o God and dns Dt as th novd ovr o all thngs Mtatron s th lstal srb and rords th vrts and vs o han bngs n th Book o Also th Arhangl Jophl shold b notd; h prsds ovr th havns o th xd stars H s nthrond abov th rant H s gardan o th zoda th lstal wall nlosng th plantar sst. H s also alld th bat o God n th pra to hs translaton o Ptol's Tetra bibls r Fur Bks f the Inuence f the Stars,
JM Ashand nots that Ptol "ba an llstros dspl o th shool o Alxandra n whh t h lorshd drng th rgn o Adran and that o Antonns Ps As Alxandra was th radl o
THE PLANETARY ARCHANGES
37
Western was mysticism, it iswith reasonable to assume that ·Ptolemy acquainted Neoplatonism nosticism and Egyptian philosophy. On the title page of his book Ashmand notes that he has translated Ptolemy from the reek paraphrase of Proclus who has been surnamed the Platonic Successor Proclus was born in Constantinople about the year 410 AD. He likewise studied at Alexandria and succeeded Syrianus as the head of the Platonic school at Athens Amon the most important of the literarydiscussion labors of ofProclus was theof preparation extensive the theology Plato. In thisofisan set forth the order and enumeration of the gods and the elaborate symbolism of preChristian mysticism. It is almost inevitable that Proclus realized that the hierarchies as developed in early Christianity had their srcin in earlier religious systems including the reek Mysteries. The niverse of Ptolemy was accepted in large part by most of the Alexandrian schools including Christianity. Although the astronomical of Ptolemy is no longer scientifically accepted system he made many useful contributions to the knowledge of his times He advanced the art of navigation organized a wrking calendar, classified celestial phenomena and made many useful observations bearing upon geography and agriculture Having organized the anatomy and physiology of the uni versal structure it was inevitable that his findings would be theologized The systematizing of the physical cosmos brought into clearer focus the problem of the need for a sovereign intellect responsible for the splendor of exis tencein other words the world body must have a soul On this point Lord Bacon says I had rather believed all the fables and the Legend and the Talmud and the
38
THE BESSED ANGES
Mind hn h his universl Frme is wihou All livin hins re compounds of spiri nd mer. Forms re moved by n indwellin life If here is science of mer here is lso science of spiri. The invisible srucure mus be undersood before he purpose of life cn be known. The myholoies of ncien nions were ll concerned wih he orders of superphysicl powers which reuled physicl ffirs. Amon he ncien nd Sbins he nels fixed srs we he eyes round of spiriul beins he sr ssembled in lory he hrone of he Mos Hih. To ech of he sins of he zodic ws ssined presidin enius nd hese oeher reuled he sesons nd he re cycles of ime by which creion is mesured The morl sphere lso hd invisible inhbins which re remembered in folklore s elemenls or nure spiris The nomes ssocied wih he elemen of erh were he urdins of llsl hend precious subsnces emsnd even col mellic ores. Themels wer reion ws uder he urdinship of undines or nymphs who hd specil dminisrion over veeion nd creures exisin in he se The spiris of fire were clled slmnders They seldom ppered in ny form oher hn onues of flme nd hey hd secil uhoriy over volcnoes ho sprins nd he use of fire in indusry The sylphsofen clled firieswere he denizens he iry They urded life birds nd of insecs ndelemen he pollenion of plns.pln The ele menls form pr of he folklore of ll nions nd rces. The eher or luminous mosphere which consiues
THE PLANETARY ARCHANGELS
39
"When the Morning Sars Sang Togeher; egraving from the Book of Job by Wam Blake.
40
THE LEED ANGEL
te energy fied of te panet was regarded as a diret manifestation of teinpanetary Tomas Tayor, is notesanges to Voume I of th D- . scriton of Grc by Pausanias, deriving is information from te piosopies of Pytagoras and Pato writes, "Tere are tree orders of sous wi are te perpetua attendants of te gods Te first of tese orders anges ompose; te seond daemons and te tird, eroes. But as tere is no vauum eiter in inorporea or or porea natures, but on te ontrary profond union, it is neessary, in order to aompis tis, te tatsummit te ast of in one k of a superior order soud oa ese wit proximatey inferior Hene terefore between ssntial eroes wo perpetuay attend te gods, and are on sequenty impassive and pure, and te buk of uman sous wo desend wit passivity and mpurity, it is neessary tere soud be an order of uman sous wo desend wit impassivity and purity Later Tayor adds (See Voume III, pages 229230 But as every god beginning fro on ig produes isompreends proper seriesmany as far as to te ast of tings, and tis series essenes different from ea oter, su as Angeia, Daemoniaa, Heroia, Nympia, and te ie, te owest powers of tese orders ave a great ommunion and pysia sympaty wit te uman rae, and ontri bute to te perfetion of a teir natura operations, and partiuary to teir proreations It soud be under stood tat in Greek piosopy te word damon signifies a supernatura being intermediate between gods and men and soud not be onfused wit te modern onept of demon as an evi spirit
THE PAET ARY ARCHA GE S
41
From the bove t s evdet tht clsscl Greek theology cluded the cocept tht vsble begs pre sded over the vrous orders of lfe ufoldg the mortl world There were rcl d tol detes whch overshdowed the mjor dvsos of hum socety Ech cty d stte ws uder the protecto of ptro dvty for whom temples d shres were bult d pproprte rtes d ceremoes were coducted Athes for exmple ws ot merely ggregto of Athes t ws collectve etty d t ws held tht ths etty ws Plls Athe t ws her cty d her eerges were dffused throughout the populto d ll the sttutos whch she hd spred As the hum soul presdes over the lfe of the dvdul so Athe ws the soul of Athes Ths ws ot poetc or symbolcl belef but ws held to be lterlly true Athe spred the phlosophy scece d rt of her cty d whe eed rose spoke through her prests d orcles d elghteed the mds of her scholrs Every rce hd ts gurd gel wth whose protectg cre ts cultures ufolded d ts people fulflled the ppoted desty. strl theology ll dvsos of lfe o ths plet or elsewhere hve ther rulershps d the plets std s symbols for ther predg dvtes hs lst dscourse Socrtes declred t to be hs belef tht there were cretures lvg log the shores of the r s me lve log the shores of the se To the old pgs there were coutless sprts most of them fredly whch mgled vsbly wth mortls d occsolly com mucted wth them There ws o emptess spce Eveywhere there ws lfecoscous d tellget
42
HE BESSED ANGES
thogh nseen It s generally aepted that the lt of angels orgnated an d has gradally eome nvolvednnpreChrstan the elefs oftmes manknd regardless of set or reed ateralty as a phlosophy of lfe s a sterle delson All ms orgnates n the song of agels so a glory of angel engs s shown n anent art as horses and symphones of nvsle sprts Franz Shert one sad that he frst heard hs ompostons n the ar arond hm he anonzed sants of Chrstendom elong to that order of Heroes desredther n the Platon and the Greeks addressed prayers anddotrne spplatons to defed mortals as nteressors etween themselves an the Olympan gods The earth was not a all of drt smlng ts way arond the snt was a lvng eng wth a heart and a mnd It had ts own nerves arteres, and vens and lovngly provded for the welleng of ts hldren It old e approprately honored as Iss the other of ystees and Dana the great goddess of the Ephesans Ths elef also explaned to pagan mnds how the prayers of prvate tzens old e heard and answered f the heart was pre and the plea was honorale o mtter how ntellgent or gfted the hman eng may eome he annot ope wth the total mystery of hs own exstene, and t has een assmed that a gardan angel attended hm from the radle to the grave In hs work On the Mysteries Iamlhs devotes onsderale spae to natal gardan sprts who lke nvsle parents dret the nfoldment of harater and the release of sol powers Those engs most ntmately nvolved n hman onerns and ther mtal relatonshps are of the order
HE PLANEARY ARCHANGELS
43
f prtecting angesange It wasdeparts beievedScrates that when a bdy dies the guardian ntes that shrty befre his death his prtecting spirit bade him farewe Death itsef hwever, is an essentia part f ife and thse departing frm mrtaity pass int the custdy f the nge f Death This is nt a mnstrus shadw but a faithfu servant f the Universa Pan the hierarchies are manifestati ns f divine ve and mercy mng thse prfundy infuenced by the mystica repagite was St Francis fthegy ssissi f( Dinysius 82- 226)theTw years befre his death St Francis received a visin f a seraph and this
P�.A YI
A seap fom a mosai in te Catedal C of St ak in Venie, wit an aimail postage stamp issed by te Vatian City in 974 based pon tis mosai
TH BLSSD ANGLS
was foowed amost immediatey by the appearance on his body of the stigmata or the five wounds of Christ n his mystica raptures St Francis experienced the unity of iving things. n one of his poems he caed upon Brother Sun Sister Moon Brother Wind and Sister Water. He even referred to his own body as Brother Bea st whom he had i treated When it became necessary for his physician to cauterize him with a red hot iron St. Francis besought Brother Fire to dea kindy with him He preached to the birds and the ritua of bessing animas is a tribute to his memory Jacob Boehme (575- 624 the Protestant mystic whie in prayerfu meditation passed through a series of remarkabe mystica experiences t seemed to him that the physica atmosphere which surrounded him was actuay opaue but with the eye of his sou he was abe to cear away te materia mist and behod the spendors of the superphysica reams. He was in the midst of a iving ight which fowed and moved in patterns of cees tia coors Space was fied with spirits administering the physica phenomena of the universe. He coud endure such visions for ony a short time and aowed the vei to cose but the memory of what he had seen remained with him; these gimpses of reaity were incorporated in his phiosophy and sustained him through ong years of adversity. There is an od engraving of Boehme which reveas so far as is possibe the wonders of he divine order sustains existence. upper sym boizeswhich the unbearabe radiance The fowing fromsection the nature of Deity. The Seraphim and the Cherubim adore their Creator and the Four Evangeists attend the majesty of Deity
THE PLANETARY ARCHANGELS
45
mst in bewhich nderstd in all aspects f angellgy that thet frms these beings are generally represented are artistic cntrivances The actal bdies f angels r archangels are fields f light frm which they are able t prect temprary appearances They belng in dmen sins f existence beynd the sensry pereptins f the hman being, bt he mst embdy them with frms created in his wn mind if he wishes t have awareness f their presence Each rder f This animals, vegetables, and has its gardian angel. has seemed t be themnerals nly explana tin fr the wnderfl gidance everywhere bvis in the prcesses f existence grwth, and prpagatin The heavenly kingdm incldes them in its wisdm and cmpassin. Each frm f life which has nt yet been individalized has a grp spirit garding and giding its destiny The hierarchy f sls, the next divisin belw the angels, is hmanity which was given dminin ver all the the creatres f the earth. angelic beings that direct inner grwth f the The varis species depend pn mankind t gard the physical rights f the varis kingdms and their sbdivisins. n the mineral kingdm, the stnes and metals, gems and elements all have their rights and privileges. Any abse f natral resrces is a misdemeanr carrying a heavy penalty. Plants have their gardian angels and all frms f vegetatin live in bedience t the laws f their Creatr. Eachreglates species f animals is ensled by a gardian spirit which their cndct fr they t are citizens f the csmic cmmnwealth. n his descriptin previsly qted, Thmas Taylr assigns the ensling f rivers, mntains, glens, and gardens t
4
THE BLESSED ANGELS
the nymphs who inhabit the invisible etheri bodies of plants and minerals Everything beneath God is in onstant need of divine help In Genesis God gave Adam dominion over all the kingdoms of nature Man was to be the protetor of life and when he fails to be a good and faithful servant of the Divine Plan he brings disaster upon himself Many will probably feel that the ult of angels is inom patible with the progress of modern siene So long as siene has no satisfatory explanation for the intelligene everywhere present in the natural world it atually has no valid hypothesis with whih to refute the Greek belief in hierarhies of ministering spirits regulating osmi affairs A genuine vision by whih a devout person beomes aware of a superphysial presene annot be disredited simply beause the majority of human beings has not had suh experienes
fL
THE BLESSED ANGELS
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THE BLESSE ANGEL S
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TH BSSD ANGS
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54
THE BLESSED ANGELS
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