We cannot grapple with this doctrine. We who are creatures of sense, who are cognisant through a corporeal organism only of what is tangible and material, cannot grasp what relates to the immaterial, invisible, spiritual. We strive in vain to realise the truth of Angelic Beings compassing our earthly path, joying with us in our joys--aiding us in our perplexities, and mingling their accents of comfort with us in our seasons of sorrow. But though mysteriously invisible, we believe there are hosts of these blessed messengers thronging around, profoundly interested in all that concerns us--"bearing us up in all our ways"--following us, as Jacob saw them, step by step up the ladder of salvation, till we reach our thrones and our crowns! Angelic agency is no mere gorgeous dream of inspired poetry--no mere symbolic way of stating the doctrine of Divine Providence, and the peculiar care which God takes of His Church and people. The Bible gives us too many positive statements on the subject to permit a figurative interpretation. These bright and holy Beings are there represented as having witnessed all along with profound interest the gradual unfolding of the plan of salvation--from the hour when, at creation's birth, the morning stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy--onwards to the eventful night when they met over the plains of Bethlehem and chanted a responsive anthem at the advent of the Prince of Peace! Now that Redemption is completed--they have gathered once more on Olivet to form a royal retinue to conduct their Lord to His crown--to summon the gates of Heaven to "lift up their heads" that "the King of Glory may enter in." If God, in bringing in His first-begotten into the world, said, "Let all the angels of God worship Him;" much more, when His work is done, and the moral Conqueror, laden with the spoils of victory, is about to return to His throne, may we expect that "the chariots of God" ("twenty thousand, even thousands of angels") are waiting to grace His triumph. Nor were they merely employed on earth as His servants and attendants during the period of His incarnation--leaving our world, when _He_ left it, to "serve him day and night in His heavenly temple." A portion of this glorious bodyguard we find now, at the hour of Ascension, left behind to certify to the disciples and the Church in every age, that Angels were still to continue their loving watchfulness and interest over the Pilgrims in a Pilgrim world--still to be sent forth on errands of mercy to "minister to them who are heirs of salvation!"