t
to punish men for their sins, as the angel who killed in one night
185,000 men in the army of the wicked king, Sennacherib, who blasphemed
God, and was endeavoring to destroy Jerusalem, God's city. (4 Kgs. 19).

But here is a difficulty. If God Himself watches over us and sees all
things, why should the angels guard us? It is on account of God's
goodness to us; though it is not necessary. He does not wish us to have
any excuse for being bad, so He gives us each a special heavenly servant
to watch and assist us by his prayers. If a friend received us into his
house and did all he could for us himself, we should certainly be
satisfied, but if he gave us a special servant, though it would not be
necessary, he would show us great respect and kindness. Moreover
whatever the angels do for us, we might say God Himself does, for the
angels are only obeying His commands.

*37 Q. Were the angels, as God created them, good and happy?
A. The angels as God created them were good and happy.

*38 Q. Did all the angels remain good and happy?
A. All the angels did not remain good and happy; many of them sinned and
were cast into Hell; and these are called devils or bad angels.

God did not admit the angels into His presence at once. He placed them
for awhile on probation, as He did our first parents.

One of these angels was most beautiful, and was named Lucifer, which
means light-bearer. He was so perfect that he seems to have forgotten
that he received all his beauty and intelligence from God, and not
content with what he had, became sinfully proud and wished to be equal
to God Himself. For his sin he and all his followers were driven out of
Heaven, and God then created Hell, in which they were to suffer for all
eternity. This same Lucifer is now called Satan, and more commonly the
devil, and those who accompanied him in his fall, devils, or fallen
angels.

Lesson 5
ON OUR FIRST PARENTS AND THEIR FALL

39 Q. Who were the first man and woman?
A. The first man and woman were Adam and Eve.

In the beginning God created all things; something particular on each of
the six days of Creation. (Gen. 1). On the first day He made light, on
the second, the firmament, or the heavens, and on the sixth day He
created man and called him Adam. God wished Adam to have a companion; so
one day He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep, and then took from his
side a rib, out of which he formed Eve. Now God could have made Eve as
He made