Page:Anecdotescatechi00spiruoft.djvu/73

 to the  astonishment  of  all  beholders  the  little  fellow was seen  running  after  the  train  safe  and  sound.

''Q. Were  the  angels  created  for  any  other  purpose? ''

''A. The  angels  were  also  created  to  assist  before  the throne  of God  and  to  minister  unto  Him; they  have often  been  sent  as  messengers  from  God  to  man;  and are  also  appointed  our  guardians. ''

Children are  often  favored  by  the  miraculous  protection of  their  guardian  angels. In the  year  1890 the children  of  a village  school  near  Keichenberg  in Bohemia  were  taken  on  an  excursion  into  the  woods for a treat. While they  were  at  play  a heavy  storm came up  and  the  rain  came  pelting  down. A party of children  — thirty-one  in  number  — sought  shelter under a gigantic  fir  tree. All at  once  one  of  them — a little girl  — felt  irresistibly  urged  to  leave  the shelter of  that  tree; she  ran  away,  dragging  two  or three  others  with  her,  while  the  remainder  followed of their  own  accord. They had  scarcely  got  a few feet from  the  tree  when  it  was  struck  by  lightning, and torn  asunder  with  a terrific  crash. Singularly enough, the  tree  thus  struck  formed  a kind  of  cross. The parents  of  the  children  piously  ascribed  their rescue from  death  to  the  kind  protection  of  their guardian angels,  and  out  of  gratitude  they  erected  a cross  on  the  spot  where  the  tree  had  stood.

(This incident  is  recorded  in  the  Reichenberger Zeitung  of  17th  of  May,  1890.)