The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-26
THE LAST WEEK OF LENT
PALM SUNDAY TO BE OBSERVED
BY THIS CHURCaEs TO-DAY.

lem to Be Commemorated by the
Distribution OF Palms, Interesting
Services and Fine &usic-The sym
boHc Specification of the Palms,
To-day Ushers in the Solemn Passion
Period Of the Catholic and Episcopal
CHURCHES.
Palm Sunday, the anniversary OF Christs
triumuhsl entry into Jerusalem over sou
years ago, will be- fittingly commemor-
ated to-day in every Roman Catholic
Episcopal and Lutheran church in the
world. References will also be made 10 the
Significance of Palm Sunday from many OF
the pulpits Of other denominations which
hold to the great truths Of Christianity,
and point morals from the life and works Of
the Savior.
While the Catholic churches make by far
the greater feature Of the day than any
other denomination having a rituallstlc
service there has arisen a tendency among
the latter, in recent years at least, 70 pay
more attention to the anniversary. This is
particularly true Of the nigh church Eplsco-
palians, who now almost without exception
use palms for the occasion in decorating their
sanctuaries and affairs instead OF the foWers
which were 50 largely utilized before.
THE CATHOLIC SERVICE.
As yet. however, the services OF the day
with nigh churchmen stop short with the
decorations In the Catholic churches
special service Is ordered for the day The
passion OF Christ. which IS quite lengthy.
is read at all the masses. and before the
high mass the Celebraut blesses tho palms
aud distributes them among the congrega-
ton. The clergy then walk in procession
through the church and pass outside.
Cantors enter, leaving the others outside,
the hymn "Glorta las ct honor" is sung by
those within and without, the subdeac0n
knocks az the door with the shaft Of the
professional cross and the whole body
march up the aisle to the altar, where the
mass is celebrated.
Real palms have always been used in the
south Ia the Palm Sunday services, but it
is only in recent years that they have come
into use in the north, east and west. Until
1876 the churches in those portions of the
country we're compelled, through lack Of
anything better, to use in the ceremony OF
the day dry sprigs Of hemlock, spruce.
cedar, pine or some other evergreen. The
change was brought about by Thomas d.
Egan, the proprietor of the Catholic agency
in Barclay street, New Y ork, who now has
q practical monopoly OF supplying the
churches with palms.
THE SOUTH FURNISHES THE PALMS.
He observed them in use first in this coun-
try in Charleston, S. c., and at once con-
cluded that if it was possible to secure them
in the south it was equally possible to trans
port them north for use in the service COM
memorative Of the occasion when the jew
ish multitude spread them in Christ's path
or waved them IN the air as he proceeded
toward Jerusalem.
The variety Of palm used in the service is
obtained from the palmetto trees which
grow In greater or less abundance on the
sea islands off the coast of South Carolina
and Georgia, aud along the streams of both
states and Florida W bile not identical
with those growing in Palestine, they are Of
the same general variety and are such as
are used at st. Peters at Rome, Notre
Dame in Paris, and st. Stephens in Vienna.
The palms used in these caJhedrals are OBJ
tanned at great expense from Asia Minor,
and are, in consequence, seen only at high
ceremoDials.
Savannah gets her supply of palms from
Tybee.
SYMBOLIC sIGNIFICATION.
Everything connected with Catholic wor-
ship has a symbolic as we'll as a real signi6-
cation. The palm is held especially to sym
bolize the principal Christian virtues, but
more especially penitence, fortitude and
gentleness Of peace.
The leaves symbolic penitence, for they
are bitter in taste, sword-shaped and sharp
pointed as to smite, and incline toward the
trunk Of the tree, which is meager and dry.
Penitence smites and humbles, destroys
the evil inclinations and reduces them to
ashes.
1t is for this reason that in Roman Catho-
lilo churches the palms Of the preceding year
are burned aud the ashes collected and
placed as a sign of humiliation on the fore~
heads of the worshipers on Ash Wednesday
to remind them that from earth they come
and to ashes they must return.
Palm leaves never rot, and when they dry
preserve a very strong tissue, out of whicn
the anchorite Of old used TO weave baskets
and other objects. Hence the palm is held
to symbolic fortitude. It's fruit is sweet to
the taste, and so it represents the virtue and
the peace of a Christian life
In addition to the beautiful leaves In their
natural state and those woven into various
delicate devices, the palms are used in
variety Of other forms, the most interesting
being Bible marks and representations of
implements Of the sacred passion arranged
for framing. Thousands Of these latter
ind their way into pious Catholic house
holds, and inasmuch as they are practically
indestructible they remain for years to
remind the inmates Of the passion season.
THE DAY AT The CHURCHES.
Palm Sunday also usbers In Holy week,
the period Of the most solemn aud inter
esing services Of the Catholic church.
during which the passion of Christ ia COM
memorated.
The music at the cathedral, st. Patrick's,
Sacred Heart and St Benedict churches
will he of a special joyful order in keeping
with the triumphal entry of Christ into
Jerusalem.
Among the Episcopal churcheI the
services at st. Johns will be the most
interesting. At $50 O'Clock this morning
Bishop Neiaon will administer the rite of
confirmation aud holy communion. The
music will consist of confirmation hymns
and Monks Communion Service.n At
the ! o'clock service Bishop Nelson will
preach. The music will be as follows:
Process onal No. IS. Hymnal
Nenlte. IN .-........ ,--,,..... .Bettishell
FShe1lclte. Wac
benedictus.... ........................ Tails
Hymn No. co.. ........,..... ....... Hymnal
OHertOry, Palm Trees" by Faure arranged
as barytone solo, and chorus by Dudley Buck.
The regular choir of ST. Johns will be
augmented through the assistance of
several ladies and gentlemen who have
kindly consented to assist Mr.. Rebarer, the
director, in his efforts to give a choral
service in keeping with the dignity of the
occasion. The special choir is as follows:
Mrs. l.. Haynes, Miss Nellie Wakeman, Miss
Florence ColdinE, sopranos; Mrs II. L.
SchrelDer, Miss Rachsel Chapman, Miss
Alice Bates, altos Mr.. Clarence Hatch, Mr..
L. NJ. Dougan, Mr.. w. deBruyn Hops,
tenors; Mr.. W. +. Blois, Mr.. Joseph Car
ruthers, Mr.. Thomas DYKES Mr. Hobart ~