The National tribune., 1895-03-28

INTRODUCTION.
Chrises life was ono of peculiar trial. We
think of him the Sufferer. Knowing how lily
he was treated, as rule, 1t is delightful TO find
him of certain day in great triumph. We
cannot say he enjoyed the occasion. ST. Luke,
10: Al, gives an idea of his feelings. While
the shouts of his followers must have been very
grateful to him, be could not but realize the
sad condition of the people in general. He
wept over them. He foresaw their doom. He
com pretended beforehand the ruin of their
beautiful Capital.
/. The TRruMPHAL ENTRY OF JESUS INTO
JERUSALEM.
/. Data.
To get full idea of Christ's public and pop
uIar reception from Mt. Olives into the Capital
of Palestine one should read st. Matt, 81: 10;
ST. Marx. IL: Ito; ST. Luke, 10: 90 40; st.
John, 12: 1918. We notice all four Gospels
refer to this incident. The present lesson does
not cover the entire subject, but, to understand
even the portion called for by our allotted Sc
lection. must read the entire four accounts.
st. Luke disposes in few words of the route Of
Christ from the summit to the foot of Mt.
Olives, merely saying as he went. they spread
their clothes in the way" V. SO. He gives
more particulars as to the entry proper into
the city.
2. Time.
Ibis renowned entry OF CDrlsL INTO the C3pi-
tai of Palestine took place ON Monday morning,
March Ii, A. d. %. By referring to Ex.. 10: 3,
6, il is seen the pascal lamb was selected every
year four days before the Passover. So Christ
four days before the cruciixion presented him.
self in the temple, and became conspicuous as
the real lamb to be offered at the Passover
that week Some eight to 10 weeks before our
lesson Christ was in Bethany, and raised Laza-
rus from the grave
3. Place.
Between Jerusalem and Bethany rises the Mt.
of Olives, Jerusalem being at the foot On the
west SIDE and Bethany on the east SIDE The
summit of Mt. Olives is about mid way between
Jerusalem aud Bethany. Between the summit
and Bethany is Bethphage. 1t is about 100
steps from the top of BIT. Olives. The distance
from Jerusalem to Bethany is not far from two
miles. st. John, IL: Is. Bethphage was q
small unwalled village.
L. The Multitude.
There was a great multitude joining in the
welcome to Christ. Bondinius estimated the
number at 100000. The Passover always called
together great masses from all parts of Pales-
tine. Then, the recent resurrection OF Lazarus
attracted the attention Of all people toward
Christ. Lazarus was one of the crowd. Christ
had been at work from three to four years. and
bad secured many followers. Many of these
were probably on the ground.
5. The Occasion
It was a few days before the Passover, the
greatest Feast among The Jews, the Feast which
brought to Jerusalem the great mass of the
people from all the provinces of Palestine and
some even from foreign parts. 1t is said at
least 300 900 of people gathered in and about
Jerusalem. Khans were crowded. Even caves
were occupied. All sorts of temporary struct-
ures were filled. People bad been assembling
for days, and yet kept on coming.
g. Why Was Christ So Populars
There was reason why Christ gathered around
him such crowds of people He had performed
several miracles of cure. Accounts of these
spread everywhere probably tinged with ORR |
entail exaggeraton. Stories of healings always !
find easy access and quick communication. In |
those days there were no hospitals, no great |
public institutions for helping the people af- |
q icted with the different kinds of disorders. |
Science had not given to the world its wonder |
full apparatus to help the lame and blind and |
deaf aud dumb. Diseases in many quarters |
were looked upon unsympathetically, from an |
opinion they were infections due to the sins of |
the victims. Some thought the diseases in
ficted by Deity. others by Satan. Instead of |
making lepers comfortable in some suitable
structure they were banished from society aud |
forced 10 find habitation in caves, quarries, or
other isolated places. Superstition had moro
influence than mercy. All this made the world
very unacceptable to the sick and needy. In
fact, il tended to develop cruelty. There was
then no Geneva Cross, no Red Cross. No
no Clara Barton, no Howard had
been known. When one-half the world are
slaves the nature of the other half can be i'm
agined.
In such q state Of things love- sympathy,
pity, help were new ideas. Jesus embodied
aud illustrated them. De could not live un-
noticed. Such character was so singular that
even curiosity would make him popular. Then,
such Being was so needed by the suffering
world that his coming was with universal
The afflicted of the regions round
about would hear of him. No wonder his way
was crowded by the MANNED, palsied, sightless,
lick. wretched, crippled, poor, outcast. When
Il was thought a sight of him would cure,
,onch of his hand, kiss of his gar
nent heal, the afflicted could not be kept from
aim.
Then. the news of the resurrection of Laza-
rus had spread everywhere, and all men were
Eager to see the wonderful Being who could
-ase to life the dead.
We are not surprised, then, to find the way
% the gate through which he to enter
,rowded by suppicants. His ears are dinned
with cries for mercy, his pathway checked up
)y miserable beings who have thrown them
elves before him eager for help. That moment
before the gate WAS one Of the grand points in
Jhrist's life. He was the center Of hope to the
the focus of mercy.
1t is interesting to notice the change of the
Try from Hosanna! to Mercy! When Christ
cached the gate he found another great crowd
# poor sufferers ready to present their wants.
They raised their voices in piteeus cries for
lep.
z. Palm Sunday and Art.
"Christ Entering Jerusalem " is the name Of
he painting by which Matt Morgan, the artist,
8 most famous 1t is also known as Christ
t the Bethlehem Gate" The artist seized on
he moment when Christ was about to enter
he gate OF Jerusalem from Mt. Olivet. The
cture is 30 feet by 12. 1t was painted for I
Ir. J. M. Hill, Of Boston While it represents
uggestively and with some clearness several .
hundred persons, there are in the foreground
3 lone would say practically life-sized, COM
osed mostly Of afflicted Ii
The picture is described as follows
Most of them tho fgures) are sufferers
hey are in every attitude of duplication. and {
hey denote every phase Of human emotion
hat the opportunity could call into existence. |
lager, unfortunate selfish invalidisn, as in the {
emarkably strong groups of four I'm the ex-
RENE left-hand corner, where the Arab in Be-
ouin costume is side by side with the appeal
ny Nuban and little behind them the
rippIed beegar on crutches is vainly endesv- I
ring to force his way to the front. Reverent {
nd humble appeal. as of the jewish maiden in 4
he center foreground, who has had her pasied
ather laid in the path of Christ, with the I'M '
belief that hers Is the most piteable
ase of all. Maternal solicitude. as of the
lother who holds her nude babe up to be /
Duched; shamefaced wretchedness; staring q
uriosity, as of the Roman soldier; and a re- i
ned interest and inclination of the Crock a