The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-26
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
A MICROSCOPIC PICTURE OF THE
FIRST PALM SUNDAY.
BY the Rev. George Hodges, ID. d..
Dean Of the Episcopal Theological
school, Cambridge Mass.

come to the feast when they heard that |
Jesus was coming 10 Jerusalem took |
branches OF palm trees and went forth to /
meet him" John xii. - Il.
Yesterday He was at Bethany. Last night /
they made Him a supper there and Mary |
anointed His head and feet with the pre- |
ciOus ointment-for the day OF my burying," |
lie said. looking into the darkness of |
this weeks tragedy. The little village was |
full OF Passover pilgrims, and there was |
much going and coming over the hill road |
which led 10 Jerusalem. The news that the |
prophet Of Nazareth was on His way to the |
feast would speedily be carried into the city
People were full of expectation. They had
been debating one with another as to the
likelihood of His coming. Some feared He
might be kept away by fear of priests and
sentries. 1t was the topic of the hour.
Jesus had now been going up and down
the country for three years. He had preached
in city after city. Many had seen His mira
ces. Ii was known through all the length
and breadth of Judea, and Samaria, and
GaIiee. that this new prophet had arrived
claiming TO be the Messiah. Everybody was
interested in Him. 1t was known also that
His claims were utterly disOwned by all the
prominent churchmen, and that at last the
religious authorities had publicly proclaimed
Him TO be deceiver and a dangerous per-
arrested.
Most people, especially In Jerusalem. sided.
as the worlds way is. with those who were
in authority. Many others were quite differ
Cnt. but were interested in the days happen
ings. as people are, and ready to join a
crowd at any time TO go in any direction.
others there were in whose hearts sounded
still some word which Jesus had spoken in
the streets of their town. IN whose eyes was
stu the sight of Him as He went along one
day. which they Well remembered. blessing
little children. healing the sick. comforting
the sad.
y strange and terrible thing it seemed %
them that tie should now be hunted after
Ike q thlet by scribes and Pharisees. If He
came 10 the Passover lie came i'm Eeril Of
HIS lie. They knew taI;. Gnd they dreaded
what might come 20 pass. And there We're
Ills enemies. also. wondering what He
would do And so, when men came running
ever the side of the hill into the city bear
irG the news that Jesus was at Eethany
and would Upon the morrow enter into Jeru-
salem, there was str among the people.
ALL HEARTS WE'RE STIRRED.
Thus, as Jesus nears Jerusalem, presently
this great crowd. shouting and singing.
comes in sight. And every ones heart is
stirred The multitude from Jerusalem
turns back escorting Him: the multitude
from Bethany follows on behind Him. He is
Tn the midst Of them. And some pull off
their long cloaks and cast them in the road,
and others break of branches from the
trees. green with the first leaves of spring,
and spread them in the way. They carry
palm branches in their hands and sing And
good deeds they have seen Him do. and they
rejoice and praise God with a loud voice
ssnnai BLESSED be the OI King that as comet 2l
in the name OF the Lord; peace in heaven
and glory in the highest"
Some of the Pharisees who have come
OUT with the crowd, are suddenly alarmed.
hearing this name OF king" and seeing
this great enthusiastic multitude sweeping
on down into the crowded city. Master"
they cry ''rebuke thy disciples" To which
Jesus answers. II tell you that if these
would Immediately cry out"
You see with what intensity He speaks
lie has been silent, hitherto. listening To
the voices OF the shouting crowd, and look
ing into their eager faces, thinking His own
procession. He is indeed king and in the
Lords name does He come but He is TO be
rejected; He knows that The cross is at
Now the way descends into a valley with
hill upon the right, and a wall of rocks
upon the left: then it rises again. and sud-
denly the holy city lies outspread across
a deep ravine, terrace upon terrace
crowned with the temple tower, all white
with marble walls and set about with shin
ing roofs. like gems. Here ii was, no doubt
that He beheld the city, and wept over
IL: Wept. not with silent tears. but with
loud lamentatlon. For Jesus loved that city
Every stone OF it was precious in His eyes.
He had come to II again and again. as the
prophets came in the old time: preaching in
the streets and in the syna gogues and in
the courts of the temple, hearing the mes
sages OF God And few had needed.
Outside, in the country, ignorant people,
unprivileged people. had listened and be-
lieved. And even in the town of Galilee.
where men thought more about their bust
ness than they did about the services Of
the church. there had been many disciples,
and some had been willing to give up every
Thing and follow Him. But here I'm Jerusa-
lem, the religious city, where dwet the
priests and doctors OF the law, where the
tower of the holy temple dominated all the
buildings OF the town. and where the church
was the supreme interest of all the citizens
here had Jesus preached and done His
deeds OF mercy and blessing. And they had
deSpised and hated Him.
And the day of divine visitation had come.
the last OF all the manifold opportunities
which the town had had. the final call of
God. and the city lay there beautiful beyond
expression. but deaf and dumb and blind.
For this did Jesus weep saying: IF thou
hadst known even thou. least in this thy
day, the things which belong unto thy
peace: But now they are hid from thine
eyes"
BETWEEN RIGHT AND RITUAL.
After all the elaborate preparations to re-
Ceive Christ He came and rejected.
He came so simply, so naturally, speaking
so directly to the hearts and lives of men.
caring so little for all their costly cere-
monies and their fine ritual that they did
not know Him. They had deceived them
selves by their emphasis upon the dress and
posture of religion, by their interest in the
forms and ceremonies of the church. They
had dwelt so long upon the mere externals
az devotion that they had ceased to be de-
voted. And Jesus looked upon the religious
city, with its stately temple crowninS the
summit of the hill, with its streets full OF
men and women preparing for the great
church festival OF the divine redemption OF
their fathers, and wept over IL; looked upon
these throngs Of people on their way to
church 10 keep their Easter feast and wepi
10 see them.
Such a difference there is between church
going and religion. between Righteousness
and ritual. between our way OF looking al
things and Christs way. We are busy; we
are interested in many matters whlcn nave
something 10 do with the Christian religion
IN the service. in the singing: in the adorn-
ment of the house OF God How much does
IL all mean? Jesus Christ looks upon oul
stately churches; does He rejoice In them
as the comely shrines Of pure devotion
or does He behold them as de behelc
Jerusalem. looking into our hearts and see
ing cause for lamentation? -
on moves the rude procession, with waving
palms and singing, Jesus riding In the midst
Thus comes the King. In Rome there nave
-. - rr,nh WI