The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-15
ENTRY CHRIST S
INTO JERuISA Lem.

IVlO JERUSALEM Y.
One thousand eight hundred and six
ty-seven years ago, our own Divine
Lord, Jesus Christ with HIS apostles and
disciples and large concourse of admir-
ers and worshippers, made his triunphal
Sunday on account of the people VINO
:essayed forth to meet our Lord. spread
ing palms on the road for Him and
His followers to pass over. It is the
last Sunday Of Lent, and as fixed py
the council of Trent, which convened In
the year A. d. 325 it is the Sunday pre-
ced;ng the Jewish month or moon. Eas-
ter being fixed as the Sunday succeed
ing.
This settled dispute which had ex-
listed between the Western and Eastern
Christians for over century Ahe
former celebrated Easter on the 1+th day
of the first Jewish month or moon, ana
the latter held that the Sunday follow
ing was more appropriate. The council
daclared in favor of the Eastern Chris
tan.
AT the time of the death Of Lazarus
Jesus was in distant part of the coun-
try. He told His apostles that Lazarus
was dead; that they would go to Je1usa-
lem: that God would be glorified. and
finally, that He Himself would be put
to death But they did not understand
Him and when these things came to
pass they were, no doubt. as much sur
prised as if He had not foretold them.
The next morning they commenced the
journey to Jerusalem, and it took. nearly
a week to reach Bethany, Where Lazarus
was buried.
Now. Lazarus had two sisters, Martha
and Mary, who were sorely Srieved over
the death of their brother, and, as our
Lord approached The house, Marta ran
out to meet Him. crying and weeping.
She told Him about the death of her
brother, and how much she wished that
He, Jesus, was present, for she said
that She 1-new if He We're with them
her sborther would not have died
Our Lord consoled her and asked
where they had laid him. Tie place was
POINTED out and they all walked over
to the spot The remains OF Lazarus
had been placed in what we would call
a drift, run into the side of a hill, The
mouth of which was closed by. a larCe
stone or flag. The body had lain in this
place four days, and assuming tEat IL
had been held in state two days, 1t Will
be seen tilae Lazarus was, at that time,
dead six days.
FIRST PALM: SUNDAY.
Jesus directed the men to remove the
stone which closed the mouth of the
tomb. The stone was removed. and Jesus
called Lazarus. telling him to come forth,
when Immediately he arose in full health
and vigor.
Although Jesus had performed many
wonderful miracles, this perhaps was
the most conspicuous. on account OF 'hs
extensive acquaintance of Lazarus ana
! his proximity to Jerusalem, which was
| at the time filed with strangers ceieofat-
ing the passover.
Many friends and acquaintance OF
! Lazarus. who lived in the city, had at
| tended the funeral. And now. when the
report came to the city that at the
| command of this wonderful man. these
| remains, after lying in the grave four
| days. were Instantly infused with life.
health and strength, the greatest ex-
+, cite,nent and consideration prevailed.
| And when word came few days later
that our Lord was coming to Jerusalem.
! the people-men, women. and children
! moved by the impulse, rushed ont to
! meet Him. Jesus approached Jerusalem
| from the west and the ground on either
| side of the road gradually raised. Along
this road the vast crowd conSreEated
! The great city which, it is claimed by
y
! nearly 100000 souls. was well-ngh de-
/ populated
| Such a vast gathering of people was
| perhaps never witnessed before nor since
/ The ground on either side of the road
was densely packd with human beings
for a distance nearly as far as the eye
| could reach, and boys climbed up into
trees until nearly every branch of the
| scattering timber which spread over the
/ hill = human being. and
! all We're looking and anxiously waiting
| for the coming of our Lord. While at the
time there seemed to be a general eX-
! pectation of some great change or event
(; or parsonage appearing, there was a
| diversity or opinion as to how the change
would be brought about, or how the
person would appear.
y considerable portion of that vast
| assenlnlage were faithful believers. Men
and women who believed they were go
ing to meet the promised 1essi1l-the
Son of the true and living God-these
J had brought with them palms and ever
| greens to spread on the road, and othsrs
! pulled off their coats and spread them
on the ground for jesus and His follow
| ers to pass over.
HIS SIMPLICITY.
Others of this vast concourse of people
! expected to meet the Holy One as a
/ great general mounted on a fiery Steed
with epa ulets and other ltrappinss OF
distinction; that He would be to them a
second Noses who would lead them against
the Romans, and free them from the
CALLING tyranny which they had been
compelled to bear for nearly a century
these were the politicians But the major
:: ity were there with the crowd to see
1 and be seen, having no opinion Of their
! own, but thoughtlessly' drifting along
. Iew the. current
! Probab bly, no one in this vast assemblage
made up of people of all ranke and sta
tions. realized the Importance of the
occasion. The waving OF the palms was
an involuntary act, but just as these
souls recognized the greatness of the
! Lord. just SO thousands of generations
yeti unborn would see it and know i
and would gladly adopt the expressions
! of homage and worship which the crow
on that sacred hill that day so Sladi,
! yielded.
i It was a notable beginning for PAIN
Sunday. probably the most interesting
of any of the church holidays, for it was
(; created by the people out OF pure love
for the Christ.
Ia ca &c +,Jo,- 49,