Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-04-06

ically stated he would do all in his
power to drive out the destroying demi-
John. 1t would mean the publication
of the home and of the church. The
heart of the common people rings true
when it is not msled. No wonder
that 1t was among them that Jesus
passed the most of his earthly minis
try. They were the first to recognize
him. From them came the first mem
bers Of his church, and it is with feel
ings of gratitude to them that we re-
member that 1t was they who gave to
our Lord the only public welcome and
reclamation that he ever received
But Palm Sunday also throws into
our raptured eyes the sunrise OF Easter
dawn, as well as 1t overshadows our
heavens with the dark clouds of the
blacklist of all BLACK Fridays" Palm !
Sunday practically says to us: You
may have to carry your cross and bear
your burdens and suffer your death as |
| Jesus Christ had to suffer and die, but |
you may also, like Christ, have your
emancipation and resurrection and III
| innate triumph. This was the reason
| why the ancient Christians chiseied
the palm leaf upon their tombstones.
This was the reason why they also had
the palm as the symbol of martyrdom.
| II meant victory-victory in the name
of the Lord Jesus, victory over thls
| world. victory over sin. 1t meant the
| kind of victory that st. John described
in Revelation when he cried out Art
er this beheld, and, 10, great multi
tude which no man could number,
stood before the throne and before the
Lamb. clothed with white robes and
palms in their hands," Cicero de-
scribed an athlete who had won
great number of prizes as "a man OF
many palms." So today as we see the
palm branches thrown under the feet
of Christ we know that they may be
/ future symbols. They may remind US
of the palms of many heavenly re-
wards.
The Triumph of the Palms.
: What happy Gay that will be when
Christ greets his loved ones in heaven
" lands and gives to them their vlcto-
rious palms-the palms of reward Tor
all their past sufferings and trials ana
sacrifices which were undergone Ior
z him! When Agrippa, the grandson OF
; Herod the Great, expressed wish
: that Caligula might some day sit upon
the Roman throne, Emperor Tiberlus
was angered. He threw Agrippa into
;. a loathsome dungeon. There he IAN
{ guished week after week and month
after month, but when the passing
d time did place Caligula upon the throne
l. / then the new emperor went In person
and opened the prisoners gates. lie
81 robed Agrippa ii royal purple; he gave
IL him palace in which to live; he tooE
II the heavy chains which had once man
aclad the prisoners feet and weighed
III them, and for every heavy link Of lroI
he gave to him a heavy link OF GOLD
&c Our Divine Master on that happy Ga!
u of the rewardings in heaven VIII CIV
II to each one of his suffering chndrel
III greater compensation than ever E1n
ce peror Caligula gave to the ragged pris
III -oner Agrippa Jesus will clOthe US L
ye white. not only the symbol of victory
Ut but of purity He will make the jew
CA els of our crown out of the crystalline
or tears we have shed in his service, an
ou in each one Of our hands Christ WI
US place a palm-the palm OF victory, I'd
rs palm of never ending joy. Oh, Chris
10 tan brother, do not worry because 70
he have to suffer for Jesus. 1t means
palma waving, triumphant palm.
III The palm is such suggestive symb
NY of victory that today | would that Y
al might have had this pulpit decorate
ne with palm branches as an object lesso
oW Then. after the service is over, wou
90 have YOU, members of this congreg
'ur ton, each take palm leaf home,
no the priests allow the worshipers to
'ut this day in Catholic churches. Inc
= after you had gone to the quletude
De YOUR own homes, l would have had y
eiu. look long and earnestly at that pa
ess leaf and decide what you are to
SO, Would you accept the palm leaf as
VIII Grecian athlete received it. merely
lan a symbol of worldly victory. or Wot
tue YOU accept it as a symbol of heav'
I'VE ly triumph? Accept it in the sal
spirit that the Christian martyr W
-act was about to be torn to pieces in
clty Roman Coliseum accepted it. But,
Hno we have not palm leaf here for J
OF TO take home as an object lesson, {
ople YOU here and now to decide the gu
hes tion of your life How will you d
ople With vour worldly conouests? HI
WIN your efforts won for you the palm
OLD wealth? Have they won for you
as palm of political power or POPULAR
anne Then, can you cast them down
day Christ's feet and pledge yourselves ;
llgh all you are and have to his servi
q 10 If YOU can do this, you shall becom
40 spiritual palm tree, planted by
ious r;yor of life q nalm which will bloss