The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-03-21

E1 G6 from the time of
Godfrey OF Anjou
to the Plantagenets, Is the one that
kept disturbing our Savior by Its sway
ing and cracking while he was praying
In Gethsemane. IL had before refused
to hide him and his mother when they
we're taking refuge from Herod, hence,
as a punishment the use to which II Is
put for sweeping and Its use by the
witches for riding at night.
The black birch is the tree that grew
the rods with which Christ was scourg-
ed, and that is why II Is now stunted
In Its growth. The bullrush, or cats
tall is supposed 10 be the scepter the
Jews put into our Lords hands when
they Knocked him as their king. The
crown Of thorns is said by some to
have been made Of the blackberry. by
others OF the rose briar, or dog rose.
As drops Of the Savior's blood fell up
on earth. roses sprang from the spot
and blossomed. Other legends say that
the rose briar Is one Of the many
trees" on which Judas was hanged ;
and one states that II was by this dog
rose that Satan tried TO climb back to
heaven. Others hold the crown was
made of acacia or shittim wood. Per
haps In the minds OF most II is the
holly that was the bush from which
Christ's crown of thorns came indeed
holly Is n shortened form OF "holy."
for the holy tree" was its early name
In Germany too the people call the
holly Christdorn. In Cornwall IL IL
called Aunt Mary's Tree" aunt" be-
ing term OF endearment there, and
they believe the red berries Of the hol-
ly stand for the blood drops Of Christ.
The purple spathe Of the jack4n-the
pulpit. known In England as 'lords
and ladies'" marks where Christ's
blood also fell at the Crucifxion. Many
flowers died Of sorrow that night. but
the Jasmine merely folded its leaves
and suffered Its pain quietly. In the
morning when II reopened, II was no
longer pink. and that is why II has
never shown Its color since. The vio-
let droops because the shadow of the
Cross fell on II the day OF the Cruel
fixion. The anemone Is called In the
Holy Land the ''blood drops OF Christ
a name also given TO the wall flower.
Many who have visited the quaint old
cemetery OF st. Roch In New Orleans
viii recall the clover growing there,
with red heart-shaped spot on the up
per side Of the leaf. and how the chill
dren who ask you TO buy the plant,
say this red spot Is Jesus blood"
The hawthorn II was with which the
magpies covered our Lord as he was
resting In a wood from the pursuit OF
his enemies Just before the Crucifixion
which the swallows, the fowls of
God" removed as soon as his enemies
had gone. Another bird who showed
pity 10 our Lord at the time Of his
Crucifxion was the robin redbreast
Seeing him In pain from the thorns
that were piercing his brow. IL how
cred over his head. and as II plucked
out a thorn from the crown. our Saw
iors sacred blood tinged its breast
and that Is why II is red now.
According 70 an old Spanish tradi.
ton, It is the passion flower that climb
ed the Cross and fastened itself about
the holes made In the wood by the
nails that were driven through the
hands and feet of our Savior. This
was revealed TO st. Francis Of Assist
in one OF his visions. The early Chris
tians as well venerated the passion
flower. They saw In Its bud the Eu.
charist; In Its half-open flower the
star In the east In the full bloom the
five wounds. the nails. the hammer
the spear, the pillar Of scourging. and
the crown Of thorns; In its leaves. the
spear head and the thirty pieces OF
silver; In Its tendrils. the cord,
that hound him.