Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-12
Thousands Thronu
District Churches
For Palm Sunday

IW Z oIlH JuIIuoy
Thousands of worshipers hailed
Christ's entry into Jerusalem
centuries ago by attending Palm
Sunday services yesterday in
Washington area churches.
Priests in Catholic churches
and ministers in some Protestant
churches gave palm leaves, which
they had blessed, to the worship
erS.
Palm Sunday derives its name
from the palm branches the
people of Jerusalem spread under
the feet of Christ as He entered
the city.
The warm Summerlike weather
brought large crowds to the
churches. Many of the women
added a colorful touch to the
day by wearing light dresses or
suits. and by attaching flowers
to them.
1AkkNAAOs
A throng estimated at more
than 1000 persons gathered out
side National Presbyterian
Church, Eighteenth street and
Connecticut avenue NV. to
watch President and Mrs. Eisen-
hover enter and leave the house
of worship.
During the service, the Ma
tons Chief Executive and the
First Lady heard DR.. Edward L.
r. Elson. minister, declare ito
the people. who celebrated His
kingship on the first Palm Sun
day. Jesus was a new king of
kings.
King Saul lowered in physical
strength and military proves;
King Solomon in wealth and wis
dom but Christ was meek.
He rules the world as light rules
with beauty and bounty. His
royalty is the truth He repre-
sentS."
Dr. Hastings Sermon.
DR.. j. Warren Hastings. minis
ter of National City Christian
Church. told more than LOO
worshipers that 1.-The love of
Christ is the highest cohesive
force that we know.
Love was the main commodity
that rode on the back of the
donkey as it walked into the
city of Jerusalem, the city of
God. on that Palm Sunday of
long ago. Jesus took creative.
redeeming, suffering love into the
city of Jerusalem when He en-
tered it on that first Palm Sun
day. He would bring the same
redemptive love in Washington
If We would let Him
Catholic churches were
crowded yesterday as the CEN
turies-old ritual observing Palm
Sunday was carried out.
At st. Matthew's Cathedral
worshipers filled the spacious
sanctuary as the Most Rev.
Patrick A. O'Boyle. Archbishop
OF Washington, presided at the
mass. The Rev. w. Louis Quinn
of the cathedral staff read THE
Passion of Christ from the
Gospels. 4
First Baptist CEREMONY.
Dr.. Edward Hughes Pruden,
pastor of First Baptist Church,
told worshipers many people to-
day are like the PhariSees of
Christ's day.
Some Washington people use
patriotism as a stick to beat
those who do not share their
convictions, Dr.. Pruden said.
Like the Pharisees. some resent
fresh air brought into religious
practices
Christ's Dangerous Doctrine"
DR.. Edward B. Willingham
told worshipers in National
Baptist Memorial Church that
Christ Himself demonstrated
that to live according to His
standards is to live dangerously.
Christ publicly set Himself
against the leaders of the San
hedrin and took issue with the
entrenched corruption which
was common among the rulers
in Jerusalem" DR.. Willingham
pointed out. He drove the
ney-changerS and merchants
out of the temple and declared
afresh that Gods house was to
be a house of prayer. That was
dangerous doctrine.
To-day there are people who
resent the preaching of ideals
which would damage entrenched
economic interests and such
preachers are warned to stick
to the preaching of the gospel"
The Rev. Charles D. Kean.
rector of Epiphany Episcopal
Church, in his sermon warned
that "a terrible diSservice has
been done our country by en-
couraging neurotic conformity as
q qualification for public service"