Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
Oh, come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Immanuel."

[Footnote: By courtesy of E. P. Dutton & Co.]

{251}

THE STORY OF PALM SUNDAY

One Sunday Harold noticed that all the people who came from one of the
churches wore a little piece of palm, or evergreen.

"What does that mean?" said Harold.

"Oh, this is Palm Sunday," said mamma. "This was one of the glad days
in Jesus' life. To-night I will tell you all about it."

When it grew dark mamma called Margaret and Harold, and began

THE STORY OF PALM SUNDAY.

"You know that Jesus was poor and homeless, yet he was very rich in
the love of his friends. He was never honored but once as his friends
liked. That was on Palm Sunday, and the children helped to do it.

"It happened at the great city of Jerusalem. Jesus did not go to the
city very often. He liked to live in the villages and in the country
better. At this time there was a great feast in the city, and Jesus
was going to the feast with his friends."

"What sort of a feast was it, mamma?" asked Harold.

"It was not exactly what we call a feast," mamma replied. "It was more
like a great celebration. It recalled a great event in the nation's
history, the escape of the Jews from captivity. It was called the
'Feast of the Passover.' {252} The Jewish people from all over the
world came to Jerusalem to celebrate it."

"Why, it must have been the Fourth of July of the Jews," said Harold.

"Something like that," replied mamma, smiling. "Only the little Jewish
boys did not make as much noise as my small son makes on his country's
birthday.

"Well, the friends of Jesus who came with him to this feast wanted to
show how much they loved him. They often wanted to treat him as though
he were a king. Once they did treat him in this way, and Jesus did not
forbid it. It does people good to show their friends how much they
love them.

"Jesus stayed at night with his friends, in a village not far from the
city, and every morning he came into the city. One morning he came
over the hill, on the road which leads into the city, riding on an
ass. It was a beautiful morning, and all his friends who were with him
were filled with gladness. They shouted and sang as they marched
along. They shouted 'Hosanna!' just as you shout 'Hurrah!' when you
are marching in your processions. 'This man is going to be our king!'
they called.