ceaseless shoutings that were heard
across the valley in the streets of Jerusalem itself, and waving the
palm branches, they moved towards the city.

Those who have entered the city from Bethany by this road tell us that
there are two striking points in it. The first is when at a turn of the
broad and well-defined mountain track the southern portion of the city
comes for an instant into view. This part of the city was called "the
city of David," and the suggestion is not without probability that it
may have been at this point the multitude burst out in words that linked
Jesus with David. "Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is the King that
cometh in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the kingdom of our father
David. Hosanna, peace and glory in the highest." This became the
watchword of the day, so that even the boys who had come out of the city
to see the procession were heard afterwards, as they loitered in the
streets, still shouting the same refrain.

After this the road again dips, and the glimpse of the city is lost
behind the intervening ridge of Olivet; but shortly a rugged ascent is
climbed and a ledge of bare rock is reached, and in an instant the whole
city bursts into view. The prospect from this point must have been one
of the grandest of its kind in the world, the fine natural position of
Jerusalem not only showing to advantage, but the long line of city wall
embracing, like the setting of a jewel, the marvellous structures of
Herod, the polished marble and the gilded pinnacles glittering in the
morning sun and dazzling the eye. It was in all probability at this
point that our Lord was overcome with regret when He considered the sad
fate of the beautiful city, and when in place of the smiling palaces and
apparently impregnable walls His imagination filled His eye with
smoke-blackened ruins, with pavements slippery with blood, with walls
breached at all points and choked with rotting corpses.

Our Lord's choice of the ass was significant. The ass was commonly used
for riding, and the well-cared-for ass of the rich man was a very fine
animal, much larger and stronger than the little breed with which we
are familiar. Its coat, too, is as glossy as a well-kept
horse's--"shiny black, or satiny white, or sleek mouse colour." It was
not chosen by our Lord at this time that He might show His humility, for
it would have been still humbler to walk like His disciples. So far from
being a token of humility, He chose