The
Widow's Son at Nain — The
Price window shows Christ raising the widow's son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17). At top
is a phoenix, and at bottom are butterflies (right) and palm branches (left).
The phoenix, which rises from its ashes, and the butterflies, which emerge from
their long sleep in a cocoon, symbolize resurrection. Among the Romans, the palm
was traditionally a symbol of victory, a meaning carried over into Christian
symbolism where the palm is used to suggest triumph over death. [Anno domini 1959. To the Glory of God in beloved memory of Sterling A. Price given by Dr. & Mrs. Steve F. Price & Family & Mrs. Bessie Price.]
The
Flight into Egypt — The
Taliaferro window depicts the Holy Family's flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15).
The angel at the top of the window represents the angel who warned Joseph in a
dream to flee to Egypt to escape Herod's search for all the male children unto
two years of age. The two medallions at the bottom of the window represent
Jesus' parents: carpenter's tools (right) for Joseph and lilies (left), "a
symbol of purity, and...the flower of the Virgin," for Mary. 
The
Resurrection — The
first window donated by Violet Hardtner Howell and Robert Howell shows Peter,
John, and an angel in Jesus' tomb on Easter morning (Matthew 28:1-10; Mark
16:1-9; Luke 24:1-11; and John 20:1-18). At the top of the window is a winged
lamb, the Agnus Dei, representing the risen Christ. The figure of John Wesley
(lower left medallion) is in remembrance of Mr. Howell's father, who was
minister at First Methodist Church on Broad Street, and the pine tree (lower
right medallion) is in remembrance of Mrs. Howell's father, who was known as
"the father of reforestation in the South."
Jesus'
Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem —
The next Hardtner-Howell window shows the triumphal entry into Jerusalem:
"They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,
'Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (John
12:13). The crown above echoes this proclamation of Christ's kingship. The
violets, at the lower, left denote the humility of the Son of God in assuming
human form, and the wooden cross, at lower right, with its purple glory
symbolizes the coming passion. Mrs. Howell has stated that she did not request
any of the three symbols in this window, so it can only be assumed that the
artists chose the violets which charmingly represent Mrs. Howell's first name.
The overall theme was chosen because the family had donated a large window at
St. James' Episcopal Church which also had a Palm Sunday theme. 
Jesus
as a Boy in Jerusalem —
The Gayle window shows Christ among the teachers in the Temple (Luke
2:41-51). At the top are depicted acolytes in procession, recalling the youth of
donor's son Gedge, who served as an acolyte at Good Shepherd and whose own son
later became an Episcopal priest. The youth of the acolytes parallels the youth
of Jesus: in the central scene, the 12-year-old Jesus astounds the doctors of
the Law with his wisdom (Luke 2:47). Directly below Jesus' feet is the scroll of
the Torah on which the Jesus' teachings stand. At the bottom, a burning lamp
(left) represents knowledge, while the daisy (right) symbolizes innocence. Two
insets emphasize themes of eloquence and industry in the service of the Church.
The beehive at upper left has several possible interpretations: The bee, because
of its industrious habits, has become the symbol of activity, diligence, work,
and good order. Also, because the bee produces honey, it has come to be accepted
as a symbol of sweetness and religious eloquence. Thus, the beehive is a
recognized attribute of St. Ambrose and of St. Bernard de Clairvaux, for their
eloquence is said to have been as sweet as honey. The beehive is similarly the
symbol of a pious and unified community. St. Ambrose compared the Church to a
beehive and the Christian to a bee, working ardently and forever true to the
hive. The quill and ink inset (right side) represent either the Temple Scribes,
who were teachers and preservers of Torah, or the Doctors of the Church, whose
writings and sermons helped to spread the Gospel. 
Jesus
Walks on Water — Jesus
and Peter walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:22-33) are
shown in the Gani window, dedicated to the memory of a drowning victim in a
boating accident on the Calcasieu River. The fish at the top are symbolic both
of Christ (because the five Greek letters that form "fish" are the
initial letters of "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior") and of Peter the
Fisherman. The keys to the left of Peter refer to Matthew 16:19, "I will
give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." The chalice to the lower left
is a symbol of Christian faith, here identifying Peter as the "IHS"
monogram on the right side identifies Jesus. The anchor is in keeping with the
window's nautical theme and symbolizes hope and steadfastness.