Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1879-03-04
rur MIRACLE or PASSION PLAY.

the present time relative 10 the "PAs-
sion Play" which is advertised and
being produced at n OF the leading
thsaters OF san Francisco. The play is
simply a revival or reproduction Of one
OF the Miracle Plays, OF Mysteries Ia
miliar enough to the Christian people Of
a few hundred years ago. but terribly
amazing and sc~andalizing to the rigidly
devout and orthodox Christians OF the
present day. The Lsntsn season is
chosen as the appropriate time for its
production. aud from the way ii is being
advertised through the very animated
discussion Of 1t. and efforts being made
for its suppression, there can DO no
doubt Of its triumphant success. The
sutsrprisins projectors will DO rewarded
with crowded houses and plenty OF
money. for religious people as well as
everybody else will have to go and see q
play Of so much note aud excited dis.
eussion. "A We understand IL these pc
culiar plays are u representation OF
scenes and incidents in Bible history.
such as the crucifIion OF Christ, the
sloriss Of King solomon, David and
Goliah. the Garden OF Eden, etc.
Such dramatic representations doubt.
less had some sort OF good
and useful religious effect as
adapted to tho intellectual capacities
OF the people Of centuries past. but the
benefit WAS merely temporary, for by
degrees those plays and representations
naturally deeeneratod into the burlesque
and finally into disreputs. The sacra-
msnto R.oord. Union gives . very good
descriptive article ON the subject, from
which We extract the following:
For . certain period these Miracle Plays
or Mysteries we're productive Of beneficial
effects. but vsry o aud very rapidly
they dsieriorated. and at length became .
powerful agency for bringing religion into
ridiculs. Partly through the simplicity
and partly through the coarssness Of the
times. they were made the vehicles Of the
grosssst indeceneies. and in the name Of
piety they fAmiliArized the people with
such burlesques upon Scripture a. even
the dull wits OF the middle ages must have
| found il hard 10 resist. Thus. for instance.
IA 4. related by STRUT, in his manners
| and Customs OF the English" that /" a play
was Acted in one of the principal cities Of
| England, under the direction Of the leading
eompanie. Of that city. before . numerous
assembly Of both sexes, wherein Adam and
| Eve appeared on the stage entirely naked,
performed their whole part In the repre-
.eptation Of Eden TO the serpent's tcmptA.
| tiop, to the eating Of the forbidden fruit.
| the perceiving Of and converting about
their machines, and 10 the supplying Of
| 40 leaves 10 cover IL. Warrior observe,
that they had tho authority Of Scripture for
| .uch A representation, aud they gave mat
ter. jus, a. they found them In the third
| chapter Of Genesis" This literalness was
sometimes attended with narrow escapes
| from serious consequences. In France ON
a occasion. while q Passion play WAS
being represented, the person who had the
part Of Jesus was fastened IN the cross 50
| tightly that he almost died there. Some
times incident. so ludicrous as nearly to
| di.pel all solemn thoughts were associated
/ with these dramatizations, and a curious
illustration Of this NAV be found in the
.torv book known as ''Howlecas - the
| Anglicised version Of E~ai,a.pi.g,i. The
,tory h. thar Hovleglas, who was a wicked
practical Joker. went To live with . priest.
| who made him his parish clerk. The
prie.t 4. described A. keeping lemAn or
| concubine, who had but one eye. and IN
| whom Howlsgs. o~ei q grudge, which no
paid in the following way We give the
story In the original quaint English /:
" And than in the meane season. while
Howleglas was pArysh clarke, at Easter
they should play tho Resurrection Of our
Lorde ; and for because than the men wer
not learned. nor could not read. the priest
| took his lsman. and pu, her ia the grave
for an Aungcll ; and this seeing Howleglas
toks to hym three Of tho SIMPLEST persons
that uer In the towne, that played the
three Maries; and the PArson played
Christie, with a baner in his hand. Than sadie
Howlegla. to the symple persons. whAn
the Aungell asksth you. whome you seke,
Won must save, The Parsons leman with
one i've Than 10 fortuned that the time
"a. come that they mus, playe. and the