Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-12
The Last Scene ofthe Passion Play.
 


 Assembled again the Passion hastens to-
 ward it's eliminating tragedy, and, as if in harmony with the sad events that are occur ring, the face of nature loses it's brightness and the dark clouds gather ominously in the sky. Soon large drops are felt and the thun- der rolls and echoes through the mountain
 gorges, but not until the rain falls so fast and hard as to drown all other sounds do the ac- tors withdraw for 8 time under cover. After
 about half an hour the play is resumed but the sky continued gloomy throughout the re- mainder of the day, and a winding sheet of tremulous haze visited the mountain tops when the curtain rose and revealed two cross es upon which the thieves were hanging, and third not yet raised bearing an out-stretch- | ed form. Amidst the jeering and taunts of the rough soldiery this is raised to it's place, and before us we have living picture of the
 last scenes on Calvary. The form of Christ is, apparently, fastened to the cross only by nails through the hands and feet, and the closest inspection through glass reveals no binding straps or other fastening. Of course, every one knows that it is not nailed there; but no one, excepting the person who takes his part and those employed to bind him, knows how he is held in this painful position and the illusion is so perfect as to be quite | terrible in it's reality. Perhaps twenty min- utes elapse before the taking down from the cross Meantime every eye is fixed on the stage, almost afraid to breathe for fear of not | hearing the last words of Jesus, or of disturb | ing the sacred stiffness of death.
 | The impression on the spectators and the
 universal sensation are indescribable. This | real crucifx This drama, of 800 years ago, ! before us! The soldiers, according to com mand, beat with clubs the two still living | thieves, instead of breaking their limbs. They l are then taken down and dragged away 1 Christ is already dead, but the centurlan, with a spear, pierces his side, and blood and water flow from the wound. Mary approach l es and mourns at the foot of the cross. Now | follows the taking down from the cross. Jo- seph of Arimathea, with two others, appear, and the descent is accomplished quite as this subject is often treated in paintings of old masters Two ladies are placed, one in front and the other at the back of the cross, so that both ends face to the ground, and are firmly held by two men who stand below. Nlcode- mus ascends the ladder at the back of the cross, and the nails are driven out from be- hind, and fall with dull thud to the ground; while the sacred body thus loosened is rever- ently laid over the shoulder of Joseph who slowly bears it down to wrap it in linen, and lay it on Mary's bosom. It is then wound with spices in the linen cloths, and buried in the rocky nave behind the cross, land great
 stone was rolled over it."
 The coming of Mary to the tomb, and of
 the disciples, as well as all the incidents re-
 corded in the gospels that followed between the interment and the ascension, were mi
 nutely carried out. The chorus, which dur ing the last scenes had been draped in black, appeared before the curtain rose the last time, once more in the bright robes and sang glad song, while the tableaux pictured the children of Israel who have safely passed through the Red sea, and their enemies swal- | lowed up in the waves. And now the curtain | rises for the last time. Christ, the victor, is 1 seen bearing banner of triumph in his hand, ! around him 8 company of saints and martyrs holding psalms of victory toward him, while ! Jews and heathen, Pilate and his soldiers, lie l stretched on the ground at the feet of the uni versal conqueror.
 | The curtain falls and the Passion play is ! concluded, and for the first time in the long l day the audience gave vent to their feelings 1 in one loud burst of applause.