New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-06
ON MIRACLE PLAYS.

,xrxppsr1xc tEc,Iugt BY MIS- sANBORN-ORIGN
or 1uE pIAYs-RUDE ATTKNPrs Al SCENERY
HOW THE DEVIL WAS RfPRfsENIEU
Miss Kate Sanborn entertained an apprccia-
NV, audience yesterday afternoon m the palor OF the
R.v DR. Cro.by's Cnurcn, At Twenty seconds. and
Furth-ave. with new lecture On The O'd hir4ce
Pa The lecturer was vaIm.y greeted by her many
lrleus as she sscoued the platform, and the brightest
mas. ages OF the lecture appsuded Ia the year
1853 she SAID, when the village Il Oerammcrtdu was
v,s ed py devastating plague the Monks OF Ella IN
due d the parish TO make d vow that III 'hahA'l "o
youo1 and for edIiying contemplation they "ond every
Ten years publicly represent the passion oil Jesus inc
svour Of the world" wbereupon the psrlsh was nIne-
d,,tey freed from the pcsepce We are familiar win
tie Passion Play as represented with simplicity ana reVe
once 10y these BayariInpoasants IL Is AL eh'lIe' u
eut matter TO propose to reproduce win an eh'HeV
different mouve tbs remnant OF the Mduie ages d"
modern theatre, for money. II wound then 'eeou'e
h,,snhen,ous mummerya spectacular sacnlesc a sin
akin 20 that OF Judas And the clergy, the press ana tue
voice of the people forbade IT.
Too first recorded development OF the Miracle Play
was IN France m eleventh century, but soon all Ger
man and Latin shared the same impuise' Ihey
we're called miracle plays because they represented inc
miracles or narrated wonders Of the Christian
faith No entrance money was paid but EXPENSES were
made ND by voluntary gifts Sometimes the perform
spee WAS carried from Creation to the Judgment ana
lasted for several dave in the open All the players
be invisible TIL he received his cue aud stood ofth
Eaeb acor when first appeared bad t. state VINO be
represented aud ~ The ait OF shifting scenes was I'M
tn,wu notices In large letters indicated here hi and
Th,rr "A move The devil Usually represented WIN
horns very wide mouth iDg meaus oi mAhA staring
eyes, a red beard, clOyrn Iecl' anu ''H' ""u "'
| furnished with stout cluO. ,..,. -.
OF all the persons WOO nguttu ~ VIC
IIroJ tb, slaver II lnnocents, was tue greatest
| inyoTiie lie was always represented as an lmm'n-e
swerr ana braggurt raining aud rBFiug up anu GOWN
h. Il gs win furiOn~ bOnibasi and profanity Iefna
-gd 4f0 Uf
stnie characf bTe8t hOa-ier killer, tanner o. the
universe child OF the earthquake aud brother oil dahih
In tl t,y of The Creation seen IN Oerinahy about
i7s3 ,he sea was made by pouring water ON Tie sage
! mn, The Land bi mould thrown on the stage Ah4"ts
we're p-r.OuatsG girls and young priests IA Inssluf
ado geese Gnu Iasttbtu
10 fner shoulders These hOudescrpt aLEUs- celrnGa
As Coiertdge WOuId call tbefnactNey assisted
cnr.cinr Ia Powered 0TesHlHggOWn IN producing me
aun tuo,u aun represent the brute creation
oatrle were driven tine AGain AUD I've were
zen mare srOtesaue. and an lralncd mastiH WIN "A
/ M brass solar, Tcgaled himself upon the beet O0nr
unieh had done duty the extracted I'D iLiuRh<
Those exhihitlOEs, rude and revolving ~ noueEn
| isSt. aud decoruln. we're full o! rehgi!h hhl
nsi.ctafloD 10 the simple minds that Witnessed theu
Wnout doubt tney contained The germ oil tDat speull
t,snsilc growth with which the Literature ana Tue Oi
| ENGLAND are Adorned - -. - l.,
49, s.nborn read several selections from mrac 10
| 49, among theui scene from the ID uge, ~
h,c3 Mr.. Noal he carried into the AK % soc Is
snwlnR TO 20 uDscc0mpapIed by her goSspy nelgnDo