New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-18
to see the scenes of Christs life depicted on the

Twill the performance OF the play py a ~ ~, no
in any degree remove the objoctiohs agaipst a.
THE odence il as great where IL is enacted by me
Latin monks in the Church of the Holy sepnic,nIe
in jerusalem. The objection IS I'D Tue a. % s tho
maIige what the world ut LARGO looks upon "s 'ho
most sacred event in the annals ol NJ ioI'. l.; 10,
alt is urged by those who are TO engage W ,.s
promotion That II will be INSTRUCTIVE W '"'s'
Yin nv ooinion 10 will afford nothing rore lnan
the qualification Of morbid curiosity IL you ~
to the bottom of 1t yvu VIII hnu lnut ~ 10 In The
mn,. n,1 less than Il catch penny AFFAIR. III 'no
Middle Ages the monks ustd the drama as q nleanS
OF teaching the people. In our day there T. 10 ca
on.e for this method II instruction. mere - ~
deciltd difference between the TepTesfnta'ion vi
lie SCENES of Christs death ou canvas ana theHt-
rical performance depcrng the same lncluents on
tic presentation IL ID necessary LOT soLe
IN in,nersonaIe Christ. Tire whole tendency vi w.
proposed production will be to degrade tho s,on
Bible truths fol there - no doubt tnas F1cthsT
amount of familiarity breeds contempt. m L.
more think il will he highly injurious 10 'No
drama itself." -
ali will intensity the prejudice manv people 1901
against the theatre. believe mat inc o,aaa lie,
mission but il must be elevated ABOVE 'haV ""''D
q / entertain the same view that ! did when IL
WAS proposed to produce the Passion Iiay Deioie
Booths Theatre" said the Key. Dr' Arnh;."EV, , -
IN. Eiuh Ayenue Baptist Church. " III Is MOI d
M oper subject for theatrical tTeatmtnt iheIo
nobody OF any domination VINO WIZ ti'nN, 80 80
upon such presentation with iaySr ens i Liz
will condemn il very generally Inc enlIo ,oib
ION. community, am quite sure Will resent u %
collation. of tnat which has always beeh iooAsu
upDn ms sacred. The change IN the cohul ohS w .i
nrnJnctIon does not materially aifrct the gsnrrai
character Uf the performances an no. or r tba
those who find oh ectlon 10 the pIou"Ctp,no w -
Passion IN "A regular theatre or to its petl"rndiho
Inv theatrical people. | have no preJudlce asalns'
ANY class of society. The objection IL the pel -
ance OF this play does not lodge IN tho SUR % 49,,
nor in the people taking paIt III H. Du' III 'o ~
that n treats of sacren su beet and tennis W lnSp
il light AID trivial. The theatrlcs neiu 70 "'uo
,nough without encTOaChlng upon reigo'' IL.
II. L.. f,raQp an "a
would enable it TO inspire reverence IN Ihe spe''~
torsf" os,
reyerrntial spirit. They W II be shut up 10 thal
If thrv should depart from that they would give
rive to feeling of intense disgust, even III tno
minds of tue sceptlcal and lrreiigous
a." DO you think that it would III any measure oe
Instructive an IS claimed by the ainhor
IL could not DO madc instructive IN any
beneficial sense Mn the T Sear. There could be
no calculation Of the great principle lINoIteh.
wish also to saw here that il is an act OF injustice 10
the theatrical profession 10 n,nAe ne "r"i
plav will be made acceptable Gecau-o they are
barred ont from taking part in IT. As lar as
know the member, OF the profession. they nave re-
suect and even veneration for sacred thing. Tho
old order OF the Stage When the great Whithelh
was carlcatured TO crowded houses on Successive
nights for weeks has passed away. In these days
think there ~ mure sympathr win hlgli, nOnoTaplt
DAYS such Us those ol Shah eSpeare and the theatre
has more Difference sacred subjects than 1t had
quarter of century ago
FULL OF IRREVERt nee AND FHINOLlI1.
81 Thoroughly object to the proposed perform
ance" said the Rev. Dr. Ormiston. OF the tlflh
Avenue Collegiate Dutch Reformed Church.
In my opinion the dramatic representa-
lion of religious subjects, WI ether facts OF
history or doctrine. are altogether wrong. The
first m stery and miracle plays may have been
useful in instIucting simple minded people IN
former times even then II shonld be SUPPOSED that
the actors themselves were truly religious he
Pa Dbera
been Inconsistent Tn true religious sentiment ana
feeling. but deprecate tho attempt TO produce the
proposed perform IN this city. IL is likely {"
foster r 81 irt OF irreverpnce. frlvoty and dsre-
gard of sacred things IL s not and cannot he III
subject for theatrical representation IL might be
treated III poem. even dramatic IN form but the
characters az too sacred for representation"
DO Won think it possible for ii 10 he presented in
a spITIt of reverence
. do not believe it can he Such representa-
ton Is TO me incouceivable horrible. | cannot
think that a man with reverence for the character
Of Christ could persuade himself to ImpefsOnate
that part. The changes that have been made IN
the conditions do not remove the Chief oblectlon:
The effect OF the play would he 10 seriously o"end
ne publlc sense OF religious property. Snch per
formauce would be nothing moe or less than nrlng-
ing the sacred themes az Scripture down Ia II e
level al the theatre regard 1t as wholly nunec
csS.ary add neXcuSable. The whole body Of
Christian people will. think. take a similar view
of the subject"
the rev j. A. NJ. Chapman. OF st. PauPs Metho
dit Episcopal church. said that he was personally
very much opposed the prOdnctlon ol the play.
There was not 80 much objection To The Passion rs
peri orned by the Illlterate villagers at Obe. am
myrgau and might even he said that there II WAS
nstructv" and useful liut In this city II would lie
productive OF n" cool whateVer
What Is your chlei obJecuonf asked the re-
porter. ~
most sacred event IN the history OF tue world. No
circumstances can make the scenes from the lie
and death of christ suitable for reprcsr NATION Oh
tine Stage. The fact that il 1, to be produced in
binding never used tor theatrical performances.
-. Il .tr l.taa
not remove the mair objection TO it,"
" What view do you think will be taken 10y the
&c nhcrS of your congregation ~
As far rs ! nave heard them express opiniun
they thoroughly disapprOve of IT,"
NolId you say that such performance was
SacrIlpgiOus :!
Yes; do not think that word is too strong
term use.
The Rev. Charles II. Eaton. pas,or of the Fourth
UniversaIist Church. said he could not see that
any GOO would he derived from the presentation uf
The Passion and that il possible for bad RI suits
to come lrom it,. He added that he did not know
enough of the character of the proposed perform
auce 10 say that it should he strenuously oppused.
ATTITUDE OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Cardinal McCloskey said hen asked for an ex-
preston of his views on the subject that he know
little in regard to the proposed representation
but whatever its character Was be was opposed to it,
Archbishop COrrgan. who was present at the time,
remarked that he entertained the same view.
/" am very sorry That the performanc CO is to be
given" said Chancellor Preston, of ST. AIMS
Roman Catholic Church. As far as know IL
will ne opposed By the whole Catholic clergy. | am
quite snre that Catholic people vii Not patr0nze il.
The scnslblltes of the religious community will
I've shocked Nv the treatment OF such q sacred sub
ject IN thoroughly secular manner. There can he
no excuse Tor such a performance here In Bavaria
the Passion Play Is performed a religious cere-
Inonv those taking part and witnessing it. having
prepared themselves BY partaging of the sacra-
nrnt and engaging in other religions deyotions
This performapce is not TO be given as n religious
ceremony but has money making Tor its Objectb
IL is asserted that this production will lie little
more than application of performance that
takes place in the Catholic Church at certain sea
sons
THAT is not trne,' replied the Chancellor We
have "a representation of the Nativity OF Christ