Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-26
room in the theater building, encased in a
gray dressing gown and smok;DO a

/
cigarette. He greeted the Star reporte,
geuialiy. and was as usual, full of the
matter in hand. When asked concerning
the business of the night he said:
"You have seen the people who have
come in answer to my call. They are re-.
spectacle looking, are they not? Why
Because have had it understood that
will have no man in my employ who
drinks Intoxicating liquors or chews to.
bscco.
Show about smoking, Mr.. Aorses''
well, cannot control them outside OF
the auditorium-mind You, do not use
the word theater in connection With the
Passion Play-but while they are here
they must neither drink, chew nor smoke
l donot intend to treat them as ordinary
supers, and to show them in what esteem
propose to hold them, shall give them all
an entertainment, including supper and
dance, before the place opens. And, more
than this, I am doing all can to secure
married men and their wives. You may
laugh, but am also searching for cripples
for there must have been many cripples in
the rabble that howled about PLATE for the
crucifxion of Jesus"
When asked as to how he was first in
spired to write the Passion PLAY Mr..
Morse's eyes dilated and he said;
"Why, sir, I was at one time as great an
infidel as Bob Ingersoll, but when set
foot in the Holy Land the shadow Of the
cross seemed to come over me. and it be-
came my mission in life to tell the story
of the passion in the grand language in
which have written it,
Having this feeling-this noble senti-
ment-what do you think of the ministers
of the gospel and the newspapers that have
attacked your"
'What do I think of them?" and he
turned his head toward a buffet on which
rested a cut-glass decanter and a carafe of
water, ''what do think? I can only say
Forgive them, Father, for they know not
what they do.'"
"But it is said you are running the
Passion Play only for profit?'
''See here, does this look like running
anything for profit? have 1861 feet of
ground here. Of this I devote 132 to nv
stage, SO that can produce with the most
perfect fidelity attainable the scenes I
propose to present. And just here, let me
tell you, the stories of strike in nv
company are false. I pay my amateur
actors as large salary rs professionals
have been in the habit of receiving. and
not one of them would leave me. We shall
open about Jan. 10, and hope to show
the New York public something they have
never seen before. Did you notice the
Ark of the Covenant in the drill
room of the rabble? Well, sir, 1 paid the
girl who sat for the model of the angels
$l5, and so it has been in every depart
ment. l have been lavish in expenditure.
and my people love me because I am gen
erous to them. To show you how much 1
think of any one who has ever been con-
nected with the Passion Play. can tell you
that when heard that James O'Neil. the
lmpersonator of the character of Jesus in
San Francisco, where the Passion Play was
first produced, was in trouble, telegraph
ed Offering him my check for $500. Here
is his letter declining the loan, but wishing
mea oil success in the Aapduction, of the
Passion here"
but what are your feelings in regard to
bringing Jesus Christ upon the stage! Do
you not think that tho public should revolt
against presenting the Saviour of man
kind In play, for, call it what you will,
the Passion is only play?"
''Why should they object? The other
night [ listened to an oratorio where
Christ was represented in an evening dress
suit, with white tic and kid gloves. The
gentleman who sung the music had his
name In the programme as Chris. Am I
doing worse when, in all reverence, 1 pre-
sent the Saviour in tho habit he wore and
surround the person representing him with
every historical accessory"
And as MI. Morse lighted fresh cigar
cite the reporter withdrew.