The Evening critic., 1883-03-09

SALMI MORSE the author of the Pas
sion Play, bids fair to become as we'll
known and interesting figure as George
Francis Train. He is described as being
tall, military looking man, gray of hair and
mustache; and grayish of complexion, in
telligent, earnest resolute and gentle
manly. He is of Jewish parcntage, though
he has abandoned the faith of his fathers.
He declares that when he went to Jerusalem
he was an infdel, ''as much so as Inger-
SOIL )" but that coming in contact with the
places where the Savior spent his earthly
life he twas an infidel no more" He says
with a shade of bitterness, referring to his
Passion Play: "And now, when all
want is to preach Jesus in way to make
men feel and see Him as no pulpit does or
can do, am crucifed by those who claim
to be His ministers. No, He is crucified
through me, as He would be again crucifed
were He to return to the world in person."
To the charge that he is engaged simply
in money making speculation he enters a
general denial, supported by the fact that the
number of seats in the auditorium of his
building makes it impossible to do much
more than cover current expenses, if that is
done. He lives plainly aud simply, and as
serts emphaticalIy that he has no luxuries
or personal indulgences, and can live on
his Crimean pension. His fortune he made
in Australia by hotel keeping at Melbourne.
Its name was the Criterion, and it was the
largest in that chief city of the South Seas
The hotel did bar business, according to
Mr., Morse, that will make American bar
men green with envy. This fortunate bar
employed twenty barkeepers. Perhaps the
less said about Mr.. Morse's hotel with its
20-keeper power bar attachment the better.
At all events this Is the fortune he is using
to bring out his Passion Play.
He lives in the building he has fitted up
for the Play, very simply, indeed roughly,
his only escape from asceticism being his
dinner, which he gets at hotel and an
unique and unapproachable bed-quilt. The
visitor whose sketch we are using describes
Mr. Morse's bedroom and his magnificent
bed-cover in the following terms:
There was there minimum of ordinary fur.
niture, but the room seemed almost lighted
up by few articles, OF which the chief was a
down bed-coyer OF the richest maroon satin
lined with similar bun satin. In the two upper
corners OF II were his Initials S. and NJ, eight
inches long, embroidered in gold, while In the
centre, occupying about sixteen Inches square,
was his coat-of.arms magnincently embroId
cred, or rather embossed, In goI ~. It's motto
was "Excudit," and the coronet was
studded with precious stones, all real. He
showed me on his finger a gold seal ring, evil
IDENTIFY many centuries Ia, the original
from which the design of the embroidery had
been derived. There were one or two articles
OF analogous splendor on small and plain
dressing table, and In the centre OF the room
small round stand, supporting large Bible
was covered with cloth OF crimson velvet
handsomely embroidered In gold, with goll
fringe To SEQ such objects In the midst o.
suca surroundings was like coming across q
blaze OF the richest rubles lying about loose n
peasant cottage.
All these costly and splendid article:
were presents to him by friends he ha:
made in this country. He is really a re.
markable man.