The Portland daily press., 1890-12-19
All Quiet at Standing Rock.
The PASSION PLAY.
Interesting Lecture by Or. Fem, at
High Street Church.

The Mecca Of European tourists last sum-
mer was the decennial representation of the
Passion Play at Ober-Ammergau. DR.. Fem
was among those fortunate enough to wit
ness one of the memorable performances.
and last evening at High street church, de-
livered an interesting lecture on that sub.
ject. A large audience for such windy
night was present, and everyone followed his
remarks with closest attention. He aid
they started from Munich by rail on a Fri
day morning, In order to secure places for
Sunday, as tickets were only procured by
those present in person Friday night. The
depot was crowded with people, and trains
twice as large as usual were run. About 45
miles out is the ike where was drowned the
late mad King Ludwig. Leaving the cars at
Oberau, there Is pandemonium of persons
seeking some kind of conveyance to Ober-
Ammergau. just as many persons walk as
ride; people OF every nationality from the
poor ,ryrolean peasants TO natty Englishmen
and there Is perfect world of English cler-
gymen and Roman Catholic priests on foot,
all weary and dust-stained. Ettal is the
first town one comes TO, and contains
famed monastery. Daisenberger, young
priest. here remodeled the play and intro
duced into 1t more spiritual element.
Ober-Ammergau Is a peculiar town of
about 1000 inhabitants. There are no
straight roads through it; the houses are
numbered On arrival great rush is made
for the house OF the burgOmaster. who as
signs quarters. The town Is remarkable by
the paintings on the outside of the houses,
wrought by Twink, famous painter. A
great maj Irity of the houses are made of
stone. and are frequently two-storied.
The actors are generally known about
town 6y parts they play. They are peculiar
ly kind people. and almost seem to be Sam
aritans, they are so courteous. The speaker
then described the beauty of the rooms filed
with touching mementOes of earlier times
and many examples Of wonderful wood
carving, the leading occupation of the peo-
the town to see the play.
Those who have the best beds are assigned
best seats, the location of the seats depend
ing upon the price Of the bed. He described
walks about the town, which is shut in by
hllls. From the top of one he had a delight
full view of the town which has so long
clung to its old ideas. perhaps due to its re-
mOtenesS from the railway in part.
At the only large hotel, in the evening he
saw Judas and Peter, the former with rest
less eye and crinkly hair, the latter an old
man. neither hardly filling his idea of the
characters But it was striking to observe
how thoroughly in daily life the actors seem
TO portray their characters. Saturday even
ing great gun Is fired as signal that the
play will be held on the morrow. At three
awakens the people. They throng to the
little church in the village, more than hun
dred years old, where mass is said for the
actors.
1t was raining the morning Dr. Fem saw
the play, which is given in an immense rec
taDgular building, which will hold about
5000 persons, part of the seats teiHg covered,
and half with no covering.
About $1,000 Is netted by single repre-
sentation when the building is full. The
money Is devoted to the payment of ex
penses for costumes, which are very elegant
and realistic, and the rest goes to the church,
school and hospital. and anything more to
be devoted to the improvement OF the town.
The stage Is a wonderful one and about
three times as large as any In London. Four
or five hundred people can take their place
in front Of the stage. Back Is covered
proscentum, just outside of which are arches
which open aud show the large streets of
Jerusalem, large house on each side of the
stage, and outside of this a collonnade on
either side. through which the guardian an
gels always come. There is large Orches.
ira, and the music Is very pensive and
quaint. A chorus, by its singing, forms a
kind of bridge between the Old Testament
tableaux and the New Testament acting. In
Producing the acts there are some 90 tab
leaux taken from the Old Testament aud de-
two parts of the Bible. The firing of three
guns at s O'Clock announces the opening
and after singing by the chorus a series 0I
most memorable tableaux follow. The de-
light occasioned by the tabeaux was some
thing inexpressible.
TIE harmony of color in the costumes OF
the actors was most noticeable, and added
much TO the effect. The acts represent al
the important. events in Christs life, anC
the play occupies the whole day.
The entry OF Christ into Jerusalem was
magnificent spectacle. Josef Mayer has
played the part of Christus for three seasons
in 1870, 1880 and 1890, and gives a Charming
marvellous representation. The last supDe,
is one of the most delightful scenes. th,
faces OF the Disciples, looking just as We
Burgomaster, is undoubtedly most beautifn
in face. The magnetism of her voice i
something which can never be understood
unless heard. 1t was worth a ionrney
around the world to hear
The scene Of the cruxcifxioA is mos
memorable. Inc cross Is real and as heavy
as it looks. The hammering of nails i,
heard before the curtain rises How he is
fastened nobody knows, as he is seen hang
ing with the rising of the curtain. The nails
appear clearly through hands and feet, ,wher
looking with glass. The entire audienc,,
around We're sobbing.
!, Inc descent from the cross IS most realis
tic' Nicodemus very distinctly draws on
tDe nalls with a hammer, and Chrlstus 1
carried to the bosom Of his mother. 1t i
amazing how any man can endure such ex.
haustion as does Mayer in this scene and al
through the day. The resurrection Is no
| quite scriptural, as Christ appears when th,
| rock rolls away; afterward He visibly as
| cends to heaven. The people are cultured t,
u high degree and are devoted to the play
They honor 1t and feel they are doing a dis
tinctly Christian work, which has dis
| tipctly APOSTOLIC origin. Though they canno
| 20 TO ali the world, all the world will com,
| to them, as Dsisenberger preached TO then
| shortly before his death. All c-eeds are for
gotten by the spectators. The humblest 1
perhaps side bv side with a gifted, cultiva
,eu cIeIsy IissysanIns to "the srarv ths, ,rn
formed the world" and will keep trans
| forming 1t more and more until the kingdom
Il