The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-24
TIE Passion-Play: Right or wronsP

TIE Passion-Play: Right or Wrone2
So much has been said concerning the
Passion-Play of Ober-Ammergau, that it
may not be amiss to form some reasonable
judgment about the propriety or impro-
priety of the representation. To do this, let
US look for moment at its origin.
1t is, l suppose, well-known fact that
the theater sprang from the bosom Of the
church, that in the early days, before the
press was in existence, the clergy COM
munlcated moral and religious instruction
TO their people by means of dramatic repre-
sensations, glvel in parish churches, cathe-
drals and converts, in what were called
Moralities, Mysteries and Passion-P Plays.
Thousands of these old plays are
have been collected in the volumes
called Costa Romauorum; Shakespeare
borrowed many of them, as in The Mer-
chant of Venice" which, in the incident of
Portals chest aud Shyock's pound of flesh.
was taken bodily from two old Monkish
plays. The passion-plays dealt exclusively
with the passion of our Lord, and were
used in the middle ages to convey instruc-
tion upon this sacred theme in every large
town and cathedral see.
OF those multitudnous representations
The "PasSion-Play at ODER Ammergaun is
the only one that survives. 1t was under
taken in obedience to a VOW made in the
thirteenth century that upon the removal
of plague that infected the district the
villagers would represent every ten years
the passions and sufferlngs of their Re-
deemer. The Ammergauers are deeply
plous and religious people, and regard the
fulfllment Of this VOW as a solemn duty,
for which every one of them consecrates
himself at the early masses every Sunday
morning, and every one, down to the YER
lest babe i'll arms, is in some way brought
INTO connection with the play.
The play represents, as l have intimated,
the life of our Lord during tnat most
solemn week, denominated in the church as
Holy week, beginning with his entry into
Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and terminal
ing with his resurrection on Easter. The
representation proceeds by means of three
agencies; one, the cho us, consisting of
men and women, dressed like the Greek
chorus, whose part 1t is to sing the solemn
passion music, showing the purpose and OBJ
1ect OF the drama as 1t OlowlY proceeds to
unfold itself; second, the tableaux, varied
and beautiful, taken from the Old Tesla
ment, in some of which several hundred
persons are on the stage at one time. These
tableaux are types of the scene in our
Lords life which is to follow; and third, the
dramatic representation by characters of
the events in Christ's life from Palm Sun,
day to Easter. These three agencies blend
to fill the minds of the 6,000 peasants who
gather in the uncovered auditorium with
devout and reverent alteration. Breathless
stiffness holds the audience during the
sacred scenes. Not a sound escapes save
now and then a barely audible sob. | have
never heard one deny that to them-the
simple, pious, wood-carving peasants of
Ammergau-that Passion-Play is a means Of
the deepest spirituality.
But how about others2 The ubiquitous,
travelling sight-seer from Uncle Sans
domains? know some of this genus-right
here this very lent during the scored scenes
of Holy week-of whom would rot predi-
cate as to their striking characteristic
reverence. Perhaps Bishop Oxenham puts
it exactly right: 1--WE know that holy
spirit; and those who come to Ammergau
from mere idle curiosity or artistic dehbera-
ton. or, still worse, if such there be, to mock
the simple earnestness of a faith
they dlsrelish or despise, had,
to say the least, far better stay
away But none who are content to wit
ness the drama in the spirit of those who
enact it, as a real, though minor fulfillment
| of the apostolic injunction to show forth
the Lords death till he come, need fear that
their visit will prove other than privilege
and blessing"
As to the rumor published last summer
in the Munich papers, that syndicate lad
bought out the play, the best answer is the
statemeDJ recently published of the receipts
and expenditures Of the money taken at the
last Passion-Play. In this statement it will
be seen that the earnings went for their
village hospital, their parish church, their
schools of Woodworking. and a sum laid up
for the next representation.
| When the noisy crowd of thousands Of
pilgrims leave the village, there is lett
behind a quiet, devout Roman Catholic
hamlet; pra1ticng their trade as wood
carvers with artistic taste-atteuding upon
the duties of holy mother church. reverence
ing their village schoolmaster, loving their
priest, and coming nearer, L expect, than
most of us to loving God and their neigh
bors. The novel of Quits" by Baroness
Taatpheus, where the scene is laid among
these villagers, is conclusive evidence Of
their piety and simple goodness.
CHARLES H. STRONG.