New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-24
NO PASSION pLdY ~ CHICAGO.

Elsewhere will be found number Of wcehty
| interviews with representative clcrgymcn e
this city. in regard 70 the proposal 10 give the
| Passion Play of Obcrammcrcnu in Chicago
next summer The projectors OF This scheme.
most Of whom arc foreigners. propose Ia bring
ovor about half the population of Obcrammcr-
| gan some 500 persons, and construct a large
| theatre in Chicago, in which will be presented
| the play with scenery representing the noun
| famous background Of Obcrammcrgau. We
| arc told that the hitherto inSuperablo objcc-
tionS Of the peasant participatorS in this famous
| spectacle to present it outside Of their native
| village have been ovcrccms by the argument
| that they will advance the canSc OF Christianity
| in America, and now all that is wanting is a
general request on the part Of tho American
people 10 have tho play presented, as fitting
adjunct of the Worlds Fair.
That such a request will never be made
either formally or by implication, is so certain
that the mpudcnt and brazcn scheme might
be treated with the silent contempt il deserves
wcro it not possible that such silence might
be purpoScly msconStrucd into consent by the
spectators who arc fa'hcring il. IL is the
duty, therefore Of the American people to utter
as will force the projectors TO give it mp. And
we confidently believe that the eminent clergy
men whose views arc quoted in another col
umn speak for an overwhelming majority of
decent Americans OF every creed, in declaring
that the proposed presentation Of the Passion
Play in Chicago would be sacrilcgous ont
rage, which should be neither tolerated nor
allowed. The uttcrancc Of Archbishop Corrl-
gan is worthy Of consideration. not only be-
cause OF its logical force and good sense, but
because he is a distinguished dignitnry Of the
Church under whose auspices the Passion
Play has been given in Obcrammergau for
go years. And we arc confident that in
speaking they do, Archbishop Corrigan.
Bishop Mcdonnell and the priests interviewed.
give expression TO the views Of nearly every
dignitary and priest Of the Catholic Church in
America, a fact which Of itself ought 10 kill
the scheme beyond the power Of resurrection.
On this question all Catholics are good protcs-
tants. And it is apparent that the Protestant
clergy arc just rs strongly opposed 10 the prof
Get The Rev. DR.. w. X. Huntington char
acterizcs it rs an anachronSm and an offence
Tho Rev DR.. James VI. King trains upon il
six wcqhy argumentatiyc guns, whose cxecu-
ton is most deadly. DR.. Lyman Abbott COLI
dennis it in The Christian Union" And tho
Rev. DR.. J.. W. Donald dcnounccS it a. an al
tempt to make money out of one Of the most
sacred themes in the history Of the human race
The absence of so many clergy men from the
city is tho only reason why larger number
of interviews is not given. That the clergy
generally would take the same ground how.
ever cannot be doubted by any intelligent
man. and in doing they would represent tho
attitude Of nearly every decent American.
whether he nominally is a Christian or not
If the projectors are waiting to hear from tho
American people they need wait no longer
The press, both secular and religious, has'al.
ready forcshadowed their views with clearncss
and distinctncss.
1t is unnecessary here TO state in detail the
objections to tho scheme which are so well
stated in the interviews. The presentation OF
such a play, under such circumstances. and
for the purpose Of making money, would be a
debasng of things holy. 1t would grossly Of