Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-08-30

conversation we learned of the events
which took Luther from his quiet Err
furt cloisters to the stir of busy little
Wittenberg, and then the curtain rose
again.
Throughout the play there was no
scenery, but 1t was not such a loss as
one might suppose, and it was easy
enough to imagine the narrow streets
of the university town from the crowd
Of students, with grave. thin DR..
gown, moving among them. They are
busily discussing the last important
matter that has come to their earS-a
fortunate two or three of their num-
Der have secured a wonderful indul-
gence from a certain monk, TetZel
and, no matter how they may sin,
their forgiveness Is assured. But DIR.
Luther suddenly appears among them.
He, too, has heard of these indul-
gences, and issues Indignantly from
his cloister With the utmost love and
tenderness. and yet with burning
wrath against the author of the
wrong, he tries to convince the stu
dents of. their error, and then, drawing
a written roll from the folds of his
Augustinian habit, he tells them OF
the defiant remonStrance it contains,
and that he will nail 1t to the very
doors of the church itself. AS he
moves impetuously forward, the stu
dents surging about him trying to dis
suade him from his mad purpose, the
curtain falls again.
From now on the play deepens and
grows more intense as it bears us
through the inward tragedy and out
ward drama of Luther's life. The
scenes that follow are: Luther's fare
well to Staupitz; Luther burning the
papal bull before the Elster gate at
Wittenberg. Luther in the johann
inter house in Worms; Luther on the
Wartburg translating the Bible;
Luther and the image-breakers; and
at last the storm at an end, Luther
in the midst Of his family.
The connection between the scenes
was given throughout by the CONVEX
senator, and at the end of each scene
the boy choir sang a Luther hymn re-
tlecting the impression made by that
scene. After the scene in the Reich
stag in Worms the whole audience
rose again and sang Elm feste Burg"
as only deeply moved German COM
pany can sing it. At the end of the
y,1n tn ST;
hymn of praise, of course one of
Luther's.
In this play at Grimma many of the
same elements were present which
have made the Passion Play at ODER
ammergau what it is There was the
same solemnity and devotion of au-
dience, the same dignity and serious.
ness of actor. There was no applause,
and much intensity of feeling was
manifest. At the end the people dis
persed quietly. 1t would have been
easy to have made a failure of it;
little less earnestness in the actors
would have made itself fatally felt;
but as it was, their simplicity and
sincerity kept them from exaggerated
action on the one hand and lack Of
feeling and expression on the other.
They were evidently supported by the
sympathy of the whole body of towns
people. AS the program stated the
play was "acted by 12O citizens Of
Grimma." or the 20 leading parts,
10 were filled by teachers from
Criminals four large schools, while
the others were acted by lawyers and
business men. 1t was interesting to
know that one of these last Is a direct
descendant Of Luther, through the
mothers line. The only wOman's
part in the play was that of Frau
Observation-Disclosures beloved "Kathe"
and she appeared only in the last
scene, when she and the children sang
II vesper hymn after the evening
meal, DR.. Luther accompanying them
on his lutte.