The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-18
AN INTERESTING ORATOR.
Father CIeary Lectures the s.Passion
Play Mt Oberammergau.'s

| Rather Cieary Lectures on the s.Passion
Play mt Oberammergau."
The Rev. Father j. NJ. Cleary of Min
neapolis delivered his second lecture at
| Turner hall last evening. In spite of
two strong counter attractions, the au-
dience was of d goodly size. The rev.
erend gentleman is undoubtedly one OF
the most eloquent divines in the United
States. His language is of the high
est character and his flow of words is
remarkable. He is possessed of a
pleasing stage presence and his digni-
fled bearing lends force to the MASTER
| ~ sentences that roll from his throat
in a deep, rich voice.
/ Father Cleary has an excellent edu-
| cation, and his extensive travels have
added to his store of knowledge until
/ now he is recognized authority upon
/ matters religious and otherwise. His
standing in his church is of the high
! est. and wherever he goes he is well
coined in the most cordial manner.
| Father Cleary's lecture last evening
was upon the famous Passion Play"
which is presented once every 10 years
at the little village of Oberammergau
| in Bavaria. He was one of the specta-
tors at Oberammergau in the autumn
1 of 1890. His lecture is a description of
\ what he then experienced.
| Oberammergau is small village con-
4 tanning a population of only about 1000
/ souls. But its fame is world wide be-
cause of its wonderful passion play.
4 During the season of this unique
! Christian representation travellers flock
to the quaint little Bayarian village
! from all parts of the world. Oberam-
mergau is greatly indebted To the En-
glish press and people for the popular
fame it enjoys.
From the eminent English divine now
Dean of Canterbury, but better known
as Canon Farrar, to men of lesser
| fame. the English-s speaking world has
heard the eulogies of the passion play
About the year 1888 an alarming pes
thence devastated the happy village Of
0berammergau. The people assembled
! in their village church and soIemnly
vowed to heaven that If Divine Proxi-
dence would stay the ravages of the
plague they and their posterity would
give every 10 years. for ali time to
| come. public representation of some
scenes from the sufferngs of Christ Tor
the edificaton of the world. Oberam-
mergau ras been faithful to this vow
for over $50 years
Bible plays. miracle plays, or mystery
plays, as they were often called. were
quite common throughout Europe dur
ing the middle ages They We're utl-
| lied by the church as object lessons to
convey religious truth to the people
and impress upon the mind and heart
the moral influences of religion. Only
in a few out of the-way places, like
Oberammergau, did they retain their
popularity. 1t was quite natural for
these simple people. tenacious of an
cient traditions, to conceive the project
of perpetuating the religious drama.
Since 1850 the Oberammergau Passion
Play has become famous outside of Ba-
varia. Under the intelligent direction
of the cultured pastor of the village,
the reyered Father Daisenberger, who
died in 1883. the Passion Play attract
ed world wide attention. The railroad
reaches within six miles of the village.
and thus makes this mountain resort
quite easy of access.
The great drama is divided into two
parts. each part occupying four hours.
SO that during eight hours, from S
o'clock in the morning until II o'clock
and from ! o'clock until o'clock in the
afternoon. the attention of the audi
ence is centered upon most vivid repre-
sensations of the sufferings of the Sa-
vior Of mankind. The great theater is
fitted UP expressly for the purpose and
can accommodate 1000 people. 1t is
filled at every exhibition, but over
croWding is not permitted.
There are IS taheaux, illustrating
scenes from the Old Testament and Is
acts or principal scenes in the play.
The people regard it as a great relig-
ious act Hence it always takes place
on Sunday, beginning on Pentacost
and closing on the last Sunday in Sep
TENDER, every 10th year. The next ex-
hibition will be in 1900. The excellent
acting of the Bavarian villagers has
been praised by the leading actors of
the world. Chauncey Depew, on his re-
turn from Europe in 1890. stated that
nothing had pleased him so much our
ing his trip abroad as the Passion Play
at Oberammergau.
The villagers are intelligent, pro-
foundry religious and they place them
selves under expert instruction In pre-
pairing for their great labor of love
The Passion Play at 0berammergau is
one of the most attractive sights to
witness in the old world.