The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-22
PASSION PLAY IS
SHOWN BY LECTURE
Famous Ceremony Of Baravlan Peas.
ants Told a Scranton Audience.
AIDED BY STHREOPTIcON VIEWS
Rev. }. J. Lewis, Who in 1890 was
Present ut the Oberammerga
Performance and Secured Many OF
His views on the Spot, Told the
story Of the Piay--IIas Been n
Religious Ceremony, Given Every
Ten Years, Since 1888.

Rev. ]. ]. Lewis, of Chicago, gave
his famous lecture of the Passion play
at Oberammergau for the first time
in this state at the Young Mems Chris
tion association hall last evening. a
large audience was highly pleased with
a new way of telling the old story OF
the cruciiXion and the incidents pre-
cedng and succeeding 1t. 1t was re-
lated by Mr.. Lewis in a reverential but
entertaining way, and was accompan-
led by some of the best stereopticon
views ever seen in Scranton.
Most of the views were obtained by
Mr.. Lewis on the occasion of his visit
to Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps
in 1890. This was one of the occasions
of the prese ntation of the play by the
peasants. 1t is given every ten years
in the little mountain hamlet as the
fulfillment of vow made in 1888, when
Europe was visited by the BLACK
Death" The inhabitants resolved that
should they escape its ravages they
would present the Passion play every
ten years. and this vow they have sac
redly kept. 1t has become SO famous
that thousands are attracted from all
parts of the world to see 1t.
over eight hours is actually required
to give the play at Oberammergau, so
Mr.. Lewis is obliged to greatly con-
dense his story and crowd much into
a brief space of time. The Introductory
part of the lecture included some beau
tiful views taken enroute from Munich
to Oberammergau, and of the village
itself of the peasants who present the
play and their home life.
PEASANTS ALONE CAN TAKE
PART.
Mr.. Lewis emphasized fact to be
remembered that the peasants alone
take part, and that the isolated con-
dition in which they live in Europe
should not be forgotten. They live for
the Passion play, and so real has it
become to them through centuries of
inheritance and experience that they
actually live the life divine. In the
interim Of the plays the male actors
spend most of their time In carving
religious subjects from wood
The play is given on a large stage.
The scenery shows the temple in the
center, the Via Dolorosa and the home
of Pontus PLATE. A series of tableauX
and speaking parts cover the events in
the life of Christ during Passion week
anu CullIllIldllllS III f1lS
Much interest centered in the pic
i lures Of Joseph Maier who has por-
trayed the Christus since 1870. and who
may assume that character in 1900 al
| though he suffers greatly and has aged
| considerably from the effects of an ac-
| cident while logging. 1t was wonder
! full to observe the growth in spiritual
! beauty in the development of Maier's
fn 1, n,t
/ of 1890
| Mr.. Lewis remarked that during the
! performance one marveled on the re-
| markable genius displayed in the selec-
! tion of the peasants for the parts they
! portrayed. whether it was Mary. the
| mother Of Jesus; Caiaphas, the high
| priest; Mary and Martha, Joseph or
| Nicodemus. This was borne out in a
! striking manner by the more than life
/ size views shown of the disciples, the
! judges and rabbis and the other male
| and the female characters.
NATURAL FACES.
Only those of Judas. Barabbas and
| the fallen Magdalene were made up"
| The others We're natural faces and fig
| ures, their clothing only being special
| ly designed, and without the aid of the
| lecturer their identity of those most
familiar could be easily established.
In having so able an assistant as
Frank Bean. of Chicago Mr.. Lewis is
! fortunate. Mr.. Bean managers the
stereopticon so well that the beautiful
| dissOlving views are a series of de-
| lights. The lecture has been given over
1,500 times, over fifty times in Boston
alone. If Mr. Lewis is again heard in
Scranton he will be greeted by another
| big audipncp