The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-14
REV. DR.. LEWIS LECTURE
Will Tell the story of the Passion
Play at Auditorium Tonight

Rev. J. J. Lewis, who is TO tell the story
OF the Passion Play of Oberammergau
in the Auditorium Friday evening. Sat
urday afternoon and Sunday evening, has
made a remarkable record as a lecturer.
In 1890 he had been pastor of a church
in Boston for twenty years. He was utterly
unknown as a public lecturer. but he was
a pioneer in the use Of the stereopticon in
Sunday evening services.
During the year 1890 he went abroad for
the purpose Of getting material for illus
trated Sunday evening lectures in his own
church. At that time he shared the almost
universal opinion that the Passion Play
ought not to be countenanced; that it was
almost blasphemy for men and women to
attempt to represent the characters in the
Bible, especially Jesus. He went to Ober-
ammergau to witness the Passion Play as
given by the peasants Of that Bavarian vii
lage with the express design Of Obtaining
material to prove not only that the Passion
Play should never be given. but that when
given no one ought TO witness it. But ne
found there a community Of people who
for six hundred years had lived with the
eye single to this exalted purpose, that
they might represent worthlly the char
acters in the New Testament story of the
life OF Jesus. He found that living with
this high object in view a practically per-
feet community had been developed A
community actually without crime or vice.
and apparently without Gin. This was the
result Of the Passion Play itself He was
so impressed with the representation that
his opinion was wholly changed, and he
Of
condemn the Passion Play OF Oberammer-
gau. He first gave the lecture in his own
church and then accepted invitations 70
repeat it in other churches. until the calls
became so frequent and 40 imperative that
in 1923 he found himself obliged TO ssve
up MS pastorate and enter the lecture field.
At that time he had repeated the lecture
a hundred times in the city Of Boston
alone The calls for the lecture have
steadily increased until up to the present
time ne has given it at least two thousand
times. This record for a single lecture IS
absolutely without parallel.
One hundred thousand people witnessed
the forty-three representations Of the Pas
sion Play IN 800 at Oberammergau. Mr..
Lewis has told the story TO more than five
times that number. Though he has many
other Illustrated lectures that in respect Of
scenery are much mora brilliant and in
terestIng. yet his lecture on the Passion
Play is the one that Is the most popular
and has practically made him famous.
Mrs. Carter. who always stands for The
best IN entertainment IS Wei as every
ching else has arranged for the lecture
Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and
Sunday evening. so az u make il possible
for all ages and all classes 20 attend.
There is some fne incidental music ac-
campaigning the Passion Play which VIII
he rendered By tire Ethiopian quartstte.
composed NJ the following ladies: First
soprano. Mss Darl OI6fe]d: second So
p-suo. Airs. Hubert Chlde; first alto. Miss
Ns5die o. Hamilton; second alto. Mss
Blanche Childe. Miss Savs-a S-a-tIer WI
substitute for Miss O.dhsId on Friday
evening. Rev. =. A. Duaher viii sing
Not Ashamed ~ Jesus" and MIS-. HUI
bert Ca.lde win sing The Holy CITY
MS Florence Howard vii s.rs The Dan
ubs River