The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-17

| 1t was comparatively easy to teacl
| the Indians the verbal word of God
| but when it came TO an understandin:
| of the real meaning of Christianlt,
there was failure. 1t seemed as if thu
wonderful story of the Passion coult
not be brought clearly to them. Ii
their own folklore they had many par
ables. many weird stories of strange
dcings, and it was not long unit
Father Chirouse began to see that the
suffering and death of the Savior wa:
to them merely tale, possibly told tc
illustrate a point. 81
Day after day he went among then
endeavoring to impress the living
truth upon their minds. He had hac
success in changing their moral view:
and had made of them moral men anc
women as-Indians CO. But he was not
satisfied. There came to him in Tins
what the good father considered di-
vine inspiration. It. was happy
thought that bore happy fruit. ano
perhaps the father was right in plac-
ing it's source where he did.
How the Inspiration Came.
One Sunday after morning mass
which was held in a small settlement
named Seachel. the priest entered into
conversation with an old Siwash some
what renowned as a medicine man. Tbs
language used was the Chinook. that
universal tongue of the Indians and
whites in the northwest.
Ever mindful CT his absorbing ambi-
ton in life. the teaching of the Savior 5
passion, Father Chirouse repeated the
cid. old story to his companion, de-
scribing in detail the career of Christ
and his ultimate cracifixiOn. When he
had finally ended. he glanced inquir-
ingly at the aged Indian.
.'Sah-a-la Ty-ee klosche Jesus
good),r replied the Indian rather in
differently.
But you believe that ne suffered
and died for our sins9" persisted Father
Chirouse.
The siwash thought awhile then with
an irecrutable smile, he answered:
See ow-ist. Pah-pah." Il have eyes
father)
Yes
NO man-ich." (But I did not see
that
My son. my son, how could you see
it" exclaimed the priest fairly exas-
perated. 1t happened almost nineteen
centuries ago..
Then he went away to think. Within
threa days a perfected plan rested in
the brain of Father Chirous-a- 1t was
the plan of a play to be enacted by
Indians for Indians, a play with liv-
ing actors. and with scenes typifying
the Passion OF Christ.
He sought aid in prayer. and for
three days and three nights invoked
divine assistance neither sleeping nor
eating during that period. Then. after
resting awhile. he began his task with
confidence. His first duty was TO select
the actors. In the cast. Il it might be
so termed. he needed at least a score.
Besides the Savior there were the dis
ciples. Mary. PLATE. the guards and
others II was necessary not only to
train Indians to take the parts. but
what was almost as difficult Father
Chirouse had to find costumes
These had to be made in the village
and By persons who did net know a
funic from 4 toga. Spears. uniforms,
helmets. girdles and other parapherna-
liza were required together with a cross,
stage and divers sets of scenery.
AT f:st there was some Jealousy.
These given the minor casts were
piqued because they had not been re-
quested to take the more important. and
those who had been left out entirely
were inclined to find fault. Father
Chirouse exercised diplomacy, however,
and at the end Of three weeks every
thing was in readiness for what in
another walk of life would be termed a
dress rehearsal
The Programme.
The first performance was to be held
in Seachel, the date given cut being
Ji;te 9. 1889. The news had Travelled far
and vice. and for several days before
the s1ecified time the roads and trails
leaC.ng to Seachel were thrOnged with
both Indians and whites. Visitors came
from Vancouver and New Westminster
and from other places on the Canadian
Pacific railway. All the clergy in that
section of British Columbia found
means to rendezvous in the little native
hamlet. and by the Sth of June the
place had assumed the appearance of a
booming city.
The morning of the 9th found stage
or platform erected on the bank Of the
river which flowed past Seachel- It
was an ordinary wooden affair in its
primary construction. but the deft
hands Of the Indian maidenS had hid
den the rough planks beneath a wealth
of green foliage and beautiful flowers.
On all sides were strewn pine boughs
and cones, and the balmy fragrance of
balsam filed the air. The day was
warm and bright and not cloud
marred the deep azure of the heavens.
1t seemed as il nature smiled on the
scene.
The programme Father Chirouse had
consisted of an open air mass.
to be followed by nine tableaux- These
were: One, the prayer in the garden:
two. Christ before PLATE; three. the
scourging; four. the browning of
thorns: five. CARRYING of the cross; six.
of Christ and bis mother;