The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-17

narrowness has contributed to the making
of a concrete type such as may be found
only in purely religious communities.
Communication with the world at large
has not been considered of sufficient i'm
portance 20 warrant any enterprise in that
direction, though probably with the in
creased interest which the whole wor d
displays in the Passion Play; it will not
be long before this isolated and almost
medieval community win be reached by
a steam railroad or even perhaps by "a
trolley line
Daisenberger's High Ideals.
The parish priest Daisenberger. was the
first to bring out of it's medieval gro
tesqueness the beauty and mystery of the
Passion Play. Before his time the render
ing of the divine tragedy was nothing
more than an outdoor ceremony. For
nearly two score years the priest labored
to the end of making the Passion Play
an observance of great Importance in she
religious world He had keen dramatic
instinct and, being a very sincere Chris
tan, he realized at once what possibilities
there were. not only in the play as hand
ed down from early times, but also Ia the
native humble artisans of the vale. Dali
senberger eliminated the vulgar buffoon-
cry with which the early play was bur-
dened, substituting lines of great force and
beauty as well as situations of high ar
humanizing Of the personality of the Sa-
viour and the vitalizatlon of the apostles,
which characterize the Ober Ammergdu
performances. The participants in the
play are men chosen not alone for their
hisarionic ability in order TO be eligible
they must be of unimpeachable character
and entirely worthy to fill any exalted o.e.
From the time when they appear in the
chorus as little children in robes of many
hues, the spirit of the Passion Play rules
them entirely. Later they assume the
more difficult parts, and from among the
apostles of this year may be chosen the
Christ OF a decade hence.
Through all these ten years a most ac-
curate and intimate study of the Scrip
tural situations, the costumes and man
ners of New Testament times, the charac-
ter Of the personages, and their personal
appearances based on the paintings OF the
old masters Is made under careful guild
ance and the rehearsals are long and
arduous.
Daisenberger caused II 10 be recorded
that he understood the production FOR
che love of his Divine Redeemer, and with
only one object in view, namely, the
evangelizauon of the world" He made
the representation Of che divine Passion
as dictated by the entire Scriptures,
bringing II within human scope and typi-
flying I'm the person of the Divine man,
the supreme Godbead. But whether the
followers Of Daisenberger have carried
QUE the spirit Of his Injunction, never al
lowing the material TO superimpose it.
self upon the spiritual, Is a much moot
ed point. Many devou: men who have
seen the latest rendering affirm that all
the glory and purity Of the early repre-
sensations have been retained undehled by
the modern spirit Of commercial enter
prise Others are convinced that the
Passion Play must inevitably fall into the
hands of the Spectator and the mounte-
bank and that the natural love for gain
IN the human heart will eventually Grad
icate the more solemn and reverential
spirit without which the Passion Play
becomes merely a theatric and dangerous
assumption Of holy things to base ends
One Of these holding the negative point
Of view IS Or. Robert Coilyer. whose ex-
pressed convictions are herewith given:
DIR. CoIlyer on the Passion Play.
1t is sad commentary on the times
that with the universal popularizing OF
a profound and sacred observance. the
worldly spirit should thrust itself In and