The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-10-24
BEN HUR'S DISCOVERY.

Today, write, line of person of both
sexes anxious to secure seats for the performance
of Ben Hur," reaches from the box Office almost
to the next street corner. There is something adj
mirable in the novel creating "Ben- Hur" What
there is, to the drama beyond the spectacular, we
have little knowledge. That little is drawn from
the bills announcing the performance The illumi-
mated posters contain a picture of the chariot
race. Probably this is the feature which excites
the throng patiently awaiting their turn at the
box office
If there be sermons i'll stones, surely we may
find in the drama much to move emotion. No mat
ter how artfully the dramatist brings out Ben
Hur, the central figure of Lew Wallace's great
book he cannot reveal its chief Importance in the
scene where the chariots are racing. To the reIi-
gious mind, the scenes necessarily omitted be-
cause they would embrace the soul part of the
written story, lie in those leaves of the novel where
Ben Hur first meets the boy Christ, and again
discovers him on his way to Calvary. This is a
part dramatist could make clear. Stage Ian
guage is inadequate for the purpose; so is the
scenery.
In the early chapters of "Ben Hur," this Jew
ish heros enemy is Roman youth of patrician
blood. One comprehend the prosecutions of
the Jews under the Caesars in the light of the
prosecutions of the present by the Gentiles, or
Christians. 1t so happened that through the ma
hcious vengeance of the Roman youth Ben Hur
seized bound and carried over the desert. des-
tined to slavery. On the road his captors halted
well, around which were camped little
Jewish caravan. Flung upon the ground, nearly
dead from exhaustion, Ben Hur closed his eyes
in anguish Opening them, he saw bending over
him a youth, whose countenance expressed
sublime pity. The youth held cup of water to
the lips of Ben Hur The act the heavenly face.
burned itself into the soul of the unhappy Jew.
As it usually turns out in novels there appears
a time when Ben Hur overcomes the obstacles
which his enemies set for his destruction. and he
witnesses their discontinue This so happened
IN the chariot race where he defeated the Roman
youth who caused him so much misery. As we
said before this, to the religious mind is not the
important part of the novel. 1t comes in response
to Ben Hur's desire for Messiah whom he i'm
AGNES, could be no other than a person able to
destroy the power of the Romans and rebuild Jul
dea He hears about this Jesus of Nazareth the
miracles he performs and the multitudes who
listen to his teachings. Such a man. to Ben Hur's
mind, is the only one to crush Rome and uplift
the people. Such man is the promised Messiah
The thought guides human desire and am
biton at this day, and will forever The Messiah
must be of wrath a man of memorable JUS
tice.
And where did Ben Hur at last find this power
full Messiah, after vainly seeking him in the tenn
pie and all about Jerusalem On the road to Cal
vary, somebody told him, to be crucifed there
Away started Ben Hur to overtake the mob He
IS sure he could persuade this Messiah to listen
to the plans he had laid and the men at his COM
mand for insurrection. One word from the Naza-
rene and the spears would drop from the Roman
soldlery. One word, and rebellion would be