The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-24
Bank Holiday Tomorrow.

be greeted by large congregation.
 Bank Holiday Tomorrow.
 The banks of the city and the postofice Will be closed tomorrow which is Mardi Gras. Today winch was legally get aside Tor the celebration of Washngton's birth day was not observed either in the busi- ness world or by the schools in Selma.
 Pen Pictures of the Passion Play.
 Rev. B. +. Matrau, D. D., rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, continued his series of lectures on the Passion Play or Oberammergau last evening, large congregation being present. Dr. Ma trau's lecture last evening dealt with the betrayal and capture of Christ and was the most interesting he has yet de- livered.
 Dr. Matrau began with the Sixth Act of the play which portrys Judas bargain ing with the Jewish council to betray Christ. The act Is opened with chant by the chorus which sings of the deaden- ing effect the love of money has upon all the nobler feelings of man and Of the similarity between the sale of Joseph to the Mideonites by his brothers, the sons of Jacob. for twenty pieces of silver. and the betrayal of Christ to the Jews by Judas for thirty pieces of silver. The song of the chorus tells of the doom of Judas and in general is a sort Of pro logue to the sixth act
 The curtain falls, the chorus retires and the curtain raised discovers the first scene of the act. The priests and the pharisees are seated in the council cham Der and to them Caiaphas announces the joyful news that a trusted guide has been found who will betray Christ into their hands. Immediately there Is dis cussion of the price that Is to be paid for the betrayal and finally 1t Is decided that in acordance with the law of Moses the price is to be thirty pieces of silver which is the statutory reward for the capture of a slave.
 Judas led by the messengers sent for him enters and is introduced as trusted friend of Jesus as one of the Twelve. Judas when questioned by the councillors as to his reasons for being willing to be-
 tray a friend and master says that their friendship has cooled; there is nothing to be gotten from him-and I wish to obey the law"
 The betrayer Is then told that he is to
 receive thirty pieces of silver for his un-
 faithfulness as well as honor in the
 future Judas assents but Nicodemus and other councillors object to such heartless bargain and roundly rate Judas who is amazed that his Master should be regarded with humane felings by those who are presumed to be His btterest enemies.
 But Judas takes the money and gives
 instructions that soldiers with arms and
 torches are to be sent to the place he will appoint.
 After Judas and those designated to accompany him have departed the re- maining councillors discuss the fate of Christ. Imprisonment Is suggested, but | they fear He will escape either through | the agency of His friends or by His
 magic. And then 1t is decided that, He
 must die. Better" exclaims Caiaphas,
 that one man should die than that the | whole nation should perish"
 l Again Nicodemus raises a storm of in-
 dlgnant protestations by asking If this
 man Is to be put to death without trial, | if this Is justice and in accordance with l the laws of Moses. And Joseph also | speaks against the injustice But both | are booted and called traitors. There is no need of witnesses. they say; we know | this mans guilt. And Nlcodemus and | Joseph are willingly expelled from the | council to their prophet ere he dies. After the retirement of Nicodemus and Joseph the councillors take up again their | discussion of the fate of Christ. But | they decide that He must have the for
 mality of a trial by the government; and
 if this method fails they will incite a
 mob of their nirelings to murder Him.
 The seventh act Is commenced with two tableaux. The first which is the tenth in the play represents Adam and Eve under the curse, both earning their bread in sweat of their brows. The second tableaux
 represents the treacherous murder of
 Amosin by Joab who while offering kiss
 stabs his friend. The themes of these
 tableaux are told by the choir. Both
 pictures are especially remarkable Dr.
 Matrau said. especially the second in
 which is employed the artifice of conceal
 ing a choir among the rocks to respond
 to the questioning chants of the chorus standing on the proscenlum.
 The first scene of the seventh act rep
 resents the Mount of Olives at night, Judas, four companions from the Jewish | Council ..nd the members of the temple watch approach and consult as to the method to be employed In capturing Him | they seek Judas tells them the sign will he A kiss and after further conversation | they retire and the curtain falls to rise | again on the second scene of the act. The second scene Is within the Garden | of Gethsemane and is. in Dr. Matrau' s | opinion, the most DedutlLul III tHe PIdS' | Christ and his disciples enter and they | talk together. He with Peter, James and John withdraw a little from the others and He bids the three chosen watch while He prays. Christ prays and returning | finds the watchers asleep He rebunes them mildly but ever on His return finds them sleeping. In His prayers He tells | of the approaching doom but says, Thy | will be done; if this cup may not pass | from me except that drink 1t. Thy will l be done" An angel descends from Heav- l an and standing by Christ's side encour- ages Him and bids Him do His Father s will. With renewed strength Christ re- turns to the sleeping disciples but does | not awaken them.
 A moment later, however all are aroused by the heavy tramping of armed men and they attempt to leave the gar
 den. They are intercepted and Judas, | striding forward and standing behind His | Master, betrays Him with a kiss, crying. | Hail Master"
 Christ answers: "Betrayest thou the | Son of Man with a kiss? l am Jesus of | Nazareth" And thereupon all the sol
 diers either run away or fall down in | fright but He bids them be not afraid;
 and they take Him and bind Him. Peter cuts off the ear of Malachus but | is rebuked by Christ who heals the
 wounded man, who, like all his fellows is supplied.
 Jesus forsaken by His disciples Is bound
 and led away amid Jeers and other indig- mites and the curtain falls upon the | seventh act.