The sun., 1903-11-11
PARSONS TOFIGHT"PARSIFAL"
rWO CLERGYMEN WHO WANT ITS
PROTECTION PREVENTED.
The Rev. George l.. shearer and DR.. BurreIl
Say II Would BE SacrileEiOus and
That n Produced II Should he Done
nv Christians-Herr Conried's Reply

Al
Raw DR.. David j. Burrell, pastor of the
Marble Collegiate Church. announced yes
t.rday that they were going to oppose
the production of "Parsifal" at the Metro
nolitan Opera House on the ground that
rs PRODUCTION would be blasphemous and
sacri,egious
Dr. Burre also says that "if there Is
o,vthing Christian about this 'Parsifal,' it
ouch, MI. to be produced by Christians.
DR.. Shearer said yesterday that he is a
friend of Gilbert Ray Hawcs. who. as counsel
for Frau Cosima Wagner, is fighting in tho
United States courts to have the production
Of 4Parsifal" stopped.
sour motives in this matter are altogether
diferent.' he added. 4He is fighting it on
IAss) grounds and l on moral
lawyer Hawcs is a member of DR.. Bur-
rers church, the clergyman said last
night, and then added that he had not con-
suited the lawyer about 'Parsifal,"
Both Dr.. Shearer and DIR. Burrell declared
tina, practically all the olergymen OF the
div, Catholic and Protestant, were with
them, but they declined to name any of their
allies. DR.. Shcarer said that a committee
of clergyrnen had been formed, but would
not tell who were members of it.
Or. Burreil said that he understood that
Bishop Potter was opposed to the opera.
BISHOP Potter said last night that he had
expressed no opinion on tho subject and
WAS not in possession of the inform alton
which would enable hun to do 30.
Or. Burrel, vino is Metropolitan Opera
House subscriber, stated his ob icctions rs
follows:
Il ain opposed to the production OF .Parsi-
fall but don't propose to conspicuously
Identify myself with the opposition l am
not a member Of the committee. There
isa general repugnance among Christians
10 the personal representation of Jesus on
the stage or anywhere else. and specially
Is there a repugnance to the spectacular
representation OF the very blood of Christ.
In Palsiial' not only ia Christ's person
represented but the blood.
THE same objections were urged a year
ago against the Pa sion Play. only that
was not produced as a theatrical perform
sncc, but as religious service. There is
no pretence that 'Parsifal is to be produced
as a religious service, and it is certainly
not to be produced under Christian aus
pices
Mr.. Conried is jew, is ne not? On that
point the emphasis should bo rather deli
ca-elv placed, but there is distinct feeling
anything Christian in the production it
should be under corresponding auspices.
II not, why not?
THE sober second thought of the people
will convince them that Farsiiar is more
Of q sacrege than wholesome, profitable
or even innocent performance.
All Catholics and Professionals feel the
fame way.
When asked how the ministers would
make their opposition effective, DR.. Burrell
raid
'Wel, one way would be to have tho
Mayor stop it. He is an Episcopalian,
and the Epscopalians will surely oppose
PalsilaI'-the Lpiscopalians and the Cath
olics, Mayor Low is Bishop Potter's right
hand man | don't know that Mayor Low
after the election. but George B. Mcclellan
would surely stop it. He's Presbyterian.
From the political point of view 1t would
ne dangerous not to stop II. With all the
Catholics there are In this city q man might
just as well make his will after he allows
any liberties with the sacraments"
Archbishop Farley is out of town, but
father Hughes Of the Cathedral stan said
last night that the Archbishop knew moth
ing abou! T. any any, committee OF e'ergymen to
1T is safe to assume. said Father Hughes,
shat the Catholic clergy will not ion in any
fight Of this sort. The personation Of Christ
is of course, extremely repugnant to us,
tut we VIII not taRe our lueaS OF Wnat is
sacred and what is not from these Protestant
cergymen.'
DR.. Shearer mentioned the Rev. G. c.
Berkemeier. u. D., director Of the Wartburg
Orphans Farm School at Mount Vernon. as
another clergyman who was opposed to the
production of Parsifal.
.Dr. Steckel of Germany, formerly Court
Preacher to Kaiser Wilhelm L. said Dr.
Shearer, has written to DR.. Berkem eier
urging him to have all American Christians
Hrrayed against the production of 'Parsifal'
because it is wholly in the hands of the
Jews. l will get that letter to use in our
DR.. Berkemeier was friend OF Richard
Wagner and doesn't agree with DR.. Shearer
that "Parsifal" is immoral or irreligious.
He stated very frankly last night that he
would oppose the production in the interest
New York audiences are not serious
enough to appreciate 'Parsifel," said the
Mount Vernon clergyman. "The opera is
eminently fit for production, but its pro-
duetion here would be an, infringement
.F Of Frau Masnssrs Eh,s H rnsa and che is parto
DR.. Shearer has desk drawer full
OF copies Of translations of Parsifal' He
read selections aloud yesterday to illustrate
his point. Here is one towhich he objected
very strenuouslv:
And as the verse was ended. came a ray
OF dazzling light upon the crystal Cup,
And hlled Il with a radiant purple glory.
And with 1t came a streaming splcndor down
H3d kng An AmfGrss n VIII D5Ehenng
It's glory to all sides And all did kneel.
and raised their eyes In Joyous reverence
Toward that bright glory In the darkened room.
TO put that on stage in an opera house"
he exclaimed, .'that ray of dazzling light
and that streaming splendor that means
the glory of God-and they intend to repre-
sent it with an electric light and they are
Soing to have artificial miracles. This is
Christian nation and the very security OF
the State would be menaced by putting
such production on the stage.
i explained the sacrilege to one gentle
man who had bought tickets for 'Parsifar
and he tore them up
=, Dr. Shearer closed the door leading to
the next room where several women type
Writers were at work and then said:
But that is not all. Between the two
eacreligious parts of the opera there comes
Z regular Red Light piece that they call
the temptation Of Parsifal.' Just listen
10 this
Sui looking whence the other voice had come.
he saw the leafy bower had opened wide.
Sna on nowery couch a maiden lay.
5aote beautiful than hcart could ever dream.
ehn IN some light gown OF Arabian stun.
And here's something worse:
Then there was silence. deep and terrible.
ns " the destiny OF all tho world
lung 10 the balance OF that tervcnt kiss.
Ptt SUI she held him In her Cllnging arms.
uuneh Parsl fal, as II the kiss had stung
nus teng into horror OF new pain.
Eiss;" ''-''N o- '''"O