New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-05
SPARE US" SAYS BISHOP.
DR., Burgess Objects Specially to
"Pdra'fa' Christmas Foe
PRIEST APPROVES MUSIC DRAMA.

PRIEST APPROVES MUSIC DRAMA
In a sermon preached yesterday noon in Ct
Pauls Chapel Bishop Burgess of Long Island
without mentioning the music drama bv name
made an evidei.t protest against the coming pro-
duction Of "Parsifal" at the Opera House
Speaking from the words They laugh hin, 70
scorn.' in the passage descriptive of Cbrist,s
raising OF the girl from the dead the Bishon
dwelt on the laughter and scorn which he said
Christianity had always 10 meet in the world
and then continued.
The old stories Of the Holy Grail sprang up in
introduced by men like Tennyson or even Lowell
tthey 90 not lose their reveTent charm. but when
introduced by men who declare themselves pagans
ana when they are made the background for stage
something lost We baT fa1f " ID az glsIos Us o.
uI-es perhaps, that we are received without due
anu Polshed-yet We feel that we are in hostile
The stage Of to-day has proclaimed itself the
seIsl51oLe Tor the pulpit II not only gives so
peI IS oeIhg used now as = background for stage
where CharaCterless fool is represented as the
Redeemer and Saviour; in awful mockery His fee
in fearful imitation Of the Gospel are wiped with
her long hair A Representations Of the Last Supper
the Son OF God IS shown on the stage and words
are sung which make one shudder No fine acting
can blot out the undertone Of sacrege Surely this
Is basphemy against the Holy Ghost
We feel Ike CRYING. ''f1h. spare this At least
in this time OF Advent al this Christmas Eve.
Laugh at US if YOU will call our learned men and
priests hypocrftes and fools but let that story
remain sacred. Let that character remain in
history the one character the world VIII not have
defIed.''
They laughed Him TO scorn." Who laughed Him
to sCorn? Not the father and mother of that maid
the Apostles touched with sympathy and awe
Oh. The men who laughed Him to scOrn were
the who did not care; the men who We're serv-
ing the world for hire.
Mr. Conried last night when 10 him was
shown an account of the Bishops sermon, said
q cannot say from that sermon that the right
reverend gentleman meant ParsifaT by his re-
marks. They are so inaccurate If he did mean
Parsifar that I can only suggest to the right
reverend gentleman that he read a copy of the
book of ParsifaT before he discusses the drama
again, if that is what he was discussing"
Mr.. MeItzer, Mr.. Conried's assistant, yesterday
received request for story on "Parsifal" to
he published in a Catholic magazine. and Father
John Talbot Smith. who made the request said
10 him:
Far from Directing to the production Of Par
sifaI" believe that Catholics in general and more
particularly Catholic cle-iCs, will welcome IT an
this community Speaking a critic Of Catholic
magazine, ] may tell you that a result Of this
production shall in future pay steady attention to
opera There can be 10 offence IN the presentation
Of ''PaTsfal loosely described by some as the
Introduction o. the Last Supper. There is Last
supper and TO sacrament on the stage What will
be is merely tie symbolism of the Holy Grail,
grateful and CiStaS-eful rejecting Catholics
many OF whom are great theatregoers.