Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-24

EAIl servation of a holiday that is con-
kf&Sk5 nected with one of the most dra-
S<sAaes matte episodes in all the history
--..i.lnd. Divested of its religious sig
nihcance the advent OF Jesus Christ is
still fraught with such tremendous i'm
portance that 1t must stand alone as one
OF the great incidents in history. 1t is
hardly probable that 1t can be paralleled,
and therefore It might we'll be set up as
the foremost of all the happenings in his
tory. The life of this man has affected
humanity as no other life has or likely
will. From an obscure stable at a wayside
stopping place outside the city of Beth
lehem In Judea has emanated an influence
that has swayed the mightiest nations
ana controlled the people, who have In turn
dominated the world This is easily under
stood, for, without regard to any of the
divine attributes ascribed to the man by
his devout followers, he brought to the
world In better form a capitalization of
An ethical code 80 nearly correct in princi-
ple and application that It is adopted by all,
Christian and Pagan alike, as the right way
for living. Arguments and assertions to
the contrary do not abate this fact 1t
may be, and in fact has been. asserted that
the principles OF the Christian doctrine
were set forth thousands Of years before
but the mere assertion of an abstract prin-
cple is not sufficient TO give it force 1t
requires something more, a vitalizing in
huence, to make it a strong, active factor
in this affair of man. 1t was this that
Christ furnished for the vagrant end in
definite maxims that had been tentatively
put forth at various times by different
religious teachers He collected them into
one compact form, and proncuncing them
in their brevity, he expounded them TO the
understanding OF even the simplest, and
buided on them a creed, the foundation of
which is Love, and whose whole edifce
and superstructure depends on that one di-
vine word. He found a world in which
the way OF life was hard. where hatred
and revenge ruled. and where the Mosaic
law OF IAN eye for an eye. tooth for a
TOOTH" was literally applied. Into this
world He came preaching the doctrine Of
Love. of doing good to those who do evil.
and forgiveness of enemies.
This novel doctrine was slow in taking
root, for II met the most strenuous opposl-
ton in ts earliest years. But II had the
advantage in that II taught the great les
son Of equality and brotherhood. and the
humblest classes found in 1t a refuge from
the prosecutions and exactions OF the great.
1t was this leveling influence that gave to
the Nazarine religion its great impetus
and which has made It the tremendous
agent for good 1t has proved in the affairs
of mankind.
Solely due to the element of sanctity that
surrounds the author OF this religion is
the fact that no writer, either novelist or
dramatist, has dared to use Jesus Christ
NAu W.
potentiality OF the incidents of His life as
they are known is admitted, and the in
terest that would be possible is equally
apparent, should the barrier ever be re-
moved and the life Of the man be used
as a basis for q drama. At various times
indefinite approaches have been made to-
wards this end, but no writer has as yet
had the tenerity to make Christ actually
move in play. The Passion Play OF Ober-
ammergau is not to be included in a list
of the drama, although II is built on a
framework resembling that OF a play. 1t
deals with the matter from purely re-
Ngious standpoint and offers in a medium
of mysticism rather than realism a few Of
the salient points in the life of the Savior.
But the absorbingly interesting story of
the life and work OF Jesus is not told.
-
Lew Wallace came nearer than any of
his fellows TO making the Nazarene a
character in a drama. In his great novel
he presents the outlines OF the teacher as
he went about on earth with his disciples,
and gives probably more definitely than
any other novelist has, in his indirect dis
cussion of the topic, a clear look at the
real meaning of that brief earthly pill
grimage. In the play that has been made
from the novel, the presence of Christ
Is limited at only, but the hint is intro
duced with such melodramatic crcum-
stances as to make IL one of the domi-
nant notes OF the play. Matters reach
such a pass that a miracle is absolutely
needed. and here the stage manager has
made just little more prominent tn,
device adopted by the novelist. Genera
Wallace very delicately seized upon one o!
the recorded miracles performed by Christ
and adapted 1t TO the uses of the novel
thereby restoring mother and sister e
Ben Hur. and rounding out in the mos
conventional way the great novel oil
which the play is founded. In this II
the nearest approach to the Introduction
OF Christ as character in a novel or play
Paul Heyse, in Mary of Magdala." keep
the presence of Christ always before hi
audience. but never introduces him. Tn
where Mady is converted; here Christ 4
supposed to walking with His disciples Il
garden adjacent 10 the house in whicl
Mary is visiting with a Roman nobleman
The influence OF His presence is NANTES
always, without making Him an actua
character. Heyse's handling OF the theme
presenting the contrasts OF Roman AM
Jewish character, animating Judas Iscario
with the same patriotic motive that moves
the son of Hur in his preparations for wa
on the Romans. is mastery. Mary, Will
she is made the central figure in the drama
is really a secondary participant In tn
struggle of interests illuminated by Heyse'
genius. 1t is rather tale OF the resistanc
of the Jews 10 the domination of Rome.
resistance that eliminated a few years late
in the desperate rebellion that led TO tn
final destruction OF Jerusalem. Mary add
the religious component; her conversion. he
devotion and her sorrow, are finely wrough
out and presented with such vigor as I
create an indelible impression on any VIII
has ever been privileged TO witness tn
play. But. for all this fineness in develop
ment OF the character OF Mary and per
lection in it's delineation. the conclusio
seems unavoidable that the political rattle