The Detroit times., 1910-11-22
PASTOR TELLS OF
PASSION PLAY
Rev. w. B. Forbush Saw Famous
Presentation in 0berammergau--
= Denies Stories of Commercialism.

mo married women are gwen
part in the Oberammergau Passion
Play. and many OF the girls OF the
village put OF their marriages In
definitely In the hope OF some day be-
ing allowed to play the role OF MARY
mother OF Christ. In the great produc'
ton" said the Rev. William Byron
Forbush, paster of the North Congre-
gational church. in the course OF his
address on the play before the
Baptist Ministers conference In the
oodward-ave. Baptist church. Mon
day morning The peasant girls OF
Oberammergau regard the privilege
OF assuming the part OF the holy Vir'
gin as the greatest honor which could
be conferred on them.
Mr.. Forbush gave comprehensive
description Of the play az seen by him
In Oberammergau last summer, and
took particular pains to defend the
Bavarian peasants, who give the sac
red production once every ten years,
against the charges Of commercialism
which have been made In certain
quarters since this years play ended
In October. He said that while there
might have been some overchargtns
and over-selling of seats, II was un-
doubtedly done by Germans and other
foreigners who rented the houses OF
the Obcrammeragau villagers when
the latter went away for the summer.
The play itself, Mr.. Forbush said,
was carried out In the most sacred
manner possible, and II was his opin'
ion that those who promted 1t did not
have In mind any commercial ad-
vantage from il in any shape or form.
The village council controls the
production" said Mr.. Forbush, and
when I tell you that the council has
refused 5000, 900 for the privilege OF
allowing moving pictures to be taken
OF the play, l am sure you VIII read
lily see that il is not the object OF the
village TO make money out OF the
production. Yet. the village does pro-
At to q large extent by the play. IL
gets two-thirds of the receipts and
this money Is used TO maintain the VII
lage and some OF its chief institu-
tons, q hospital and an arts and
crafts school, which were built from
the proceeds of former Passion
Plays. The children have good edu'
cational facilities and not penny Is
raised by taxes for the maintenance
of schools. The Passion Play funds
ray all the expenses. | might say
too. that the village is one or the
sweetest, cleanest TO be found any
where"
In giving details of the play. Mr.
Forbush said that the cheapest
seats were SO cents and the dearest
a box, $40. The play begins at a. m
and lasts until go p. m, with inter
mission at noon. the speaker said. The
most impressive part, TO his MIND
was the leave-taking of Christ with
his mother in the scene of the last
supper. All the persons in the play
must be natives OF Oberammergau
Mr.. Forbush said. He also pointed
out that the actors get little pay fol
their services. in spite OF the fact tha
they give up all their time 10 the pla,
from May TO October Anton Lang
who essays the role OF Christ. go'
$500 for his work in 1900, while the
others realized much less. Anton
Lang. Mr.. Forbush said. was proper
man for the role OF Christ. inasmuch
as he leads n pure life and Is ever
careful 10 act his part with all the
piety and reverence il commands. Ju'
das was the biggest character In the
play, Mr.. Forbush thought.
II was the opinion OF the speaker
that the play has Christianizing ef'
feet on the majority OF those who Wit
ness IL, and he rejoiced that there
was presented such an opportunity
for Roman Catholics and Protestants
alike to sit together and see from the
action before them that, after all,
there was just one cross and one gos-
pei for all.
Reports from Oberammergau state
that over 100000 people paid to see
the Passion Play this year, and that
the receipts will be over $1,250,00O.
During the business meeting Of the
conference three new members were
added to the membership. They
were the Rev. p. c. Cameron, new
pastor of the Bruce-ave. Baptist
church, Windsor; the Rev. w. p. Low.
EFT, OF Detroit. formerly OF Grand
Rapids, Mich, and the Rev. c. G..
Morse, new pastor OF the Scotten-ave.
Baptist church. Mr.. Lovett is not at
tached to any church. Mr.. Cameron
came to Windsor recently from Owen
Sound. He said. In the course of a
few remarks before the conference
that the pastors OF Windsor had no
organization. and that he felt such a
union was necessary. IL the clergy
men were to be a moral force in the