The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-08-13
PROTESTANT TRIBUTE.

The Protestant bishop of SouthWel
(England), after visit to the Passion
Play at Ober-Ammergau. has writer
of his experience and thoughts as fol
lows in a letter to the Southwell Do
cesar Magazine:
Dear Friends: 1t is only a few days
since l stood on a hill overlooking the
| little village of Ober-Ambergau nest
ling quietly under the mountains far
away from the busy, restless life OF
commercial England. Far above us
on the highest peak stood a cross, and
in that cross lay the key to the riddle
as to why we were there, and not only
we, but thousands of others. Even as
we stood there came in by every road
and railway a multitude of eager trav-
elers-peasants on foot or in carts
carriages, cars, trains, all full. The
stream will flow all through the sum-
mer. gathering from every country a
wonderful crowd. But why are they
coming? What was there to see Z?
And, having seen, what sends them
away with an impression such as they
never received before? They have
come to see the representation of the
Passion and Death of Christ made by
village of simple folk, the carvers
and workmen of Ober-Ammergau.
''Of the representation in its intense
beauty and chastity I cannot speak
here. For eight hours the audience of
1000 were held in silence as the old,
old story was unfolded, but for us that
story has now had a new light thrown
upon it, and we grasp somewhat bet
ter the meaning of the Passion.
"Only now would prefer to another
ont 1F 80
effect upon the people themselves.
Immediately on arrival one is aware
of a gracious atmosphere. The portcrs,
luggage carriers, the little children,
the women. are all full of courtesy
and gentleness. A spirit is manifest
which is most attractive. If you ask
from whence comes this. then you
must first look up again at the cross
above the village, and then go to the
parish church. and from there to the
theatre. You are in the midst of
population which from birth has
grown up with an intense longing to
play their part in the Passion Spiel
The little long-haired boy who is car
rying your bag you will see again at
o a. m. in the parish church very
busy as an acolyte, but you will see
him at s o'clock in the play in the
ldDlSdu VI Ill ACTIVE SCSIIc L lie ldCtS
of many of these children are very
beautiful Their fathers and mothers
have themselves been absorbed with
interest, and their interest is written
on the faces of the children. Along
with all this there is no sign of pride
or conceit. Simplicity reigns and
reigns in the face of praise and adula-
ton which is poured out upon them.
The one wish of the whole community
seems to be to constrain you to I'm
derstand better. and so to love more,
the Master who died for us.
'If l speak to any who are hoping
to visit Ober-Ammergau 1 would say,
spend at least two days in the village
before the Sunday: see the people in
their ordinary life, kneeI amongst
them in their parish church. and then
go to the Passion Spiel. You will see
a whole villege to whom the Life of
Christ Is daily reality and you will
come back to the task which lies be-
fore you refreshed, and you will face
the conflicts and controversies of our
own time and place with renewed con-
fidence in the power of the Cross and
of the Risen Lord"