The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-25
Social and I ersonal

4 Francis Lee stuart, of Baltimore. and
! others.
At the womnn's Club.
/ The parlors OF the Woman's Club
were thronged with a brilliant com
| pany OF guests and members yesterday
afternoon to hear the Right Rev. D. J..
pConnell. Bishop Of Richmond. who
addressed them on The Circus of Nero:
the First Christian Prosecutions"
George Bryan introduced the distin-
suished preiate. and most enthusiastic
Cally did the large audience present
! receive him.
Ii was an able address, but the most
distinct feature of Bishop OConnelrs
discourse was the marvellous manner in
which he brought the great canvas o.
those stirring times before the minds
eye. In clever. bold strokes, made
with fineness of execution and con-
iception, the speaker carried the mag =
ination back over the centuries of civ.
ilization and presented one specta :
tor before the fearful games Of a bar
harous people. He painted the vivid
Italian skies; he peopled the Eternal
city with the vast multitudes that
clamored for encores at these dread :
iul performances. and he wove through
out and about the whole the individual
thought and the strong and compelling
words OF the master mind 1t was an
awful picture that he painted for his
audience nation gone mad for the
blood OF victims. people drunk with
the passion for human sacrifice
Now. the Emperor Nero gave his
people circuses as a benefactor would
dispense bread 10 his poor. He was an
artist: whatever he did was artistic
and since the rabble was wild over
chariot racing. chayiot racing they
should have. But the artist Nero must
have his races an Innovation. hence he
Viii hold them by night, and the lamps
that light This gorgeous pageant are
the burning bodies of Christians. The
exact spot of the circus of Nero Is
In the field near the Vatican. close by
st Peters, and the monarch inherited
these gardens or this circus when he
came 10 the throne. To-day "A car
Rage road runs through what was for
imerly the stage for such vivid and
terrible dramas. and only the peaceful
vehicle of the tourist is heard where
once the heavy wheels OF the chariots
end the racing, straining horses were
wont TO thunder.
| All are agreed that Nero was the first
to prosecute the Christians on the
authority of Tacitus. one reads that he
lent his gardens for the spectacle and
"as the first to draw his imperial
sword against the Christian sect and
stain with blood the rising faith. The
deaths of these miserable people were
thus turned into mockerX and the very
night illuminated with the flames from
their tortured bodies.
Bishop O'Connell dwelt specially on
the artistic characteristics of these
circus games. 1t was a magnificent
show that the Emperor of all the Ro-
mans gave for his people with these
desperate victims for actors. He was
trained In art, and everything that he
did was done in the most finished man
lTsn md . IN -.
AT his command. IL a drama of this
kind caught the fancy of and amused
the people of Nero's realm. il must be
necessarily OF the most brilliant kind.
The supply of victims in Rome was
hardly equal to the demand for this
artistic show. and they were brought
from all parts of the then known
world to make sport for the people as
others imported lions and other wild
beasts for the combat in the circus.
All the legends and myths of the times
we're called upon to furnish plots for
these fearsome plays. and the country
ransacked for newer and more terrible
detail.
Bishop OConnell Is possessed OF rare
descriptive powers, and his lecture
Yesterday afternoon was one vivid por-
travail after another of wonderful
scenes, set over against n historical
background and threaded with the per-
vasive. magnetic personality of the
speaker who drew the whole He is
so thoroughly permeated with the Italy
OF all history that he is only giving
you. through the doorway of his great
mind, gllmpses of the yistas of the
past.
Visitors Entertained.
Misses Marie and Margaret Smith
gave delightful card party YESTERDAY
afternoon at their home, 925 West
Grace Street. The affair was given i'm
honor of Misses Sarah Davis Lucille
rawlings and Marguerite Blanton, who
are visiting the Misses Smith and
Miss Lucille Neal, OF this city Six
tables were engaged and 500 was
played Tea was served at the card
tables at the conclusion of the game
Decorations were in spring flowers, and
big bowls and vases of sweet peas were
used everywhere.
John Marshall House Committee Hos
tcsscs.
The John Marshall House Committee
composed OF Mrs Walter Christian
chairman Miss Emily Harvie. Mis-.
Ellen Wade. Mrs. William Rufln Cox
Mrs. William G. Stanard. Mrs. H. V
Valentine and Mrs. j. CasikIe Cabell
will be the hostesses at the openin.
Of the Marshall House on THURSDAY
TO them entirely belongs the credit
and especially to Mrs Christian. foI
the restoration and furnishing of tn,
house, which they will have ready Il
open permanently to visitors on Mon
day, March 81. They. with the othe
officers and invited guests, among then
Mrs. william Hodges Mann. wife o
the Governor of Virginia. and Mrs
George .Ainslie, wife of the Mayor. will
receive at the close OF the exercises
Special seats will be reserved for tn,
descendants of Judge Marshall, man!
10 q . Il ! Va "