Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-09

impress on them particularly that there must
be an end to the profanity and blasphemy
OF singing Christian hymns on the march
have TO reprimand you, Centurion, for not
only allowing this, but actually doing it
yourself
The Centurion (apologetc)-The men march
better, captain.
CaptaIn-No doubt. For that reason an
exception is made in the case of the march
called Onward, Christian Soldiers" This
may be sung. except when marching through
the forum or within hearing of the Emperors
palace: but the words must be altered TO
Throw Them to the Lions"
Crhe Christians burst into shrieks OF un-
controllable laughter, to the great scandal
of the Centurion)
Centurion - Silence! Silen n n nee!
Where's your behavior? Is that the way to
listen to officer? CTo the Captain) That's
what we have to put up with from these
Christians every day, sir They're always
laughing and Joking something scandalous,
They've no reglon that's how it is.
Shaw's Muscular Christian
Hot upon the heels of such plausible fool
ing follows the scene in the Coliseum. There
we see the Christians waiting their end, and
there we meet the terror of the giant Fer
rovius, who quails before the warllke trum-
pet calling to combat. He is a muscular
Christian; he tries to fear God more than
man." But he really fears himself
The proving of Ferrovius' fears makes a
climax almost as important as the recog-
milton of Androcles by the lion. For out in
the arena he feels his blood surge to battle,
he sees red"-and slays his six armed
ssilants. A figure of warning Europe, he
cries in agony: I'm my youth I worshiped
Mars the god of war. l turned from him
to serve the Christian God; but today the
Christian God forsook me- and Mars over
came me and took back his own. The Chris
tan God is not yet. He will come when Mars
and are dust; but meanwhile 1 must serve
the gods tha- are, not the God that will be.
Until then I accept service in the Guard,
Caesar"
An Inspiring Christianity
Theologians may doubt the Christianity OF
much of "Androcles," But they must admit
the nobility of the faith of Lavinia even as
they decry it's, mOdernity its identity with
the rather mystic belief OF Shaw himself in
Godhead that man will some day achieve. 1t
is thus that the Captain will again argue with
the Christian girl after she has been set free
by the emperor as reward for the bravery
OF Ferrovius:
The CaptaIn-You have nothing left now
but your faith in this OF yours, this
Christianity. Are your Christian fairy sto-
rles any truer than our stories about Jupiter
and Diana, in which, may tell you, be-
lieve no more than the Emperor does, or
any educated man in Rome?
Lavna-Captan, all that seems nothing
TO me now, Ill not say that death is ter
rlble thing; but will say that It is so real
thing that when it comes close, all the
imaginary things-all the stories, as you call
them-fade into mere dreams beside that
inexorable reality 1 know now that 1 am
not dying for stories dreams.
The Csptain-Are you then going to die for
nothing?
I.avinia-Yes, that is the wonderful thing
It is since all the stories and dreams have
gone that 1 have now no doubt at all that
] must die for something greater than
dreams or stories.
The Captain-But for what2
Iavinia-I don't know. II 1t were for any
thing small enough to know, II would be too
small to die for. think I'm going TO die for
God Nothing else Is real enough to die for.
The Captain-What is God?
LaYlnia-When we know that. Captain, We
shall be gods ourselves.
All this fable play Of shaw's may not be
true to its age, though every week the scien-
fists in the museums give us more and more
hints of just this sort OF prosaio quality in
the old life. With its pantomime lion-oh. a
wonderful honl--it may be hodge-podge OF
tragedy and burlesque. But 1t is all bound
lessly plausible. human and inspiTitng. AS
Barker's able companyae the play
at Wallack's, with no waits and the action
brought right down to the audience upon an
apron stage, It is the best entertainment OF
the theatrical season.