The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-01

direction of Mir. William Henry
 Woods. one of Alabama's most gifted
 sons who is a resident of the Model
 City Here this splendid young man
 is highly esteemed for his personal
 characteristics, for his gentIemanly
 traits and for his brilliant Intellect
 He is keenly Interested in everything
 which tends toward development of
 Inc higher things of life and more
 especially in things literary and ar
 tistic. Much of his time is given
 to study and he is an authority on
 art, music Nnd the drama Besides
 all these high brow" traits he is very human, good looking and a most delightful person to know His per sonalfty combined with his executive ability, rare intellect and his strict ideas as to details. make him most splendid director for plays and pa geants, many of which have their origin in his own artistic mind.
 MT. Woods is a consistent member of the First Presbyterian church and each year at Christmas time he pro- duces a very charming pageant or play with the assistance of the tal- ented members of the church and Sunday school who give freely of their time and energy toward making the event huge success. The women of the auxiliary make the costumes $ which Mir. Woods draws and paints, after much thought has been put upon them and they are absolutely accurate fas to detail. The support he receives in the church Is wonder iul and the entire public awaits with interest each year the Christmas play at the Presbyterian church when hun dreds are turned away who are un- n Ial ts |.
 torium.
 A capacity house witnessed the beautiful presentation on last Sunday evening which marked the 1921 cele- erat;on of Christmas at the Presby- terlan church, when Mir. Woods pre- sented series of tableaux, depicting the characteristics of Christ The story was entitled The Son of Man" and was written and compiled by MT Woods in his painstaking and artistic way, each tableau being perfect picture of the idea which the artist desired to give to the large audience ln bringing out the characteristics of Christ, which are to be reflected in His followers, Mir. Woods chose for the subject of his first picture. Faith" represented by the story of Abraham offering up his son Isaac as 2 living sacrifice. Mir Walter Jones, teacher of the mems Bible class of the sunday school splendidly acted the part of Abraham and MT. Clarence Nogegesang was Isaac. The second picture was suggested by the story or Joseph going down into the land of Egypt during the days of the fam inc and beautiful lesson of For siveness' was here shown by MT. William Deyo as Joseph and Miss Lucy Norwood as Asseneth. The Egyptian god and the eleven brethren were represented by MT. Erwin Cater and MT. c. M. Jesperson, Mir. Phil Whiteside, MT. Henry Young, MT. Kenneth Whiteside, Mir. Gladden. Sta ton, MT. Frank Jones, MT. Percy quinn, Mir. Barlow Hubbard, MT. Don ald Jackson, MT. Pitts Douglass, Mir. Maury Bishop. The story of Ruth and Naomi, which Is one of the best loved of all the Bible truths. showed the characteristics of Loyalty" and this trait was brought out by Mrs. w. J. McPheron as Naomi, Miss Lu- cile Harris as Ruth and Mrs. Phil Whiteside as Orpha. David playing his harp to quiet the soul of Saul gave to the audience the picture of ( Bravery" with MT. Eugene Turner acting as Saul and MT. John Young as David. The wisdom of Christ was shown in the elaborate scene of the Queen of Sheba coming from the south for visit to King Solomon, and in this the central figures were Mrs. l.. C. Watson and Mir. A. A. liar ris. while the slaves who came bear ing gifts were Mir. Steve Coleman and Mrs. Donald Jackson. "Piety" was shown by a picture of Hezekiah, the good king of Israel kneeling in prayer. and MT. I. A. DeHart was a most excellent Hezekiah. The attri- bute of Humility" was shown by a most beautiful and effective tableau of the manager scene. with Mir. J. o. Harris and Miss Mary Pope Maybank representing Joseph and Mary.
 Prior to the showing of these beau tiful and impressive scenes, Mir Woods, who is also a gifted reader, read an introduction to the evenings observance and before each picture there was word of explanation which prepared the waiting audience and brought to them more forcibly the message which the producer and the performers desired to impress. Miss Mary Kate Park, one of the cfty's most talented young singers. rendered as one of the opening num- btlo e bOd OIfTlSInaS SOlO ana during each intermission the church choir sang carols. From the first to the last the audience was held spell bound by the beauty of the scenes which evidenced a rare degree of his- toric grace and comprehension. No play or pageant yet given by MT. Woods has been more perfect in de- tail, and finished in execution. The atmosphere of Bible times and the sublimity of the scenes was subtly communicated to the audience who sat enthralled.
 In discussing the idea of pageantry in the church, Mir. Woods says:
 The use of pageantry and drama in the church and school has come into such general use that almost anything one can say on this phass of the work is apt to be a platitude There is hardly a town in the coun- try that does not make an attempt to produce some thing of this nature either In its churches or schools, and this general acceptance of this meth od of making vivid the truths one desires to teach, Is in itself proof of it's efficiency
 In directing this sort of work In the church have a plan of trying to create In those who take part spirit of operation which is essen uai to the success of the perform ance- First, l want them to under stand that what they are doing is taking part in something import ant, religious service I do not mean by this that they are to go apout 1t solemnly with long faces put simply that they are to do earn eStiy and as well as they are ahle what they are given to do.
 There is no reason why those who take part should not enjoy the work 10 the full There Is nntii..x