Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1922-09-07
WRITES Of GREAT PASSION
PLAY At 0BERAMMERcAU

Mrs. Agnes Mcveigh handed us q
letter written Aug. % from Paris tc
her, by Mrs. Frank Ewart, who was
formerly Nettie McVeigh, a daugh-
ter of the late Geo. McVeigh. Fol
lowing is the letter in substance, a
few things of personal nature hav-
ing been eliminated:
How we did enjoy our month OF
travel! We were in Belgium, Ger
many, Austria, Switzerland, Italy
and France. How we did appreciate
all the lovely experiences and hap
py times.
Have you read much about the
Passion Play? If so, you under
stand that VOW was made long,
long ago in the past that if terri
BILE plague could be stayed, which
they would promise to present the
Passion of the Lord every ten years.
For the most part this has been
done. 1t seemed strange to see the
men and boys with long hair, COM
ing down to the shoulders. They
begin early in life to train them for
their parts Never shall I forget the
impressive presentation, and the
matchless, wondrous, suffering love
of our Christ will always be more
real to me. We were all most pro-
foundly moved by it, / wanted to
be alone and not talk, afterward,
but just think, instead.
Anton Lang, who takes the part
of Christ, is so lovable, and draws
all to himself He is potter by
trade. He is not well, has a weak
heart, and passes through a great
strain in each presentation. His
wife fears he may not hold out each
time
The audience is under cover, but
the players are out in the open, and
when it rains, they are exposed and
get wet. I do not feel this is right
for their health's sake and wonder
If they may not think out plan to
have it otherwise in the future. We
sat from to IL, then again from 2
to 6. A long line of Al made the
chorus. There were % girls OF
young women and Is men. No mar
ried girl may have part in this
AS soon as she is married, she ceases
to be a member. These were all
fobed in long capes of rich velvet OF
all the various shades. They were
beautiful ones. They wore crowns
on their heads. There were twenty
some tableaux shown, and each
time this line separated from the
center and stepped backward to the
sides. The girls had flowing hair
and most of the men had hair down
to their shoulders. Even the
smallest child in the tableaux never
moved the tiniest bit.
There were 700 in the play, and
at one time they were represented
in the streets of Jerusalem, where
they were shouting Cruelty Himn
The house of Plate was on one side
and that of Herod on the other oil
the stage, while Caiphas and Annas
were in the center in their hall o1
Judgment. Our hearts were thrill.
ed when the risen Christ in white
glistening robes hung in midair be.
fore He ascended. It was very
very beautiful. The sad part made
ones throat ache. Strong men
were not ashamed to be seen using
their handkerchiefs, and one woman
was so overcome she had to be car
rled out. Our summing up was
That surely we purposed anew to 60
away to try to live better lives for
Him, who so loved us.
We cannot forget either, our
scene of grandeur UP in the Alps
mountains in Switzerland. I could
only think of 1t as white world OF
glory. 1t filed us with awe as we
gazed at the wonderful panorama
We counted % mountain peaks and
16 glaciers.