Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-12-27
Written Specially for The Leader
By JOHN THOMAS WILSON

| L Ilu AulOCdSCer service
NEW YORK, Dec. 26-In 1880 a
great pestilence fell upon the land oi
| Bavaria. Plague, poverty, hunger and
death was at every hand. Finally the
people turned to God and asked that
they might be relieved-and their suf-
fering was relieved.
In the little village of Oberammer-
gau, which still stands near Munich
the. people were. very grateful. They
gathered together and in 1858 a
pledge was made-and an oatn taken
to always worship God who had deliv-
cred them.
Then was conceived the idea to
establish a rite which would never let
the people of Oberammergau forget.
1t was decided to re-enact the life of
Jesus, the Christ, once every ten years
for three hundred years. 1t was called
"The Passion Play
That pledge will have been fulfilled
ten years hence-1933.
From that humble idea has devel-
oped influences which have been
worldwide in effect. 1t has made
the people of that village devout, stu
dlous and Christian. 1t has made
their village known in every land.
1t has caused thousand to journey
across continents and seas to wit
ness the great production-and tnou-
sands have lived better lives as a
result thereof
CHARTERED today in New York is
little band of potters and wood
carvers-pilgrims to our land of
promise from Oberammergau. They
have come to sell their wares all
money therefrom to go toward re-
llevlng the now starving women and
children of their little valley. When
they have completed their task, Wis
iting about II cities in the U. S.,
they will return to their work ben
ches in the quaint crooked streets of
idylically peaceful Oberammergau.
Christus, Peter and Judas
Heading the band of craftsmen, is
Anton Lang, who three times in the
last thirty years has portrayed Chris
tus) in the great Passion Play. With
him is his brother Andrea Lang (Pe-
teri, and Guido Mayr (Judas). Others
who portray lesser characters are al
so in the party.
This is the first time any member
OF the company except Anton Lang,
has been out of Oberammergau Be-
ore the party left for America they
were gathered in the simple quaint
dining room of Anton Lang, the
Christ player. Many of the people
did not want their great players to
go out into an unknown world, where
their minds might be distracted from
the pure idyllic. Christian lives thew
lead. For be it known that every
boy born in Oberammergau at his
earliest age is imbued and inspired
with the idea to live and think that
he may mould his character and be
selected to one day portray the Christ
us in the Passion Play.
The money for this expedition was
advanced by an American relief as
sociation. George Gordon Battle is
chairman of the committee which fl
nanced the trip.> Said Anton Lang
(Christus.)
I'VE are here to save the little chill
dren of our village. We are serving
HIM who said Suffer Little Children
to come unto me" Under no condi-
tons will we present the Passion PLAY
in America or outside of Oberammer-
gau. We don't come mere with the
idea of getting rich. All we ask in re-
turn Tor our wares is sufficient to al
leeviate the suffering at home. Con-
siderable money has been advanced to
US by kind Americans. All of this will
be returned before we take one cent"
Bearings of Trio