God At Canterbury

A little girl shuffled impatiently in a great crowd massed in front of Canterbury Cathedral last week, suddenly whispered excitedly to another child, "There's God!"

Over the western portal had emerged a figure, austere, terrifying in its solemnity. On its hoary head glittered a golden crown, over its shoulders shone a brilliant red chasuble. A long, patriarchal beard fluttered in the wind. For a moment the Figure was silent, then bellowed: I perceyve here in my majeste How that all creatures be to me unkynde, Lyvynge without drede in worldely prosperyte; Of ghostly syght the people be so blynde, Drowned in synne they know me not for theyr God; In worldely ryches is all theyr mynde.

U. S. tourists who had been thumbing copies of Everyman closed their books, listened to the opening of the Deity's speech. When it was finished they turned to an outdoor stage and saw enacted the rest of the 16th century morality play. There were screams of mock-horror when the Devil popped from a trapdoor, careened fiendishly over the stage, diabolically swished a crimson tail. Then the audience commented on the beauty of the setting when, as the Cathedral in the background was streaked with soft shadows, Everyman prepared to climb into his grave, pathetically imploring:

Alas! Whereto may I truste?. . . Why, than ye wyll forsake me all!. . . O, all thynge fayleth, save God alone. . . .

Jubilant over the crowds that had come to Canterbury was the Rt. Rev. Winfrid Oldfield Burrows, Bishop of Chichester, famed in Great Britain for his "modern" methods of popularizing religion. Carefully he had studied the success of medieval miracle plays at Salzburg under the 20th Century Producer Max Reinhardt. Elaborate was the similar festival the earnest Bishop arranged for Canterbury. Throughout the week, Dr. Faustus by Kit Marlowe, who used to lie and dream on Canterbury's hills, was alternated with Everyman. Other attractions were concerts in the Cathedral's nave, serenades in the cloisters, chamber music in the chapter house. Newsreeling cinemen jostled through the crowds. Every event went out to all Britain by radio.