Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-03-24
MISCELLANEOUS.
TFlom he n. y. Journal Of Commerce. !


Cn;N..-Rev. Mr.. Doty, who has just ariYe
from China, made some very interesting state
ments a, large missionary meeting il ,..f
of,he band sen. oul, len yeas SINCE, by The Due.
Reformed Churches, and has been sustained by
Dr.. Ferris congregation. lie has aoored mos
of the time in he Chinese colonies ct Singapore
and Borneo; Int since The opening o; China L
foreign teachers, has Eeen al Annoy, and enjoyed
iul. opportunities Of acquaintance win The char
acter anu customs ofihe Chinese.
They were divided h. salt, inio three religion:
sects,-Tauis,s BoCdhists, and followers OF Con
fucus. The Tan;s.s arc comparatively few
their profession ior;cle-telliny, necro9,ancy, &c
The mass of he people are devo:ed TO Boodhisin
"a system OF idolary introduced from India.
Bat, IL addition 10 their many thousand supersti-
lions derived from India, The Chinese BoOdhiss
have many idols peculiarly lheir-own. They
have gods Of tLe mocrrains and Of the valleys,
gods vi tine rivers and Of Tue ic!ss.S codS 0! lhs
kitchen ana Of the b,dcha nber, among cher
null1dcs
Every house, said Ar. D., is temnle, aud the
head Of every family priesi-wao never fails -
present the moInin: anG ercaino sacrifice before
the corsecraisd shrine; consisting OF the burning
Of gill paper, ana incense, 10 the hoCc-aoIi ceny
Their offerings al he temple are lea, varionS
regarded their deilies win no affection, but sim
ply as beings capable OF doing them much good
or evil; their worship was entirely selfish, their
religion exer,iaS upon their character no purify.
in, influence Though not without some sense
Of RICH. and wrong, yet they have 40 f.sltns Of
moral obligation; iasehood and RIGHTEOUSNESS are
almost universal, and detection occasions no
Shame. They are utter strangers 10 he gsnerosi.
~, kindness and sympathy ola Christian people,
so beautifully illustrated and enforced BY the Di-
vine Redeemer.
Their cruel deseriion OF the scl: and afflicted,
afford spainul Cemonsra,iaa OF this want OF svT-
patty. TIE decrepid besgar might starve in he
streets, and none wond give hin e:en bow Of
rice. Those especially who have no near rela-
tves, are lef 10 perish when attacked BY disease;
and often remain unbured till they become too
offensive 10 be longer endured.
Mr.. D. said that in passing and repassing, be
had seen the corpse OF poar man lying by The
side Of the street ior twenty-four hours and he
knew moi how much longer; and this, TOO, within
dozen feet Of dwellings
Il is the opinion Of The Chinese, he said, that
every man has ZEN SOULS that three of these, al
death pass into the world Of spirits, while the
other seven liuser about the dead body, capable
OF comforting special tavors, or ofnlicing dread
full evils upon surviving relations. The corpse
of Teiatrs is therefore, Of course, regarded with
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. even worshipp1d, and
propitiaory offerings are frequently presented at
the grave.
But in China, as in all Pagan nations, the
wor.! features Of heahenism, he said, were exhi-
bited in The degradation Of females. Female iu.
iants were never coun ed among the children OF a
household, nor mentioned even, il being consi-
dered reproach 10 have them. A mother there
can not only "torgci her nursing child. !" but de-
II hcr Sn a
children were concerned, could not perhaps be
considered as misfortune, as il was generally
believed they were happy in another STATE, and
not only so, they were saved from lille OF uG-
told wretchedDess. Those spared were, before
they attained the age OF womanhood, secluded
from all society, denied entirely the advantage.
OF education, and regarded merely as properly, Il
be sold 10 The highest bidder. When iemal,
became wife, i, was only exchanging masIe
with whom she was familiar, for one she hat
aever seen, and, probably, 10 share ne. prison
and The scanty favors Of her lord, with envou:
rivals.
With all the intelligence and even learning q
the Chinese, he said they were degraded, miser
able people, and must remain 80 while woman
thus confined to be thrust down from the position
for which the Creator designed her, without
power 10 difluse the sympathy Of her nature oye
domestic and social life.
The lera.i oil the nation claimed TO be ths
followers Of Confucius; but were really Bood
HES, with few xccplious-rejecins some OF III:
superslilions of The vulgar, and adding others
peculiarly their own-wiih all their light, still
cropping in the thick darkness CT hea,henistn
MIR Doty, in conclusion, impressiYely urget
upon the crowded audience the duty OF speedily
sen,iius he Gospel with its clevatiDg and saving
influences, 10 The three hundred millions OF Pagan
Cnina-a people now, in Heavens overrulir!
Providence, accessible 10 The Missionary, an,
WAC wanted only lha, Blessed Gospel 10 liN then
10 a rank with the mos, enlightened nations Of hi
earth. This We shall cheerluly give them il W.
have the spirit Of its Divine Author, who, by ex
an.ple as we'll as precept, has said emphatcally
''Thou abal, love thy neighbor. as thyself" Go
tsach all N atoms