Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-05-27
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TuEOlOHY OF THE CHINESE CLASSICS.

The difficulties which besct the path of the
missionary in China, are not precisely perhaps:
what our good friends at home imagine. II Is
NOT the superstitons of the vulgar-thc cltetc
docmos of Buddhism and Touism, incucatcd by
an ignorant priesthood upon the lower classes,
tbot constitute the most obstinate and lnl1uen-
tial systems of error prevalent in China, but
the nhilosophy of the sagos-the teachings OF
Contucius, Mencius, &c. y stranger IS at ilrSt
struck with the number and maSnlcence Of
the templcs-the number of long robcd priests
around the atars, and the crowds OF apparently
deyout worshippers who through them, anu
therefore naturally concludes that these form
the principal strongholls Of hcathensln. \
LITTLE acouaintance however with the literature
Of the country. and with literary men, leads
him to different conclusion. He secs that
;besc external displays, are bat the symbols Oh
:lpas which haye a more powerful influence
nnder other forms. Popular idoatry is but the
rulqar form of pagan theology-it is theology
{: made easv," for the unlettercd, who are sup
nosed incapable of appreciating 1t IN a better
dress. Missionaries on their trSt arrival were
lnd astray on this point, and for some time
ubo,t the air,:' to the great amusement OF the
Chinese doctors. who saw them wasting their
strength in the bootesS war upon the images
Il was rs if an army of soldiers in attempting
~ snhdne country, should assault only the
rnrls and trees, leaving the inhabitants undlS-
tvrho,i, save by the noise Of their comparative
:, bormless warfare. Not that the idols form
no essential part of the system OF hcatheniSin,
or,;nst which the missionary should direct the
veonons of truth bat they are only tile JN;n'-
turet-the images of immaterial beings wl.o con-
st;tnt. the real objects of worship. There are
dnnhtless some who think only Of the wooden
idol before them, but lew however, even among
sayanes, worship the mere wood or Stonc-thsy
IMAGINE an invisible power III Some Gay ;l,Soc'a-
ted With the image. ST. Paul says, W know
IN idol is nothing in the world" -sgin nc
-,vs. What say tncn that the idol Is any
tbin, or ihai I:licl is offered i'll sacrifice to
,Jnls is ans thing? But say, that the thing
-,lich tir (ientiIcs sacrifice, they sacrifice I"
Jar;l. and not to Cod" The Chinese worship
GOOD and bad spirits, but not tho mere wo'te
image which represents tho spirit. At least
this is their teaching On the subject, whateVei
the practice of some may DC.
Idoi-worship forms prominent feature IN I'LL
systems Of lleathenism but in China, am per,
suaded it has less hold upon the affections o
the pcople generally, than any other superSti-
tion to which they are addicted. Tic worship
Of ancestors, is without doubt the c!icf: and
next to this astrolosy. AstrologerS arc to be
seen everywhere, and not only the common rco'
ple, but the scholar, the merchant, the mandl,
Fin, the emperor, all patronze them They arc
inquired of concerning every thing. Buying
selling building, planting, marrying, studying
travelling, &c, arc not to be undertaken until
the astrologer has been consulted. This super
stition belongs principally to the Toust system
but is in some of its forms connected also Will
Confucanism. But think underlying all this
and chief in forming the ruling opinions of the
Cbinese-that upon which their government
with all their social and domestic institutions
have been formed, is the teaching of their sases
DR.. Aledlnrst says: "The classics must an'
will icrm the basis of thought and expression
throughout China for ages to come" lev
extracts will soryc to shcw the character oil the
theology they teach, :.
Confucius says: Reverence thf gads, Ru
keep them at a distance" Of the future stats
he saws: Not knowing life, how can we kno"
ANYTHING about death 2" In all his teaching
he studiously avoided saying anything about
future state of existence; and discouraged al