The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-23
THE SEPTEMBER MAGAZINES.
"The Atlantic"

, poraIy with Ezra, PythagOras, and Thales
About this time occurred the return of the
Jews from Babylon, and the invasion of
Greece by Xerxes. His descendants have
always enjoyed high privileges, and there are
: now some forty thousand of them in China,
seventy generations and more removed from
thell great ancestor. His is the oldest family
In the world, unless we consider the Jews as
single family descended from Abraham
Ills influence, through his writings, on the
minds of so many millions of human beings is
/ greater than that of any man who ever lived
excepting the writer's of the Bible: and in
saying this we do not forget the names
OF Mohammed, Aristotle, ST. Augustine and
Luther. 80 Tar as we can see, it is the iuhu-
ence of COnfucius which has maintained
though probably not originated, in China
that profound reverence for parents that
strong family affection, that love of ORDER
that regard for knowledge and Difference for
literary men, which are fundamental princi-
pies underlying all the Chinese institutions
His minute and practical system Of morals
studied as it is by all the learned, and const-
tuting the sum of knowledge and the prnci
pie OF government in China, has eXerted and
exerts an influence ON that innumerable peo-
pie which it is impossible to estimate, but
which makes us admire the power which can
emanate from a single soul
To exert such an influence requires great
ness If the tree is to be known by its fruits,
Confucius must have been one Of the master
minds of our race. The suppOsition that a
/ man of low morals or small intellect, an inn
postor or an enthusiast could thus influence
the world, is a theory which is an insult to
4 human nature The time for such theories
is happily gone by. We now know that
nothing can come Of nothing-that a fire Of
straw may make a bright blaze, but must ne
cessarily soon go out. light which illumi-
4 mates centuries must be more than an igH}S
! tdtVUS. Accordingly we should approach
Confucius with respect and expect TO find
something good and wise in hls writings. 1t
is only a loving spirit which will enable us to
penetrate the difficulties which surround the
KY, and to apprehend something Of the
genius Of the man and his teachings.
~ re is no immediate danger of becoming
+ lE5 lowers, we can see no objections to
course, which also appears to be
of mental hospitality, eminently in
&. lance with the spirit of our own Master.
hfucius belongs to that small company
kect ones whose lives have been devoted
moral elevation of their fellow-men.
z ,*dg them he stands high, for he sought
'0plant the purest principles Of religion
0dnoralS in the character of n whole peO-
4 pie, and succeeded in doing ii. To show that
this was his purpose, it Will be necessary to
! give brief sketch of his life.
His ancestors were eminent statesmen and
independent kingdom, now a Chinese pro-
vince. The year of his birth was that in
which Cyrus became king Of Persia. His
father, one of the highest officers of the king
dom, and brave soldier, died when Confu-
cius was three years old. He was a
studious boy, and when fifteen years
old had studied the five sacred books called
Kings. He was married at the age of nine
teen, and had only one son by his only wife.
This son died before Confucius, leaving as
his posterity single grandchild, from whom
the great multtudes of his descendants now
in China were derived This grandson was
second only to Confucius in wisdom, and was
the teacher of the illustrious Mencius
The first part of the life of Confucius was
spent in attempting to reform the abuses of
society by means of the official stations which
he held by his influence with princes, and by
"A travelling and intercourse with men. The
second period was that in which he was re-
called from his travels to become n minister
in his native country, the kingdom of Loo.
Here he applied his theories Of government,
land testeu their practicability. He was then
Fifty years old. His success was soon appa-
rent i'll the growing prosperity of the whole
people. Instead Of the tyranny which
before prevailed, they were now ruled
according to his idea of good govern
ment-that of the father of a family.
Confdence was restored to the public
/mind, and all good influences followed. But
the tree was not yet deeply enough rooted to
resist accidents and all his wise arrange
lments were suddenly overthrown by the
caprice of the monarch, who, tired of the
hustere virtue Of Confucius, suddenly plunged
INTO a career of dissipation Confucius re-
Signed his Office, and again became wander
er, but now with new motive He had
before travelled to learn, now he travelled tc
leach. He called disciples around him, and
mo longer seeking to gain the ear of princes
be diffused his ideas among the common peo
- ple by means Of his disciples, whom he SEM
but everywhere to communicate his doctrines
30. amid many vicissitudes of outward for
une he lived till he was seventy-three years
bid. In the last years of his life he occupied
himself in publishing his works, and il
Editing the Sacred Books. His disciples had
become very numerous, historians estl-
4nating them at three thousand, of whom tiv,
hundred had attained to official station
keventy-two had penetrated deeply into hi
system and ten of the highest class of minC
Ind character were continually near hisperson
Df these, HWY was especially valued by him
IS having early attained superior virtue. Ii
requently referred to him in his converse
ions 81 saw him continually advance,
aid he, "but / never saw him stop IN IN
ath of knowledge" Again he says;-'lh n
gisest of my disciples, having one idea
T. Understands two. HWY, having one
Understands ten" Another OF the Sc
Bet ten disciples, Tszeeloo, was ras
Lid impetuous like the Apostle Peter
mother. Tszee-Kung, was loving and tende
y the Apostle John; he built a house nea
re grave of Confucius, wherein to mourn fo
Inn after his death.
H. 60 or (pofUpIng thus