The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-04-13
High Churchmen and Chinese.

site article written by Dr. addison Alexander many
years ago for the Biblical Repertory, we here copy
part which they will find highly entertaining.
eve have heard the question asked, how
such pretentions should be treated; and we
answer, Just as the Europeans and Ameri-
cans treat the claims of the Chinese to be
regarded as the only civilized nation upon
the earth. High Churchmen are, in this
respect, the Chinese of Christendom. The
points of resemblance are too glazing to be
missed the same awful reverence for trifes;
the same enlightened scorn of weightier mat
tiers; the same self-worship; the same polite,
compassionate contempt for others; the same
serene determination to sweep everything be-
fore them; and the same success in doing it.
High Church and the Celestial Empire fill
corresponding blanks in civil and Church
histo.. Both are highly respectable and
highly useful. We have no more doubt that
one exists for some important end, than tina:
the other does. But what the final cause, in
either case may be, we should not like to de-
termne. We are very unwilling to believe
that whole people exist only to be laughed
at. And yet, how is it, that the greatest
nation upon earth in point of numbers is the
only one that history exhibits in an aspect
purely ridiculous? Other people have their
oddities, but these have nothing else. 1t is
not merely their costume and physiognOmy.
Their most solemn acts of government, of
legislation, of negotiation, and of war, are
comic, and in many cases farcical. It's i'm
possible to read of them without smile.
There is something so intrinsically droll
about them, that the gravest writer's are
compelled to be amusing. The characters
tic feature of the Chinese manners is a sort
of grave bufoonery, the more diverting, as
the Chinaman is always solemnly uncon
scious of his own absurdity. In every ma
tional and individual act, they seem to say,
'We are the people, and wisdom shall die
with u.s. 1t is not to be wondered at that
such a nation should include Board of Ger
emonies in its constitution. To them life
itself is but series of ceremonies. Every
thing is ceremony. Man is a ceremonial
puppet, made to 90 through certain evolu-
tons and manOeuvres, to assume certain pos
lures, and to utter certain words at the bid
ding of the Hang Quo, or master of ceremo-
MES, or under the bamboo Of red button
Mandarin. 1t is just the same with cyniciSm
in religious matters If you wish to place
religionists OF any sect, beyond the reach of
ridicule or reason, you must begin by max
ing them as unreasonable and ridiculous as
possible; and then they are forever proof
against both wit and wisdom. AS soon as
any one has learned to look upon the pairing
of his nails and the adjustment of his eye
brows, as vital matter, ne is perfectly i'm
preguable. You cannot reach him. Rea.
soning, of course, is thrown away upon him
Ridicule he looks upon as sinful, because
nothing is too small for him to reverence.
And after this perversion of the intellect has
gone to certain lengths, the smaller thing
is, the greater it becomes in his esteem
Matters of life and death are little, in com
parison with matters of arrangement and
grimace. Tell him that what he eats is
wholesome or unwholesome, and he hears
you not. But tell him which way he must
look, and in what posture he must eat, and
he is all attention. Tell him that what he
is about to drink is poison, and his only an
swer is a vacant stare. But tell him that the
cup is in the wrong hand or the wrong edge
next his mouth, and he is thankful. When
man has reached this point, he might as
well shave his head, and thenceforth be in
accessible to all approaches except such as
may be made through the Ho Ping, or GER
emonial code, and the DEGREES of the Lee Poo,
or ceremonial council. One effect of such a
system is to make those who live under it
supremely self-eomplacent. What do the
Chinese care for foreign trade? They have
everything they want at home. What is
geography to them? They are content to
know that China is the centre of the uni
verse. They allow the savage English and
Americans to leave the bowling wilderness
and Glamour at Canton for tea; but when
the English became smugglers they deter
termined to destroy them. This contempt
of other nations seems unconquerable, even
by hard blows and bloodshed Through the
smoke of battle, they are still seen, as gro
tesque and self important as before. Every
Junk that puts out from the coast is to destroy
the British fleet; and when it fails, they are
as confident as ever, that the next will be sue
cessful. Andwhen allhas failed, they purchase
their own safety with some millions of bad
dollars, and then publish in the Government
Gazette, that though the English demons
made a bold attack, the imperial commander,
with his rumbling thunder, considerably
damped the ardor of the fierce barbarians.'
We think we have seen battles gained at
home in the same manner; and we fear that
even bishops might be found who, as to both
these articles of spurious silver and rumbling
thunder, might successfully compete with all
the Mandarins of the Celestial Empire. We
commend this Illustration to our friends who
are annoyed by the absurd pretensiOns of