The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-04-03


into sccts, had arisen and were daily
increasing. They saw in what disns-
trous manner society was affected by
those dissertations. The countless sects
which were swnrming into life stood in
an issolatcd and in many instances m in
imcal relation to each other. It WAS a
scene of rivalry and hatred, tempered by
hypocris:'. Confucius in his youth lad
sought the friendship Of Lao-tse, who
was by fifty years his senior. Both had
arrived at the conviction that men can
never be made to think alike on religious
subjects. Then is it not best 10 let ouch
subjects alone i'll our intercourse with
each other, and content ourselves with
devising social system which shall be
n guide to courtesy in our relations with
others, to contcntment, and happiness TO
ourscll? From profound examination
of the religious condition of China, Con-
iucius had IT, como to the conclusion
that il is not given to man to attain to
certainty or unity in theological matters,
ana therefore it is useless for him to
concern himself with them. In the
course of ages many forms of polytheism
monotheism had prevailed. Each had
had its day. Confucius says to his coun-
trymen: IL teach you nothing but
what you can discover for yourselves.
Look around and use your own reason.
No superior power has sent me. am
nothing but man like yourselves.
Don't make existence wild fever Of ex-
element be virtuous, be patient. The
sun shines on the dial of life but for n
few hours seize md enjoy the bright
moment rs you may. What is the use
Of running after the parting shadow Of
time Let every man rule himself and
his family in accordance with virtue
Let him obey the emperor, who is the
representative of the law, as he desires
children to obey him. In the long ages
that are passed our fathers were extract
ing wisdom from experience let us
never forget that we are what we are be-
cause Of what they thought. Let us set
firmly before our eyes the conclusion
to which they came. Let us do homage
% or dead. Let not the grave hide
from us forever so much that is noble and
beautiful and good"
Is not ancestral worship parted by
many degrees from hcathenism?
So arose this worship in China.
Doubtless it has greatly conluced to po-
litcal stability, though it has retarded
progress. The Chinese has no desire to
be moro learned than his forefather.
His guide in life can scarcely be called
religion he considers it as nothing
more than means Of conducting him
self honorabl, and prudcntly, ofteaching
him how to discharge his social and po-
litical duties, of cultivntpg industry,
modcsty, Sobriety. gravity, dccorum,
thoughtfuncss. lie says to his friends,
Religions are many, reason is one; let
us be brothers."
Lao-tse, the forerunner Of ConfuciTs,
stands, NJ it were, on the boundary line
of the physical aspirations of the old
Chinese times and the indifcrentism CT
the new. He recommends his country
men not to give up the investigation of
nature, and especially to direct their Mt
tention to the preparation Of al. elixir of
life. That the vegetable world contains
material admirably calculated Tor the
benefit of man. both in II physical and
moral sense, seemed to be proved by the
discovery of tea, one of the most valuable
gifts that China has made to tho human
race. Intoxicating drinks were not
forbidden, rs was subsequently, the case
among the Mohammcdans, nor their use
forcibly restrained by law, rs among us
They were simply displaced by what was
acknowledged to be better beverage
Not known to Europeans until the close
of the sixteenth century, the infusion oi
the leaf of this plant has had among us
the same beneficent effect that it has
had among the Chinese, and that espe.
cially as regards our female population.
But perhaps the grandest example
that China has offered to the human
race is her attempt-far from being un.
successful-at the organization of hei
national intellect. BY system of vel
designed competitive examinations she
singles out her ablest men; to these
eventually she intrusts the management
of state affairs. The basis from which
she starts is universal education. Peo
pie sometimes arc astonished at the 80
lidity and durability Of her institutions
and wonder how she can control foul
hundred millions of subjects. The ex.
pianation is to be found in this, her poll
cy. Aud now Christian nations, ever
our own, are attempting to follow he
example, to lay their foundation on uni
versal education, compulsory if need be
and then to sort out their ablest minds
| the Chinese method, which takes litera
| ture as its standard would be unsuitable
among us, but the principle might b,
| applied in other modes better suited /,
| our case.
Surprise is often expressed that 81
many Chinese inventions and discoverie
reached Europe between the twelfth ant
sixteenth centuries. An expalnatiol
has been sought in the commercial trans
actions of Venice and Genoa, but, singli
larly enough, the wars Of Genis- Kha
seem to have been completely overlook
ed. The empire of this Tartar conquero
reached from China to Poland. A con
temporary estimate Of its intellectual i'm
portance is marked by the foundation O
a professorship of the Tartar language i
the University Of Paris. A great servic :
might be rendered to modern literatur
| by one who would carefully study tn
political effect Of these military move
mcnts, which occurred when Europe wa
at what might be called an epoch of he
life Il was the boast of this great Nor
gol conqucror that any person migl
pass through his dominions from on
end of Asia to the other without molest:
ton or even question. There was n
reason why Chinese discoveries shoul
not come.
Now / have offered some reasons VIII
we should cease to speak of the Chine:
in terms of opprobrium, why we shoul
look upon them with sincere rcspec
Heathen Chinee! Let us abstain frol
that insult. 1t may, however, perhaI
be said that while all this applies to I'll
educated and polite classes, it does M
apply TO the degraded specimens that al
so obnoxious to the Californians. To tn
| answer that what concerns us il Il
present use OF this people, and their pr,
spectiye capabilities. At present the
are here rs lnborers, and must be compare
with the laboring emigrants of an
other nation. So far rs industry, fruga