Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-11-13
S0LoDaO11's Judgment in
China.

No part of our Bible has excited
more remark and admiration among
the Chinese than the Sd chapter of
1st Kings, wherein is narrated
/ Solomon dream aud the wonder
ful Judgment which soon followed.
Ii | mistake pot, it is the. general
notion that that Judgment was de-
livered by the aid OF the extraor-
binary wisdom promised in the f2ai
4 verse, and was, therefore, in "A
sense, supernatural. Clarke, how
ever, does not So regard IT, and
cities instances of similar DECISIONS
even among hcathcns. AS, for.
I instance, the Emperor Claudius
discovered woman to be the
mother of certain young man,
whom she refused to acknow wlcdg re.
as her son, by commanding her TO
marry him, as the proofs were
doubtful on both sides; bnt rather
than commit this incest she CON
fessed the truth.
| He also refers, on the authority
of Grot.Hs, to parallel case TO
that Of solomon: The King Of
Thracc, AriophArnes, being ap-
pointed to decide between three
j, yonng men, who each professed to
be the son Of the deceased King OF
} the Cinmerians. and claimed the
crown in consC Cquence,a tourd out
the real son by commanding each
to shoot an arrow into tire body Of
the dead kiug. The third refused,
and was therefore indged by Ariop
harnes to be the real son of the
deceased. My attcmtion was call
cd to this snfje"t the ether day III
the history class. The reign of
Solomon WAS the subject of the
; lesson. and in the course of the
. narrative this instance of his great
wisdom was given. | roticcG that
;. the young men, while expressing
> considerable pleasure in the result,
F.. did not show that surprise which
one would naturally expect, if he
thought the case TO be, rs is gen
orally supposed, unique and soli-
tary. Hence, | asked them if any
such decisions were known IL
China. Judge then Of my sar-
! prise When they told me they were
a numerous. | eagerly asked for in
stances. They gave me two, O
e recent date, and said they caulo
. produce others, by reference, if
i wished them.
Il The first was case of theft, in
e volving piece, or roll, OF tne sat
in The thief was caught an,
It carried before the ordinary magis-
IS tratc Ga Suchow.) But AS h'
II could not determine the nlatter o
Is ownership at the time, resOrtcd II
this cunning stratageln declared
: his inability to render a satisfactnr.
y Judgment, but would dispose Of th'
- case by ordering the satin to b
II equally divided. This WAS ac-
, cordingly done, and each was sen
! away with his half The magis
: trate however had not dishisse
4 the case, as was thought, but sen
If some OF his attendants to the gat
"a to watch the behavior OF. the me
, OH tire street. One of the mer va
m venting himself in no kind term
h. against the official and bcwailin
a the loss of his goods. The othe
at churkling over his good fortun
e had gone on his way rcioy cling
Ell Instantly the magistrate edispatehe
lie his Iamun runners to rc-arfc
them and bring them bGtore, hi
agaln. This tine--the case W
plain. The owner got his goo'
4 and the thief caught Il baluboo!l
and the Cangue.
The other instance. meptione
was very similar-"nly suOatltI
ting IN umbrella for the satin. \
ore but Chinese magistrate,
suppose. woald ever think OF d
he ylding an umbrella in half, but
"a this case, though uu' SolomCnly
that it uctu ally occurred, the TEST
justified the destruction of Il
property for the two ereons qua
eIed OH reaching the street, al
The one heard say, Aud you a
not salts fed 1T getting halt OF |:
;, VAS INSTANTLY arIeated and carrie
oack for punishment.
Ae Chinese human nature is We
- much like any otser rhuEan uatll
aud these Instances paove III
~ there are some times astute ubet
re- vess amqpg ti,em-sIiep- IOung
II, 1ltel1 IN -Nacon 1lefeoqgtg; .a.,-.
ms ohau5 hal, G .ina, July |. 1879:
ed.