The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-11-13

| A Il EA u N EN- ON BOh'S CON v tItv
TION.
what Wong Ching Foo. tho Chi
nesc Missionary, Thinks of BO
lngersoll and His Lab0rS.
Chicago Times.
Wong Ching Foo, the Chinese Con
fucian Missionary, arrived at the Ire
mont house yesterday morning from
Cincinnati, where he had been attend
ing Bob Ingersoll's convention of lib
eral thinkers. Last evening a Tribun
reporter sought out the Celestial CUES
and asked for an interview. Mr.. Foo
intelligent face became wreathed il
smiles, and he very willingly acqui
esced. Said he first:
Il have just come from Cincinnati
where attended the Liberal conven
ton. l never was delighted NOR,
thoroughly impressed than ever will
the fair-mindedness of your bes
thinkers
you think the convention was /,
big thing, then2'
'Yes, sir; it is one Of the creates
achievements of modern reformation
l think Col. Ingersoll is doing nearly
as much good for his country as Con
fucius did for China, though the iden.
tical truths of his philosophy were
preached by Confucius over 2,4O(
years ago.
You think then, Ingersoll is dis
ciple of Confucius
mot exactly that /; his ideas are orig.
inal because he thinks for himself, but
his mind is so broad and impressive
TO reason that the same knowledge
that brought into the world by Con.
fucious may be said to have been re.
produced in Ingersoll, though it is
should not know and use the precepts
of Confucius. And right here 1 will
say that will soon be prepared to
show that Jesus Christ visited China
and learned most of the precepts OF
the religion of the New Testament in
the University of Confucius in Nan.
kin. This may seem a strange and
bold statement, but Ii Fangebec, the
Chinese ambassador at Berlin, has just
astonished the savants of Europe by
reading the inscriptions on the pottery
exhumed by DIR. Schiliemann at His-
sarlik, and showing that they were
made by the Chinese 1,200 years be.
fore Christ, and that the Chinese led
the civilization of the Trojans.
Yes, l have substantial reasons for
believing so.
Will you state in geneal terms
what you think will be the. effect of
the Cincinnati convention?' quired
the scribe. .s.
1t will eventually be approved by
all fair-minded people, for it is very
for the people of America
to have reasonable and honest views
upon such important questions as the
DIVISION OF CHURCH AND STATE,
aud the disenthrsllment of the peo-
ple's minds. 1t is consistent with the
of the nation that all men
should be free and equal in the pur.
suit of happiness, and added Mr.. Foo,
with q smile, some of your best men
can only be happy in Office. do not
see why your enormous church prop
erty should not be taxed as we'll as
the mites of widows and orphans. We
do better than that in China. hope
some time to be able to build Confu.
clan temple in Chicago. and Buddh-
lstic monastery, and will be glad if
they are taxed.
do you candidly hope to gain con-
vcrts to Confucianism in this coun-
try ? asked the reporter.
Il do indeed. l shall present the
of Confucius to the reason
Of the people as guide to them IN the
OF their lives. 1t is not exact.
ly a religion, but is a pure, honest,
simple philosophy, with none of the
with which the Chris
tisn religion abounds.
why are yon SO much opposed to
~" -:
Because Christianity is opposed to
For instance, countless mil.
ions of Chinese died before tho Bible
was known. Christianity is incon-
,istent, for the beautiful philosophy of
The Bible, shorn of its superstition,
was preached by Laotsze, ,Tehoung,sze,
and Confucius, and has become the
religion of the Chinese. Yet your
Christians send missionaries to con-
vert us, and abuse me when 1 return
The compliment by preaching Contu-
sianism here. Rome and Greece had
no Christianity, yet they bad arts
which you copy, architecture such as
you will never have in this country,
greater and braver armies. China, in
The midst of ignorance, poverty and
produced greater men,
with bigger brains than any of your
Christian preachers
AS concluding question, the re-
porter asked Mr.. Foo the object Of his
visit to Chicago.
Replied the missionary 4 have come
10 tell the Christians of this wicked
;ity there is salvation for them, and
;ome in advance of other missionar-
es, as job the Baptist prepared the
way for Christ and His apos tles.'
JOSH BILLINGS ON MAR RIAGE.
Sum marry because they think VIM
min will be scarce next year, and live
n mondar h0xu tho crnr, holds ont