Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-02-25
Interesting Lectures.


Rev. I. G. Carter, Of Tullahoma, de-
livered two very entertaining and highly
instructive lectures 10 the Cumberland
Presbyterian church here, on "China
and Its Religions" The lecturer was
sent out as missionary of the M. E.
Church to the Celestial Empire" or
"Middle Kingdom" as the Chinese
proudly term their country, and re-
manned long enough to familiarize him
self with many phases of interest in
the life and history of the people. Be-
ing forced to return home by the fail
IRE Of health, he brought considera-
BILE number Of curious specimens of
Chinese art, science and religious
thought, which he exhibited and ex-
planned in the course of his lectures.
He dressed up couple of young men
in the attire of a Chinese man and wo-
man, which greatly amused and inter-
ested the audience. He showed seven
idols Of different sizes, most of which
were formerly actually worshiped by
the superstitious and degraded people
of that land, one of which, the god of
riches, stood in shrine made for it in
China. The shrine was a model of the
exterior front of Buddhist temple, as
we understand, and an object OF much
interest.
Mr.. Carriers style is easy, simple and
conversational, rather than rhetorical
and learned, and therefore happily
adapted to the instruction and enter
tainment of popular audiences. The
impression he made upon our commu-
nifty was very agreeable, and favorable
to the cause of propagation of Christi
anity among a vast population 50 much
needing the intelligent and moral forces
of the Christian civilization. Especi-
ally did this appear while the reverend
gentleman was describing the degraded
condition of woman in that mighty en-
pire of 400, 100000 of people claiming
superiority over all the rest of the
world, and yet regarding woman as an
inferior order of beings entitled to little
sympathy, respect or pity in this life,
and only fit for place of punishment
in the life to come. No people can be
truly intelligent, virtuous or progressive
who hold woman only as slave Of
man, to be used as the object of his
base desires and as the mental of his
, household.
The lecturer brought out the features
of Chinese social and religious life dis
tinctly, and showed that three grea
prevailing religions or superstitions ex
list in that country. The first in intel
I lectual and practical power is Confuci
S anism, which obtained its name from
+ Confucius, a man of great ability VIII
S Aourished about 500 years B. G. Tn
s second, possessing a speculative phas
o of thought, is Taouism (pronouncet
u TowTsm), introduced just before Con
l. fucius by Laoutze pronounced Lowt
e zehO. The third is Buddhism, whicI
: was brought into China from Indi
}, subsequently to the time of Christ
II and which has become the religion @
= the people. Confuciansm is held an
o practiced by the upper classes and Of
q ficials of the empire largely. The SEE
z and has many adherents among tn
s. people, and it and Buddhism are prir
9 cipally responsible for the grosser form
'e of idol making and worship. Chin
E. clearly needs the fresh life and true r,
lie ligion of the Western nations to lift
L. up socially, politically, intellectual
re ooJ ,,oo.,lIr