Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-06-06
GEMS FROM cONFUciUS.

Some of the Wise and Pithy Sayings Of tin
Famous Philosopher.
His discrimination of character is am.
ply illustrated in the many wise and
pithy sayings which he has bequeathed
to US. a few of which we have grouped
together, as combining his ideal Of how
man should behave in different posi-.
tons of Life. Thus, he tells US how ga
poor man who does not fiatter, and a
rich man who is not proud, are pasable
characters; but they are not equal to the
poor who yet are cheerful, and the rich
who yet love the rules of propriety. 81
"a good man IN his conduct of himaeli
is humble, in serving his supsrions be il
respectful. in nourishing tie people he
is kind, in ordering the people he Il
just" Again, a man 'is to think Of
virtue, and not of comfort; of the Sane.
tons of law. not of gratifcakion. !"
And what the superior man seeks Is IN
himself; what the small man thinks Is IN
Others" He was firmly convinced Of
its being more or less in the power of
every man to acquire knowledge, and
thereby wisdom Hence, as DR.. Legge
tells US in his '4ifc of Confucius," '.his
house became a resort for young and
inquiring spirits who wished to learn
the doctrines of antiquity. However
small the fee his pupils were able to
afford. he never refused his instructions.
All that he required was an ardent de-
sire for Improvement and some degree
of capacity" Thus. to quote his own
words: II do not open up truth to one
who is not eager to get knowledge, nor
keep out one who is not anxious to ex-
plain himself" By stimulating youth
to study, he endeavOred to create an in
structed public opinion which should
display an admiration for truth
and goodness. That the same love
of truth pervaded all his sentiments
is exemplified by a remark he one day
made. .'Shall l teach you what knowl-
edge is??" said he. when you know
thing, to hold that you know it, and
when you do not know thing. to al
low that You do not know it; this is
His definition of hypo-
critics reminds us of their comparison to
whited sepulcfers in the New Tesla
There NAV be fair
words and an humble countenance
when there is little virtue But lastly,
it has often been urged that COnfuci us,
in spite of his wisdom and the holiness
Of his teaching, had nothing to say
about God or future life. He pre-. |
ferred, however, to speak of Heaven as
in the lollowinginstances: He who Of |
lends against Heaven has none to whom
he can pray" and ALAS said he,
There is no ONE that knows me-" But !
his friends replied: What do YOU |
mean by thus saying that no one knows
you?" He answered: II do not muir,
muir against Heaven. do not grumble |
against men. But there is Heaven that
Knows me-" Indeed. it has been truly
laid that he was unreligious rather than
religious. And if he had not kno.yl-
,dge of divine ruler it was his mis-
ortune. and arose from no desire to
lisparage religious belief of any kind
n short. as Mr.. Clodd remarks, his
to speak about God '.was not
because he was an unbeliever-for ne,
f all men, had rexcrence for the sacred
Unknown power that underlies all
hings-but because his nature was so
eautitully simple and sincere that he
'ould not pretend to knowledge OF
nat which he felt was beyond human
each and thought. But. nevertheless.
ne can not but regret that his teaching
as not more distinctive in this respect,
specially as it was destined to be such
mighty motive power in molding the
hinese character ofuntold generations.
IT, Q. 1hiselton Dyer. IN The Quirer