The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-16

young to rise and show Difference to the
aged when they entered a room. a public
building, or a railway car. He would
have repressed and rebuked all rudeness
and want of respect shown in the pres
ence of those in authority. We find the
Apostle Paul following the principles Of
Confucius, although he had probably
never heard Of his existence. When the
ruler of Judea said. somewhat roughly
and rudely, Paul, thou art beside thy
self, much learning hath made the mad"
he replied with the politeness of a gentle
man: Il am not mad. most noble Festus,
but speak the words of soberness and
truth
With Confucius the ideal man was one
who seeks culture for the good of others.
In other words. unselhshness must char
acterize the superior man. Confucius
climbed up the ladder reaching to the ideal
in the following way;
You must obtain knowledge by invest-
CATION. You must obtain as complete
knowledge as you possibly can. That was
the first step.
Your knowledge being complete, your
thoughts must be sincere.
Your thoughts being sincere, then your
hearts must be rectihed
Your hearts being recthed. then your
persons must be cultivated.
Your persons being cultivated. then your
families must be well regulated.
Your families being well regulated then
your cities must be well governed.
Your cities being rightly governed. the
whole empire must be tranquil and happy.
The main object of the teaching of Con-
fuCius was the tranquility and happiness
of the nation. But to this end he would be
gin with the individual the family, and
the home. In other words he would have
said it is absolutely impossible to get good
government out of bad citizens. and i'm
possible to get good citizens out of bad
and undisciplined families and homes.
Confucius always insisted upon the ac-
quirement of concise and exact knowledge.
shall l teach you what knowledge is?"
he once said. when you know u thing
hold on to it; but when you don't know
thing. always allow you don't know 1t; this
is knowledge"
He once likened imperfect knowledge to
chair on four legs. with one leg broken.
You sit unevenly." he said, ION such
chair as that"
The first principle of Confucianism is. as
have said, the completion of knowledge.
The second Is sincerity of intention.
The third is the recthcaton of the heart
The fourth is the cultivation of the per
son.
The graces necessary to be cultivated are
virtue, then valor, then benevolence. then
loyalty then reverence, then faithfulness,
then the government Of the family, then
fltal piety then friendship, and, lastly, the
right government of the state:
Such is an outline of the teachings OF
this remarkable man. Although he had
many opportunities of advancement i'm
public affairs, he lived a life of poverty and
never repned at the absence of wealth
lie would say, Give me rice to eat with
water TO drink and my Bonded arm for my
pillow, and am contented and happy.
Riches and honor acquired by wrong-do-
ing are to me as floating clouds"
The mantle of Confucius fell on Mencius
who became a teacher Of Confucianlsm
about the year three hundred and thirty
before Christ, at the time when Alexander
the Great was making his conquests
Mencius had no system of his own TO
enunciate, but clothing himself In the
armor prepared for him by his master he
went forth to combat the evils of the dav
| What Aristotle did for the teachings OF
Plato, and what st. Paul did for the teach
ings of Jesus, Mencius did. for those OF
| Confucius
From the time of the rise Of the Chinese
empire about two hundred years before
| Christ, to the present day, Confucus has
been the object of supreme veneration.
! Temples have been erected to his honor
throughout the empire, and the literature
bearing his name is studied by every edu-
Gated man in China.