Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-10-12
~eeGosoLooY IN CHINA.


Ona Of The Causes that Have Hlndefss
Progress IN the fIossry hi7Kdom
The ceremonies 10 often observed on
occasions ofdeath all have their origin
10 the ~demonology Of the Taouists
Paper clothes, paper palaces, paper
pipes and paper money are burnt
when q man dies 10 provide
the soul Of the dead with Of
bribing It's way through this devils
kingdom 10 lts rest, and the clothes
burned are ofteued PATTERNED after
high officials gowns in order to i'm.
press more fayorhbly the spirits en-.
counterei on the mysterious journey.
TaouiAt pricata nrc called to consult
the soul Of the departed to ascertain It's
wishes. They discover the locality for
burial and indicate all details Of this
last service TO the dead.
The Shanghai railroad mot It's doom
from this source. The priest informed
tho people that the rambling noise OF
the cara and the steam engine were
distasteful to the dead who filed the
numerous mounds along It's course. To
appcasc the wrath OF the dead, Chinese
capitalists bought the road, with It's
equipments, and tore up the tracks,
aud stored the entire plant under sheds
ut Shanghai, Thus 1t is seen that this
religion stands In the way Of all In
novations In that old country, and the
first thing necessary In order to intro
duce railroads into China Is to dc.
throne the priests and infuse q little
common seuse into the people.
During the prevalence Of the great
famine in northwestern China in 1918
there was an unusual food In the val
ley ofthc Yangt-se.kian Tho priests
e~ndcayored to solve the mystery Of this
uneven distribution OF rain. The CEN
sure fell upon tho royal household ut
Pekih. II is the duty Of the emperor
to enter the Temple Of Heaven
twice a year and invoice the blessings
Of Heaven upon the people. lie always
for rain among other things, and
the Impression obtained that the en-.
had hurriedly asked for rain, but
had not taken the pains to state where
he wanted it, The result was that
Hoods came in some places, while fam.
ne trom drought came in other parts of
he empire. This feeling was prodnc-
ng n general spirit OF revolt, when IN
.S'S the rains came to the rescue In tho
irought-smittcn provinces.
A few Of the more intelligent China
men Mt Shanghai have exhibited an in.
of thought which was ex.
optional II shows a tendency to
freak away from the tyranny of igno-
ahce II superstition. which tendency
aust eventually spread efficiently to
WAken an age OF reason. And when {
NJ the Taouist high priest must
Old MS tent and silently march away. !
hut the dominance Of ignorance and
he ~quackery of priests will hold China {
1 slavery 10 an un~reasoning fear and !
rational faith for generations yet un-
orn, Yet the seeds Of a better intel.
sence are being planted in this dark :
'Fner Of the earth, The people OBJ
rive that Europeans give no heed to
naginary devils, and nevertheless L
without the intervention of 1
RESTS; n thus the realization will
.'entually dawn upon them OF how n
'ievously their foretathers have been :
'odwinked, cheated. and robbed by
'e reign Of demonoloyy, created and
'~rpetuated for their gain by the c
my OF Taouis: priests. -Harper's {
Z