The times., 1897-04-25
CHINESE To CONVERT US
Almond Eyed Celestial Who VIII
Wage a Strange Crusade.
THE TABLES TO BE TURNED
Chicago Is Promised Magnificent
Temple for the Disciples of Con-
fucius-A Brand-Sew Problem for
the "Melican Man" TO Cons der,
The Methods 10 Be Employed.

The strangest crusade which the United
states ever knew is about to begin tis
nothing less than an attempt 70 Con; eit the
citizens Of this country 70 COn1ucIusisrn.
The leader OF this odd movement is Wong
Chinn Foo, of 800 South Clark street,
Chicago. Not only will he seek Il. make us
all good Cinnamon but he proposes to Sc
cure the erection by the chilly shores OF
Lake Michigan Of magnificent temple,
in which all those who believe in the doc
trines or COnfucius may worship
This viii be no Joss house, but Il iona -fide
temple, fitted up in the most approved
fashion. All the various details which go
to make up the gorgeous interior Of the
temple to which the disciples Of COnfu-
ClusisIn turn their footsteps, viii re there
in great degree. In fact, if tie plan Of
Wong Chinn Foo S carried cut, there VIII
be sample Of Oriental gOrgeousness such
as the pTosaic United States has never be
fore possessed within its borders Neither
willtheTe be any ceremony omitted. Every
point that the stfictest Chinese etiquette
requires to be observed will be always
takeninto consideration. Toslight even one
Of them wouId be an aTGonable error
While in China the offender wOald be
beheaded, in TINS land Of the fee and the
home OF the brave he would merely be es-
cOrted ont Of doors.
The light of intelligence shines brightly
about Wong Chinn Foo, for he is a cenu-
inc American citizen and mas Iapers to
prove it. The loss of his queue. however,
has not interfered with his native reIi-
gious methods, for he is Just as good a
believer in the doctrines Of C0nfucius as
he ever was, and that is saying - good
deal. He is the editor of d Chinese news
paper in Chicago and spreads uis ICea~
among his Countrymen as rapidly a. r,;ssi-
bic. The plan for temple is 4Ot an in
spiration 20 far as he is c1Gccrned. but
il seems that it has been talked OF and
dreamed about for Lsany years. 10th by
himself andotheTsof his race. It's merely
the approach Of the fruition of thr -iearest
sort Of Celestial hopes
Wong Chinn Foo has no desire To- lide
his intentions under a busheI any more
than lie has his light. as the following,
written by him, shows:
ITO the Editor of The Times:
lit is my purpose to do all that can
10 make all Americans good COniuCianists
and Cinnamon Many of my COt.ntrymen
will aid me in this way. / am very much
in earnest and mean Just what 7 say
when ! declare that there VIII he built
& temple to Confucius This VIII show how
intelligent people can live without super
sutton and religion; how they can love
one another and DO away with uicotry,
and red-tape methods of doing god
1t Will also show the Christian fami-
lies how to bring up their young % espect
old age and their parents, AMI VIII en-
courage general social order in CEN 'uuni-
ties An these things were done IN China
for centuries, and il is these that kept its
immense millions in order and Prosperity
Why cannot the belief of ConfuCrmiSts he
introduced into the United States Just as
Wen as the good qualities Of the Americans
have been introduced into Chinl / be-
lieve Ii reciprocity in all things.
THE Chinese are not in this country to
be bad citizens, although none Of them
truly believe in Christianity. The Chinese
News is for the Americanizing of the Chi
nese in the United States 1t is 10 Try to
teach them patriotism, thing almost en-
tirely unknown TO the Chinese CeOiie.
ana great admiTCT Of feYeTythiug american,
as am + Hatmalized citizen Of this glo-
rious and beautiful republic. ChinH:uen
should not lac old fogies, and am preparing
their minds not to be-
WONG CHIN ZOO"
For years past runors have Grifted over
the country of an intention of the Chinese
20 some day begin a crusade in behalf OF
that religion so dear TO the Celestial heart.
Just how this was 10 be done has never
been outlined, but that movement 70 that
end would surely be made. IL has always
been che case that even among tine better
class of Chinese a strong feeling has eX-
tSted against the insistent attempts Of
the American missionary to evangeIize aJ
least a portion Of Chinas Unbelieving mill
lions II was supposed for a time that this
crusade against Christianity was really
retaliatOry movement calculated 10 inspire
terror in the hearts of missionaries.
Now, however, the movement seems to
have taken definite start. Certainly the
Chinese Of this country are wealthy enough
to make a decided stir, and if they heartily
unite in the movement there is no question
but that an evangeliStic campaign such as
the world has never seen will be inaugII-
rated. 1t is not likely to be a product OF
mushroom growth, for the Celestial mind
moves slowly although with great cer-
tainty. The predominating element among
the Chinese of this country is, OF course,
what is considered in China itself the low
est caste. Therefore. the crusade, to be on
a firm foun dati0n, must have the backing
OF the intelligent Cinnamon Of good birth.
The young man who is at present before
the public in the light Of leader OF the
Gelestials who believe their idea can be
successfully carried out, is an excellent
specimen Of the AmericaniZed Chinaman,
who, retaining all his native religious IN
stinCts and EeliefS, has added 10 tIcm the
advantages of mind and method that Occi-
dental civilization gives 1t might seem
at first blush that any attempt to intro
duce what is generally considered heathen-
ish methods would lie laughed dow n by the
American people But review OF what
has taken place in n small way in this
country shows That the plan is far from
being chimerical The tenets OF what is
great extent, those which enter largely
into the makeup Of that ancient form OF
religion known rs Buddhism.
1t viii be remembered that at the
WOrLTs Congress OF Religion, held in CHI
cago during the Columbian Exposition,
there were gathered representatives OF
nearly every religious belief that could
boast of any considerable number OF fol-
lowers throughout the world Notable
among the delegates to the congress was q
Buddhist priest from India. an ascetlo
appearing. diginified individual, who COM
manded the sincere respect and admira-
ton OF those who listened to his words,
or became personally acquainted with
f.1 sp fF,iu