The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-23

all Kingdoms have been regarded as
subordinate to the Middle Kingdom"
The result Is that the schools have
taught nothing OF the worlds life later
than about the time OF the landing OF
our Pilgrims.
One OF the most striking elements In
Chinese life is its solidarity. As IS well
known, the family has a much larger
function than with us. The marriage OF
son does not break in upon the family
life, but enlarges 1t, the daughter-in-
Law becoming incorporated In the lam
lily OF her husband. Several generations
may be welded together in one home.
the authority Of the elders becoming
the more absolute with time. Growing
old is certainly robbed in China Of some
OF the terrors It has among US. The
older a man grows the moro weight is
accorded to his wisdom. 4 girl may be
worse than valueless; young wife Is
the haoless servant OF her mother-iu-
cav; but a mother is sure OF honor,
which increases with the years. and a
grandmother rules the generations with
rod of Iron. In the clan the family
Idea Ia again extended. and society COM
pacted. The leading members o. clan
are held largely responsible for the con-
duct Of the rest, and are often punished
for their crimes. although no one may
suspect them Of personal completely
with the wrongdoers.
Yet In other aspects Chinese society
seems lndividuallstlc in the extreme.
Am mV brothers keepers" was never
asked in more incredulous tone than by
the Chinese, when brother IS used In Its
larger sense. The doctrine OF lnissez-
faire was never pushed to greater ex-
treme A man may drown lr he sight
OF scores OF bystanders without one OF
them bestlrrlng himself In his behalf.
Civic pride Is almost unknown and
public spirit cannot be appealed to.
Why should a man trouble himself for
others or seek to promote the public
veal? The nation has no hold upon the
Imagination or the conscience OF the
Chinese. The contrast with the Japa-
nese in this respect is fairly startling,
While the latter qulvers with patriotic
feeling, and throws his goods and his
life into the scale for his country's
glory, the Chinese Is not aroused from
his apathy By the boom Of cannon nor
by the disgrace OF his dragon-fag.
Such are few OF the contradictory
elements that enter into the complex OF
Chinese character and civilization. 1t is
easy to dispose OF them by budding
them under the patronizlng or contemp-
tuous epithet "oriental"; but this Is no
solution. Does not the true explanation
lie in the direction OF the consideration
that here is a great people Into the de-
VeIopment ofswhose life for the last two
thousand years have not entered the ell
ements that are formative OF the best
modern life? Their development has
been thwarted and warped because 1t
has not enjoyed the moulding influence
OF progressive civilization enriched
and empowered by Christianity. The
specimens OF Intelligent Christian man
hood and womnnhOod, which are the
product OF but two generations OF Chris
tIan work in China, are splendidly indi-
cntlve OF the possibilities OF the regener-
ntion OF the empire by the vitalizing
touch OF the worlds best life.
The London Spectator recently char
acterlZed the situation IN China as n
condition Of syncope. 1t Is worse than
that; It Is dislnteEration. Can these
fragments be welded into n compact
mass; or better, quickened into con-
sclous and fruitful life? Never was
there a more inspiring challenge 20
ChFlstendom.