The Portland daily press., 1900-08-17
THE FOUR CHINESE RELI-
GIONS.
missionaries Have to Fight Confueian :
Ism, Taoisn, Buddhism aud Moham-
mechanism.

(Prof. John Fryer in Ainslee's Maya
zine.)
Another serious difficulty the mission
airy in China has to contend with is the
complicated form of thu religion of the
Chinese. Instead of one system of doc
trines and teachings, there are three
great ana separate religions, dwelling
side by side, and with little If any fric-
ton or want of harmony. Although
radically different in their origin, char
acteristics and general aims, each seems
to be complement of the other. A
Chinaman may select and follow as much
of all three as he-pleases, without being
inconsistent. The missionary has there
fore to study all three religions in their
history, doctrines and practical influence
upon the heart and everyday life of the
people before he can hope to meet them
on their own ground and answer all
their objections to Christianity. He has
three separate citadels to attack. instead
Of one.
The writings OF Confucius are the
source whence the officials and literati
derive their theories OF government and
social duties. The ethics of Confucius
pervade and influence every phase of
Chinese life. The doctrines taught by
their "most holy sage' are cited as the
infalIible criterion of uprightness and
integrity in public and private life, and
were disseminated several centuries be-
fore the coming Of Christ. They were
not original with Confucius, but rather
~. ,I-f. 81 Ii
sages, who hourshed in the far-otf golden
age OF China, when the evils of bad gov
eminent We're unknown, ana when the
Chinese seem to have recognized and wor-
shipped the true God Confucius con-
fessed to be only a reformer, a transmit
ter, and not the author OF a new religion.
But it is almost impossible to estimate
the enormous hold this system with its
time-honored classics now has upon the
educated and thinking men of China.
Its teachings are of a high moral order,
yet they are as much disregarded in
every day affairs as Christ's teachings
are disregarded among ourselves. The
Chinese know what is right, but fail ut
terly to practice it.
Then there IS Taofsnl, the second form
Of igous faith and practice, originating
with the philosopher Lao-tsze in the CEN
tury when the Jews returned from Baby
lon Its ancient classic, the Toe-teh-
king, comes nearer to the philosophy of
our Old Testament teachings than any
other book in the world. Had this sys-
tenn remained in it's original purity it
would have served as an excellent basis
for Christianity. Unfortunately the
Iaoists went astray hunting for the phil
osopher stone, the elixir OF immortality,
with other vague conceptions. and then
fell into the grossesb superstitions and
denonoIatry. The evil influences OF
modern YaOism upon Chinese society
are tremendous, and it is greater foe to
the Christian missionary than Confucian-
ism.
These two great religions, Confucian-
ism and Iaoism, did not satisfy the
Iongings of the soul of thu Chinaman,
nor did th5y afford comfort or s3lace in
the many troubles and sOrrow6 Of life
10 supply this WANT Buddhism came
from India some time before the birth OF
Christ, but it was not till shortly after
that event that the Emperor Ming-ti had
his wonderful dream, and as a result sent
messengers to linda to invite Buddhist
teachers. After experiencing many vicis
STUDIES, Buddhism became firmly estaD-
lished. The wosrhip of Amida Buddha
with the goddess Of mercy became preva-
lent, while temples and monasteries,
priests and nuns were soon to be found
everywhere. The western paradise, the
Buddhist helIs, the transmigration of
souls, the vegetarian diet, the doctrines
of Ixarma and Nirvana, and the worship
of the goddess KWan-yin, who has power
to save and to bestOw sons upon her
votaries, are oil so firmly migrated on the
ordinary Chinese mind that it seems inn
possible that they should be modified,
much 3 less etfaced by the teachings OF
Christianity. Yet the missionary is ex
pected to go forward boldly to attack this
giSnt also, in the name of the Lord, and
armed only with his sling and his stone.
AS it all these difficulties were not sutn
cient, Buddhism had hardly settled down
tremendously with It's two sister relig
ions when Mohammedanism entered the
empire, pushing It's way into imperial
notice with great effect, and oontesting
with it's mOnotheistic doctrine against
the corrupt religious practices that had
grown up in the other three divisions. 1t
cutions and rebellions In which millions
of Mohammedans have been put to death.
Most CT the MOslem Chinese now occupy
very strong opposition In the whole OF
Northwest China. Others are scattered
over the face OF the empire, many Of them
being rich and enjoying official positions
Although opposed to the main features
oil Christianity, the Mohammadan faith
is not entirely without it's advantages 10
the work oil The Christian missionary.
The denunciation Eof all sidolatry, the
worship of the true God, the observance
of the Mohammedan Sabbath, and the