The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-29
written for The Times. J

speaking, remain a matter of opinion. IT
Is one OF the questions every now and
then propounded. the answer TO which is
from the point OF view.
Agreed that the ethics OF Christianity
ere beyond controversy from our stand
point. 1t does not follow they are from
The GhiHaman's. We may declare being
IN Rome in this application OF the old
saw, Is no reasons for doing as Romans
DO, yet he may differ, and insist that as
III Is his country and not OURS, ne should
nave something to say about Il.
Strictly reiisously speaking. the Chi
nese are the most tolerant OF people None
in the world really more and few as
much So
All Cinnamon, generally stated, are Con-
fucians. The educational basis of China Is
Sonfucius; the standard Of learning is ia
InhfaritT with his essays. and the very
acme OF scholarship is to be letter perfect
Ia Confucia1 emanations. Confuclus
founded no religion, made pretense to
spiritual teaching, or attempted 10 mark
the path TO better world. All he laid
claim TO was the better!ng OF life in this
one by adherence TO dialects believed to
insure IL. The Confucian code embraces
principles ilnpressiveiy noble in the in
SpiraIon giving them birth; grand as
we'll in the language OF their expression.
It Confucius who gave the Golden
kuIe to the world. and. of the sayings of
men whose time on earth antedated the
Christian era. few are cherished as his.
In one way or another Confucian proverbs
have become our own. Not always.
1t IS true. being SO acknowledged, still it
cannot be denied that Christian ethics
owe something to the great Chinese phi
losopher.
lie lived five hundred years before
Christ, and as we reverence the name and
memory Of the Saviour SO, relatively, the
Chinese. the name and memory of Conf,l-
clus With the difference. of course, that
ConfucIus Is not held i'll reverence as di-
wins. or as kaving sacrificed himself that
his people might be saved. On the contra
~, he is in no sense esteemed as other
than mortal man; but the greatest of
all mortal men. No comparison is posi-
BILE the better enabling 4 comprehension
of his place in the Chinese heart than the
one that has been made. To attempt to
dislodge him therefrom is, to the China
man, very much as it would be with us
were il essayed TO dethrone Christ
Still this parallel doesn't parallel mas
much as there can with US be room for
other. while with the Cinnamon the oc-
cupatIon By Confucius is but partial. A
corner as it were, but he resents any in
reference as to that corner
WORSHIP OF ANCESTORS.
Another corner has for centuries been
given up 10 Loa-tZe- Contemporary Wlth
Confucius, in point of fact the elder of
the two, Loa=tze taught the present
while the other lived in and taught of the
past Confucius reyerenced his ancestors,
indeed, everybody'S ancestors who had
or were supposed TO have. led lives worthy
of emulation. This was the cap-stone OF
elis philosophy and from 1t came the wor-
ship of ancestors, which is not only about
all that could by any stretch o. the imaG-
T,r, ,,aI ir1llD rift ed n
ed-tlown religion in China, but in Japan
and Korea as well. Loa-tze founded Tao
ism which in English means The Way
in Soc.e respect perhaps TabiSm might
be termed a religion, or at the least, be
classed as a semi-reliSion- Its originator
however, never posed as i'll communication
with other than this sphere: taught mere
~ the living of a good life here and the
way on earth was the only one TO which
he pointed. Some tfleologians have argued
q recognition OF the Hebrew term Tor
God-Jehovah or Jahveh-in Lao-tze writ
ings: but. be this as it may, il IS conceded
that Lao-tze. no more than Confuc!us, ad-
rocated life beyond this. such as We
have been taught 10 expect.
Whatever may be the opinion as to the
lofty precepts of Confucius and Lao-tze
being honored more IN the breach than
In the observance in China. there cannot
be found in them, or other of their utter
ances. that justifyilg violence or hiooo-
shed. Religious prosecutions. holy "SFS
as they are called. almost. il not quite,
without exception have something III the
Scriptures of the belligerent party which
is made the shibboleth for the fray; catch
words or sentences founded upon revered
ieclamations and made the raIlyinS cry
of the faithful. They neither have scrip
lures or inspired utterances to nerve
them. Nothing OF the kind, in fact. to IN
cite them to religious frenzy TRADITIONS
they have those as indicated, but there
is no position taken more strenuouslN by
the missionary than that the Chinese do
not live up 10 the teachings Of their great
philosophers and that, 10 all intents ana
n,lrposes. they care nothing whatever for
them.
At The best, and combined. they consti-
rute hut a code of morals. No thought is
present in mind that il is comparable as 4
whole with the Christian code. or that the
Chinese. following its every precept. could
or would become an eNemIlar wing WIN
him whose creed is the Sermon on the
Mount
Religious intolerance is not inculcated
by. or can it spring from, the writings
of confucius and Lao-tze, because III
neither IS there religion to serve as me
generator Manifesty the Indictment
the murder of Christian missionaries,
arise from adherence 10 the principles OF
the venerated Chinese sases.
TAoISM AND BUDDHISM.
Modern Taoism has come 10 be largely
.inged with Buddhism. which. as an on
shoot from Hinduism. is pre-eminently
the gospel of protection 10 every living
being. The Buddhist, as the Hindu to
whom he IS first cousin relisiously speak
ing. Is the most uncompromisins Of rege-
ta;ians, and often so Jealous in the pre-
se,-vat;on of life. that the leaf which he
uses as a plate for his food is from a
dead rather than a living plant. Although
the Oldest OF the existing religions OF the
world. and. with the Buddhists embracing
nearly the half of the earth's population
as its devotees. Hinduism has ever re-
manned consistent in its eXemplificatlon
OF peace. No holy wars OF its instigation
characterize its four thousand years OF eN-
istcnce. no widening of the scope of its
influence by the sword. or enforced prose
iyting at the point OF the bayonet When
the Buddha parted company with the
1srahnns he carried with him as the chief
pillar OF the new faith. the corner stone OF
the old-the right of every created being
10 It's life, the immortality of every God |
mace soul