Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-12-19
WI Ting fAkGG'S SERMON,
OUT OF cHRlsT's MOUTH DOES HE, CON.
DENIM CHRISTIANS.
C0NFUC|AN|SM AND CHRISTIANITY
Compared-"A Good Christian Is a Good Con.
iuclan and Good Confucian Is a Good
ChrlstIan"-Teachlngs OF ConfucIus.

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Compared-"A Good Christian Is a Good Con.
iuclan and Good Confucian Is a Good
Christian" Teachings OF ConiucIus.
Wu Ting Fang, the Chinese min
lister to the United States, spoke
before the New York Society for
Ethical Culture, at the Carnegie
Music Hall, on Sunday morning, the
9th of December, on "The Teach
ings of Confucius."
Mr.. WI said in part:
"In the strictest sense of the word
Confucianism is not religion. 1t is
not system of doctrine and worship.
1t is, perhaps, easier to say what Con-
fucianism is not than what it is.
"The immortality of the soul is a
beautiful doctrine, I admit. I wish
it were true, and I hope it is true.
But all the reasoning of Plato can
not make it more than a strong
probability. And all the light OF
modern science has not brought us
one step further. Now, Confucius
would be called an Agnostic il he
were alive to-day. There were four
things that he would not talk about
extraordinary things, feats of
strength, disorder and spiritual be-
ings. 'How are we to serve spiritual
beings? p he was asked. sWhen you
do not know how to serve men how
should you hope to serve spirits p he
replied. Horace Greeley said that
those who discharge promptly and
faithfully their duty to those who
linger in the flesh, have but little
timo to peer into the affairs of those
who have passed away. Confucius
was intensely human and practical
He did not spend time speculating
as to what will happen after DEATH
The minister then compared the
practical teachings Of Confuscius
with those of Christ. He read a
passage from the New Testament
directing that evil be not resisted
with evil, and that if man smitc
you on one cheek you should turn
the other cheek. Of this doctrine
Mr.. Wu said
"This, it seems to me, is meekness
with a vengeance. | am inclined tC
think that no sensible man has ever
followed this injunction faithfully
a man who will smite you Oh the
cheek is dangerous man and needs
no second invitation. A man who
will take your coat is a thief, and
would doubtless take your cloak, too
if he could lay his hands on it,"
Glove your enemies. Such &
standard of excellence is too high
for humanity. There is no likcli
hood that many people will follow
it. at this very moment Christian
missionaries are calling for bloodshcd
and vengeance, and Christian armies
are devastating the land, sparine
neither age nor sex. There is indeed
vast gulf between doctrine and per
formancc. Could you love one who
had killed your father or destroyed
your home? Confucianism does not
require such thing. 1t enjoins that
kindness be requited with kindness
and an injury with justice. 1t does
not sanction retaliation in a vindic
tive spirit, such as, | regret to say
is shown by some persons confessine
to be governed by the tenents O
Christianity.
"The most striking instance il
which the teachings of Confuciu.
and of Christ meet is Of the Colder
Rule. Confucius put it negatively
to be sure-tDo not do to Others
what you would not wish them to dc
to you'-but anyone who will follow
that rule, either way it is phrascd
will be thoroughly good man.
ga good Christian is good Confu
clan, and good Confucian is a goot
Christian. / do not believe tha
Heaven is an exclusive place. The
advocates Of various religions arr
trying to make private park of i
for their own adhcrcnts. Whatcvc,
Heaven may be, believe it is &
place for all good men, irrespective
of dogma. The Chinese are an cmi
nently practical race. Confucius die
not run away from the world, bu
did his duty in it. He teaches mcr
to do good for the sake of good an(
not for any promise Of reward, o1
through any threat of punishment
The world is gradually coming tt
Confucius. One of the signs is tht
growth of Agnosticism. will no
say whether people arc growing
more callous or more civilized, bu
| they are no more terrified when the