The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-12-13
WI TING FANG AGAIN.
Explains His Address on Confuclus and
Makes Another Speech.

PHILADELPHIA. Dec, ls-wu Ting
Fang. who came here TO deliver an ad'
dress before the Contemporary Club.
made u statement In regard TO his adj
dress before the Ethical Culture So
eiety ot New York last Sunday on Com
fuclus. comments upon which have
since been printed, In which he said:
Il am afraid the scope OF my ad-
dress delivered at New York last Sun
day at Carnegie hall Is not made clear
by the reports published In the news
papers. II was far from my intention 20
make any attack on any religion what
ever In the world much less on Chris
tlanIty, My theme was Confucius, The
doctrines OF Confucius are imperfec,ly
understood In this country by people
ana my task was to make clear In as
succinct a manner as possible. without
taking too much time. the cardinal
points OF Couruciansm.
In order to make Il clear to an
American audience. chose the bes,
form OF religion. and that is Christian
ity. which was well known In this coun.
try and which Is considered the hIghes,
form Of religion ever known. to BE- the
standard by which comparison can be
made. and tried to compare the doc
trlne OF Confuclanlsm with this SUI
perior form OF religion. II was not
my intention to make an attack on
Christianity, Taking that as the STAN
dard. instead II being considered as
an attack. II should be held as come
pllment. I wanted 10 compare on what
points Confuclus came up to the stand
ard OF Christianity and II the full tex,
OF my address was published this would
be clear to the reader; but unfortu.
nately | have not seen full account
OF It In any of the papers containing
my speech.
II have been reading portions OF the
Bible and have the greatest respect for
It. appreciate the Bible and greatly
respect Christianity and have never
in my life made any attack on Chris
tianity. may have said that some
OF the doctrines are too grand and too
elevated for man 10 follow. but that.
instead OF an adverse criticism. is In
praise OF the high standard OF that
creed. hope that the clergymen and
missionaries will not come to any con-
clusion by reading the incomplete re-
ports published In the papers"
The galleries OF the Art Club were
crowded last night by invited guests
Of the Contemporary Club to hear Min
lster WI deliver an address entitled:
THE Chinese View" He was cordially
In his address Mr. WI dwelt upon
the five cardinal relations OF mankind
as seen by the Chinese nation. He drew
many interesting as well as amusing
between the customs Of his
own and the American people After
OF the great age OF the Chinese
nation, Minister WI said:
Let us inquire into the cause or
rather combination Of causes. namely
-he five cardinal relations Of mankind.
That Is TO say, first. between sovereign
md ministers and subjects; second, be-
tween parent and child; third. between
elder and younger or between superior
and inferior; fourth. the husband and
wife, and last. but not least. friend
and friend.
In the first case the attribute is
on the part Of the SOW
sreign and respect on the part OF the
subject. In the second relation the par
mt must be kind and the child obedlent.
Between the elder and the younger
here must be respect on the part OF
he latter Concerning the fourth re-
alton, righteousness is the husbands
attribute, while submission Is the duty
'f the wife. The duty Of friends ls
70 be faithful and truthful"
The speaker expanded on each OF the
i've relations, giving the result OF their
application in China and his view Of
returns in America. He
poke particularly Of the second rela-
Ion, saying that in America 1t was
for the son to sit in the
presence Of the father.
IF my son should sit in my presence"
ocularly declared the minister, II
would punch his head"
In conclusion Mr.. WI said:
Although our civil association is not
perfect. yet II has stood the test OF
years well and the nation still ex-
SITS. or course in many respects the
customs and manners Of your country
md my country are different, but there
ire good points ir zach. think II each
# US could learn the others good
POINTS and profit by them II would be
veil. We must understand each other
)etter, for much aof the present trou-
,le has arisen from Misunderstanding
What you think is right we may
hink is wrong Therefore It is import
mt that we Judge not from our stand
,olnt but from the other point Of view
N our country we are guided by duty;
n You're. love ls the guiding princinle