The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-13
DID NOT INTEND TO
ATTACK CHRISTIANITY.
WI Ting Fang Explains What He
Intended TO Convey in His
Confucius Address.

PHILADELPHIA. Dec. l2.-Wu Ting
Fang. who came here 20 deliver an adj
dress before the Contemporary cub, made
a statement In regard to his address be-
fore the Ethical Culture Society in New
York last Sunday on Confucius, COM
menis upon which have since been print
ed in which he said.
~ am afraid the scope of my address
delivered at New York last Sunday at
Carnegie hall Is not made clear by the re-
ports published in the papers. II was far
from my intention TO make any attack on
any religion whatever IN the world. much
less on Christianity. My theme was Con-
fucius, The doctrines of COnfucius are
imperfecty Understood in this country by
people. and my task was to make clear
In as succlnct manner as possible, with
out taking too much time, the cardinal
points Of Caufpciauism-
"lu order 10 make IL clear to an Ameri-
can audience, | chose the best form OF
religion, and that Is Christianity, which
was wen known in this country and which
Is considered the highest form OF religion
ever known, 70 be the standard BY which
comparison can be made. and ] tried TO
compare the doctrine Of COnfucauism
with the superior form of religion IT
was not my intention To make an attack
on Christianity, Taking that as the stand
ard, instead OF being considered as an at
tack, ~ should be as a compliment
wanted to compare on what points Con-
fucius could come up to the standard Of
Christianity. and II the full text of my
address was published this would be clear
TO the reader. but unfortunately | have
not seen a fun account OF II in any of
the papers printing my speech.
II have been reading portions OF the
Bible and have the greatest respect for II,
and | appreciate the Bible, and greatly
respect Christianity, and l have never in
my life made any attack on Christianity.
| may have said hat some of the doc
trines are too grand and too elevated for
man 20 follow but that instead OF adverse
criticism Is in praise Of the standard OF
that creed. | hope that the clergymen and
missionaries viii not come to any conciu-
sion by reading the Incomplete reports
published In the papers"
The galleries OF the Art Club were
crowded last night by invited guests OF tho
Contemporary Club to hear Minister Wa
deliver an address entitled The Chinese
View" He WAS cordially received. In his
address Mr.. WI dH0it upon the five car
dlnai relations OF mankind as seen by the
Chinese nation He drew many interesting
az we'll as amusing comparisons between
the customs OF his own and Of the Ameri-
can people. After speaking ~ he great
age Of the Chinese nation. Minister WI
LET us inquire into the cause or rather
combination ~ causes namely, the Eve
cardinal relations Of mankind. That Is 20
say. arst between sovereign and ministers
and subjects. second. tetMcen parent and
child. third. between elder and younger
or between superior ana inferior fourth,
tho husband and wife and last bat not
least friend and friend IN the arst case
the attribute Is beneVGlence on The par,
~ the SOVEREIGN and respect On the part ot
parent must be kind and he child obe-
aieut Between the elder and The younger
there must De- respect on tho part % the
latter Concerning the fourth relation
righteousness is the husbands attribute,
while submission IS tbs duty % the wife,
The duty OF friends IL 20 be faithful and
The speaker expanded on each Of the
five relations giving the result % other
applications iu China and his View ~ COR
responding relations iu America. He spoke
parflcularir % the second relation. saying
that fn America a. was customary Tor the
cNUH To- SIT fn the presence % the
fnther "If my SON should ait in my pres
anra'f iaau'aFlV declared the minister Il
would punch his head"
III conclusion Mr wa SAID.
"AithouEh our civil xauon 10 not per-
feet. vct q has stood the test ~ years
p-pW ard the nation sfiN exists or course
in many respects the customs AMI man
rers ~ your country ana my country are
different Boo There are good points IN
each thtrk n each ~ us cogld learn
fha others good uointo and profit hy them.
IL would be well We must understand
each other better far much ~ the prez-
ont trouble hHs arisen from ulsunder-
standing what you think % right we
NAV think wrong Therefore Il rs import
aut thaf w. Judge not from our stand
nrfnt rgt from thn either point ~ view.
In our ~ountrt We are wus8fA hv dutv.
ir ravrs love is the guiding principle. Z
c1lld strife medium