The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-11

OF CHINA
Missionary Discourse
By {. W. ThWing.
CHINESE SuPERST|T|ONS
Old Customs Passing and Country
Developing Through Western
Influence.

Rev. Edward w. Thwing preached the
missionary sermon last evening at the
Central Union Church from the text.
Behold, there shall come from far; and.
10 these from the north and from the
west: and from the land of Sinim."
Isaiah 1912.
As we look out over the great mission
fields today we feel convinced that the
.lingdom Of God is being set up through
out all the earth. Great nations are
learning to bow before Jehovah King.
Our text gives promise that China, too.
will come.
Among the feudal States in China dur
ing the seventh century, b. c., that of
rsin the most powerful 1t after
wards gained the whole Empire. From
this Tsin has come the name of Sina, or
China, for all ages and nations.
4 he word China Is unknown in China
except as the missionaries in teaching
english have taught II to the natives
he name they give it can be interpret
ed as the Middle Kingdom" They think
,hey occupy the mIoole OF the earth. and
that all other nations are merely dwelling
IN the edges. Their mOst respectfuI term
10 designate a foreigner is the ocean
men" China has her face turned TOWARD
the rear toward her once magnificent po-
sition. She esteems that wnIDn Is oIa,
yeeks to follow the teachings of the an
Gent ssges-Confuclus anu otneIs.
GREAT WALL OF CHINA.
About two years ago / stood on the
Great Wan of emma, ~nicn stretches ror
100 miles over mountain anu pam, ano
looked OFF to the south, wneIe lie Inc
eighteen provinces or mat vast empire.
W nat NE ana changes nave gone On
through the centuries III tnat ancient
HInguOm! 1he waIi itself IS monument
II mans labor. L. was UuuI ~ years De-
fore Christ. by hlm who cameo n.msei-
u he FIRST Emperor" 1t was ten years
| in building, ana IS today one of the won
ders of the world QS-eo feet high, 10 feet
Woe at top). 1t was this same emperor
who issued orders Tor the "burnlng OF
| the books wishing all RECORDS Destroy
| ed, that history might begin with him.
Today the eyes OF the world are on Pc
| king or the City of Nine Gates" IL has
been capital city, not always of the EN-
pire. since 600 Il. e. 1t has The finest wall
Of any city in the world-ffty feet high
and forty feet wide at the top. AS /
/ walked through the great southern gate,
| with it's tower over 1u0 feet high, 1t SEEM
ed like going through a tunnei. The mass
i've wooden doors are shut every nlght:
From the wall we had most extended
views Of city and wall. gate and towers,
! temples and pagodas, and beautiful Pros
| pect Hili' in the distance.
REAL LIFE OF CHINA.
hut leaving our places on the wall
I where We have looked with wonder on the
/ affairs of heaven ana earth, where I'm
| perors have worshlped the supreme, anu
| where stood the 4 empie. of heaven with
scend to the real life OF that busy city,
a life OF toll and ignorance. Oh, the Gust
and dirt of Peking! 1t stays by one in
side and out: and when it rains, oh, the
mire! The sewers are open pools by the
roadside, and woe TO the man who falls
off his donkey into the gutter II he can
not swim. 1t may well claim to be the
king requires much patience. If you have
an appointment for dinner with friend
start the day before. A ride In Pekins
springs to ease the tolts over the uneyer
stones. Take a donkey If you prefer;
did so.
DoNKEYs IN PEKING.
Leaving good old DR. Martins house ear
~ one morning to visit about feking,
felt in the best OF spirits The good ole
, Doctor introduced me to my donkey. He
said: Some donkeys are easy riding
$ and some are not" Gle has written
a good one" I left him at his door bu
soon found ] had the other kind. OF al
! the vibrating or jumping machines. thi
I donkey would take the prize. Five min
utes was enough to loosen every bone II
I my back. l stopped In at my neares
: friends house and had the animal chang
ed
q The second one was not much better
the vibrations had more of side nc
ton, but my heart failed me as though
\ of spending the day on It's back. 1t wa
i with great satisfaction that on reachin
: the Picking University l was able to bi
G him goodbye and make the rest OF m
Journey about town on bicycle. ms
q but one illustration of the old methods
: IL is good advice when travelling in China
= III you are In a hurry, walk
n CHINESE RELIGIONS.
!. After other notes about Peking. Nh
n Thwing spoke of the old religions OF en-
Il ma. Confucianism, the rellgloh OF Tn
= scholar; Buddhism, with priest, and Tao
v ism, the religion of devils. monastery
a The Chinese have great faith in charms
- They paste them on the doors and carr
II them in the form of cash about their pei
: sons They have charms for literary MEL
" II in the shape of a large cash with squar
" degree is often the inscription. Ais
e charms to keep off evil-"Mt. devil o
: right; Thunder queen on lett insert tI,lL
u devils bring good spirits and kill cVi
e drive away bad sickness and ever protec
q health: we respectfully wait upon IN
J, old Ruler above to quickly sy issue ne I'm
e. earth and all things have no luminosity.
II Sage and magic sword and Health es
cape evil other charms for wealth an
long life. reading May gold and jewel
Mr.. Thwing spoke of Flung shin, or III
10 wind and water superstition. Pagoda
4 are built to keep the good luck from iea'
- Ing n place. Eft
l. CHANGES OF PRESENT DAY.
All these things give us some idea {
~ China of old as she has been and is 4
~ day in a great measure. But China
e. changing. slowly but surely. There is
n be a new China. Many of her people Al
ly learning to turn from the old and receiN
e the new. Books and papers are beir
III carefully read. Western learning Is reacl
=. ing even far into the interior. Railroad
-. telegraph, electric lights. are found wit
NJ In the bounds OF the Middle Kingdom
AZ A missionary at the great conferen'
Il recently held in New York speaks thus
the advance movement:
Two recent events go to show progre
In China One was the coming out o.
two years ago of book edited largely
foreigners and advocating a compile
change In the peoples attitude iowa
re foreigners, Western learning and q
~ ! Christian religion. The next thing w
- the issuing Of the reform edicts bv q
a. Emperor. The missionaries could hard
d. believe II possible. The abolition OF q
ed essay test In their public examinatio
,s- was another. That was abolish'ns a o.