The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-09-06
CHINA'S FAMED SAGE.
REMARKABLE CAREER OF coNFU.
Gus, POET AND POLITICIAN.

In the twentieth year of the Emperor
Ling. 551 i. c., Confucius, the "all-
complete, ancient teacher and perfect
sage" first felt the light in the dis
trict Of Chinese Tsow. His father
was Shuh-leang Hcih. whose prowess
was as large as his stature, and his
valor greater than both His mother
consort of IIelh's senillty. and his sec
ond wife, was Ching-tsae. youngest
daughter of the family of Yen. The
usual miraculous episodes encluster
his birth When CoDfucius was only
three years old his father, Scholar
Heih, died.
OF his early schooling little shat is
trustworthy has been preserved. Ger
tain 1t is that his house knew full well
the pinch of poverty. AT fifteen Con
fuclus, Kew, or Confutsc. had versed
himself in studies far beyond his
years. At nineteen lie contracted an
alliance with a lady of the house of
Keen-kwan. In the following year the
stork visited his dwelling Chlng-ts tsae
gave birth to n son. lie.
Confucius was made keeper of grain
stores. next warden of public fields
and lands. Even then his humblest
duties-the fabric OF much rich para.
bic and slmile-were discharged with
an uncommon thoroughness and con
scientiouS devotion. At two-and-twen.
ty he flashed forth into public teach
e.; his house became the rallying
ground of thoughtful, ardent youths.
In 52S Il. G.. his mother joined her hus-
! band in the valley of the shadow.
Five years afterward, when Confu-
Gus, Il man of north, south east and
west" was twenty-niue, we find him
studying music under II famous prin-
cipal named Seang. B. G. 5l7 saw him
signaled out as teacher of proprieties
TO the son of one of the chief members
of Loo. a later date discovers him.
musical acolyte, student of poetry,
history, ceremonies, antiquity and eth
les, imbibing wisdom ut the court of
Chow. Here so entrancingly did Il
sages music appeal 20 him that for
three full months flesh food and he
were strangers.
Now occurs a much-debated incident,
the rumored divorcng of his wife.
b. C. 500. in the early twilight of his
years, lie was appointed chief maeis-
tr0te of Chung-too, and in this capac-
ity proved himself a manners retormer
of no mean prcwess. Next he was re-
spactiveiy assistant superintendent of
works under Duke Ting; then Minister
of Crime. During this last tenure of
oftice-popuiarized by .leferercc to the
verdict of one from among his codn-
selors. whichever was most cogent--
such became of his sway that no Of
tenders showed themselves.
COrfutse was now the darling of the
populace. Delegates of his admins
tration sped far aficid, pilgrims tocked
in shoals from other States. In the
heyday of his prosperity. ut the tur.
ret of Ais power arrived that tragic
throwback which, from a worldly
viewpoint. was his undoing BY the
Vaccinations of envlous States it was
ccntrived that a cargo of eig1ty peer.
less damoZels should be presented to
his sovereign. These were sent osten-
| Silly as the portion of a goodwill of
ferin2, in reality TO sCduce the King
from the teachings of his Minis en-
The venomous plot succeeded only too
well. For detected Confucius began
at iifty-six II cycle of weary wan 'er-
ings which We're to last for thirteen
years. Through all his hardships and
perilous adventures belief in n divine
mission sustained him.
OF those travails and travels, in all
likelihood, We're born his most CON
summate maXlms. Probably to that
period we owe his uplifting of ances-
tor worship into a religion. many of
his compilations, his immortal Ana
lects, hls Rules of Propriety and the
contiguous Five Relations of Society
to be Observed. Throughout his eX-
istence, from the Alpha of his adoles-
cence to the Omega of his obsequies.
he seems TO have been characterized
by lofty nobility, a grand independ-
ence of thought and speech, trans
cendent purity of living. Upon some
alleged stains on his escutcheon, such
as the breaking of forced oath, the
pralsing of gallant lie. the present
writer has not sufficient knowledge or
presumption 20 pronounce.
Charitable, Confuse acknowledged
the vital need of education for rich
and poor alike. Narrow as to the
functions of woman, he was quick to
see the influence of right examples and
to insist upon their practice by those
In authority. To secure the common
veal he realized that good rulers and
good leaders - benevolent despots, II
you will-were Indispensable. Alive
before his time, pOsterlty awarded this
matchless cohseryer aud transmitter
glorious recognition. For 1000 years
countless emperors made and still
make adoring pilgrlmages to his
shrine. To-day all native colleges
raise side temples to his honor; his
disciples may be measured by the hun
dred million.
b. G. 4S3, by fortunate twist of
fate, the wanderer could return to
Loo. Confuse was now sixty-nlne.
and, thanks to time and inward mas
terry, might follow what his heart de-
sired without transgressing what was
right" He absorbed and diffused wis
dom and poetry, coilated history
H. Nt.,.,