Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-07-02
IDEAL AND ACTUAL CHINESE CIVILIZATION.

The Rev D. q. Sheffield, for many
years president of the North China Col
llege an institution he helped TO found,
sii seusses at length. in the July Forum,
1.-THE actual attaiiinents of Chimes civ
Eilization as compared With the ideals
inculcated by Gonfucius and the sases.
The comparison is not hauering 70 Chi
ma. He says in part:
Western students of Chimes life and
iletters are surprised at the lofty ideals
Iof government, Of the family. ard of
society set forth in the ancient classical
literature, which from generation to
generation has exerted an ennnbling IN
iluence upon the thoughts of the people
But they are also surprised that these
IDEALS have been realized to 80 small an
extent in government in the family. and
lin society.
Ancient Chinese literature is Wit
ness to the nobility of human nature in.
iits best thoughts and aspira tons The
sages taught that man Is made for sir-
lstne: ITO be benevolent is to be- a re;in.
They taught that virtue distinguishes
l$;neii from animals. and that when men
| fail to be virtunus they cease to be men
!! The heart of man tends toward good
mess a s. water tends 10 II ow downward.
/ Water may be forced upward. but that
lit not its tendency lin like manner men
may be driven to evil. but ii is, not ae-
Ecordng IN their nature. The mountain
aclothcs itself With forests and ve.Yiure
4 but axl1len cone from the neighborng
lefty and cut down the lresa fresh
\ shoots sifrirS up from the living roots
i'but tn. cattle browse Them down until
1.-THE mountain is bald and desolate. and
! mel say ii is' the mature of the lioun-
4 ta!n to be bald and desolate. Not So:
its condition Isl the result of violence to
Its nature. Thus mans nature seeks
Ito clolheitsslf With virtue but it ia as
Isailf1 by external evils till finally the
.Ireeuperative powers of the heart be-
come paralS2sd ard we look upon the
levi man and say it is his nature to be
ieNtl. Not 50. his true nature has been
it3overcone by theevil that is alien to it,
4 The end of learning is to recover lost
.Eheart. which is the child heart that
4 ail.men have in common.
\ Confucus tersely describes the ideal
icondition in human relations as realized
\ when the prince acquits himself as
4 prince, the minister as minister, the
father as father. and the son as son -
! that is when men in every rank in go
lciety discharge faithfully the duties be-
4 longing to their place. The claw of
heaven is the law of right. the law Of
duty, and wisdom consists in correctly
/ applying this law in the relations of life
I3Corfucius taught that the end of learn
ling was to develop and make manifest
4 the innate virtue. to renovate the people
and to rest in the highest goodness.
Chinese history has not been without
/ examnies of upright rulers and faithful
| citizens, of Compassionate fathers and
4 filial song" but the ideal state, the ideal
family, have been, for the most part,
Themes to be talked about. to be writ
ten of in elegant essays. but not to be
striven after or experienced. The son
Of Heaven" has usually proved to be a
son of earth in his bondage to its pas
sioEs and allurements. Ministers have
been eyes and ears and hands, not for
the service of their princes. but for the
service of their own ignoble appetitee
and ambitions. Society has not been
.rnled by the law &c he.e:o!caca, hv: By
the law Of selishness The operation of
4 this law is also seen in family life. Par
ents regard children as given to themto
command; children IN turn have few
rights in the presence of their parents
/ There is a popular saying that parents.
are the family gods, and too often tgSsss,
lrule in their households with ~