The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-28
For Twenty-FOur Centuries They
Have Been Found Worthy to Fol-
low by Untold Myriads.
SOME MINISTERS ARE UNFAIR
WILLING TO CRITICISE, BUT NOT
ABLE TO BEAR CRITICISM.
The Underlying Good in All Religions
Address Before Philadelphia
Ethical Culture Society.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 27.-Wu Ting
Fang, Chinese minister plenipotentiary to
the United States, replied to his critics to-
day in the course of a lecture on Con
fucius and Mencius." delivered before the
Society of Ethical Culture at Horticultural
Hail. Every available inch of both seating
and standing room was occupied by an
audience attracted by the protest and criti-
cism raised by Minister Wus recent utter
ances in New York city on the subject of
Christianity, which listened with much In
terest to the speaker. The Chinese min
ister's statements, however. were extremely
conservative. 8. Burns Western, director
of the society, INTRODUCED Mr.. WI, who
said:
''Twenty-four centuries have rolled by
since Confucius walked this earth. His In
fiuence is as great to-day among his coun-
trymen as it ever was before. Never was
his name held in greater veneration than 1t
is now. Throughout the length and breadth
of the Chinese empire, everywhere are tenn
pies erected in his memory. Every school
boy acknowledges him as the supreme
teacher of the Chinese race. His spirit per-
vades a nation of four hundred millions.
most august Emperor on the throne as
well to the meanest peasant at the
plow Thus Is Confucius enthroned in
the hearts of his countrymen.''
AT the close of his address the speaker
said: "I find that the address Con-
fucianism delivered last month at Carne-
gle Hall in New York has attracted great
deal of attention. 1t is source of gratifica-
tion to me that the remarks made on that
occasion have ELECTED comments from the
American press which are generally very
favorable, and also expressions of approval
from persons in different parts of the
country. On the other hand, / have seen
in the newspapers some adverse criticism
on my address from a number of clergy
men. But lest false impression may have
gone forth in regard to that address, take
this opportunity to say few words about
it by way Of explanation
Minister WI then quoted an extract from
the sermon of the Rev. DR.. Wayland Hoyt
of this city. on Sunday. Dec. 16. in which
the latter spoke of Ii Hung Chang's high
tribute to the work of the Christian mis-
sionaries in China and asked what reply
the Chinese minister could make 'Dr
Hoyt has done me. though doubtless un-
Willingly, a great injustice" continued
Wu Ting Fang. "Since he wants a reply,
1 have no hesitation in giving him one.
indorse every word that Earl Ii has said
on the subject of foreign missionaries as
cited by the doctor. To prove that / am
sincere in what / say, / beg to refer the
doctor to the address / delivered in De-
cember last before the American Academy
of Political and Social Science in Philadel-
phia on the Causes of the Unpopularity of
Foreigners in China I suppose the doctor
had not read that address. or If he had read
it he has forgotten it. In any case, would
not believe that an eminent divine could
be capable of purposely misrepresent-
ing us.
again, DIR. Hoyt and some other clergy
men. from their addresses, seemed to
think that 1 charged all missionaries with
crying out for vengeance. Let me read
the exact words used. Love your enemy
is Christs command. but at this moment
some Christian missionaries are crying
out for vengeance and bloodshed' Note
that used the word some
II am inclined to think that the reason
why some clergymen-and 1 am glad to
say that there are not many-took offense
at what / said In my address on 'Confu-
cianism' is that L. took the liberty of in
stituting comparison between Confucian-
ism and Christianity. which they supposed
was done to the disparagement of the lat
ter. There was certainly no intention on
my part to make an attack upon Christian
ity Surely. 1t is no discredit to say that
~
frail humanity and that all Christians are
not acting UP to its tenets. just as it is no
disgrace to acknowledge that all Confu-
cianists in China do not live up to the
teachings of Confucius.
1T seems strange that some clergymen
should resent any attempt to compare
| Christianity with any other system of be-
| lief. while they themselves do not scruple
| TO attack other religions. In other words
| they do just what they do not want others
| to do. Since my address on 'Confucius
was delivered. / have seen Confucianism
| condemned right and left. 1t has been
called failure. 1t has been dubbed
'effete. vague unworthy of attention,
rotten to the core. 'tottering to its fall.
and the like. l do not, however, Quarrel
with those who apply such approbrious
| epithets 10 our creed. If Confucianism
were as bad as its detractors try TO make
| Ii out to be. 1t is strange that after twen-
| ty-four centuries 1t should be able 10
| count millions and millions of people as
its adherents. The noble and sublime
| teachings of Christianity need not fear
criticism. much less friendly comparison.
II believe that all religions teach men
| to be good. II every man would really
try TO act up TO the doctrines enjoined by
his religion, the world would be far bet
ter, II would be we'll II priests and Clergy