The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-28
WI TO HIS CRITICS
CHINESE MINISTER REPLIES TO
ATTACKS.
EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE.
DENIES THAT HE EVER AsSAILED
CHRISTIANITY.

Refers to Has December Address i'm
Philadelphia, i'm which He Spoke
Highly of the Missionaries and
fucianism Both Too High and EIe-
waited for Fran Humanity-NTinis-
ters Resent Comparison.
Philadelphia, Jan. 27.-Wu Ting Fang,
Chinese minister plenipotentiary to the
United States, replied to his critics in the
course of a lecture on "Confucius 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 audi
ence attracted by the protest and
criticism, raised aby Minister Wus utter
ances in New York City, on the subject
OF Christianity, listened with much in
terest to the speaker The Chinese min
isters statements, however, were extreme
ly conservative.
S. Burns Weston, director of the socie-
ty, introduced Minister WI, who said:
"Twenty-four centuries have rolled by
since Confucius walked this earth. His
Influence is as great to-day among his
countrymen as it ever was before. Never
was his name held in greater veneration
than it is now. Throughout the length
and breadth of the Chinese Empire, every
where are temples erected in his memory.
Every schoolboy acknowledges him as the
supreme teacher of the Chinese race. His
spirit pervades a nation of four hundred
Sc 10
law to the most august Emperor on the
throne as well as to the meanest peasant
at the plough. Thus is Confucius enthron-
ed in the hearts of his countrymen."
In closing the speaker said:
Il find that the address on Confucian-
ism I delivered last month at Carnegie
Hall in New York has attracted a great
deal of attention. 1t is a source of graft
fication that IL has elected comments gen
orally very favorable. 1t also has met
with some adverse criticism"
Minister WI quoted comment of the
Rev. DR.. Wayland Hoyt, of this city in
which the latter spoke of Ii Hung
Chang's high tribute to the work of Chris
tian missionaries in China, and asked
what reply the Chinese minister could
make.
''Dr. Hoyt has done me, though doubt
less unwittingly, gross injustice,~ con-
tinued Mr.. WI. 'Since he wants a re-
ply, 1 have no hesitation in giving him
one l endorse every word that Earl Lii
has said on the subject of foreign mis-
sionaries as cited by the Doctor To
prove that I am sincere in what l say
l beg to refer the Doctor to the address
I delivered in December last, before the
American Academy of Political and So
cial Science in Philadelp ia on the Causes
of the Unpopularity of Foreigners in
China 1 suppose the Doctor has not
read that address, or il he has read it
he has forgotten il. In any case, l wou d
not believe that eminent divine could
be capable of purposely misconstruing 1t.
Il am inclined to think that the rea-
son why some clergymen-and l am glad
to say that there are not many-took Of
fense at what l sad in my address on
Confucanism is that l took the berty of
instituting a comparison between Con-
fucianism and Caristi nifty, which they
supposed was done to the disparagement
of the latter. There was certainly no in
tention on my part to make an attack
upon Christianity. Surely It is no dis
credit to say that Chris tianity is too high
and elevated for frail humanity and that
all Chnstians are not acting up to its
tenets, just it is no Disgrace TO ac-
knowledge that the Confucia~ Is in China
do not live up to the teachings of Con-
fucius.
'It seems strange that some clergy
men should resent any attempt to COM
pare Christianity with other systems of
belief while they themselves do not
scruple to attack other rel ons. 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 a failure IT has been
dubbed 'effete,' vague unworthy of at
tention.' rotten to he core 'tottering to
it's fall and the like.
IT do not however. quarrel with those
who Apply such opprobrious epithets to
our creed. If Confucanism were as bad
as its detractors try to make 1t out to
be, IL is strange that after twenty-four
centuries II should be able to count mil
lions and millions Of P>ople as its adher-
ents The noble and sublime teachings OF
Christianity need not fear criticism, much
less friendly comparison.
"I believe that all religions teach men
to be good. If every man would really
try to act up to the doctrines enjoined by
his religion. the world would be far bet
ter It would be we'll If priests and
clergymen OF every faith and creed would
do their best to promote this desirable end.
Thus these words of Confucus will be
fulfilled: Let US all live in holy peace as
hrnfhars 4"