The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1912-01-18

Presbyterian church on Sunday eve
ming. was a most instructive as well
as entertaining talk. About eighty
slides were shown, illustrative of con-
ditions as they exist in China. The
lecture told of the extent of the
country, that. it would cover over the
United States, and then hang over
into the Pacific ocean for several
miles. besides covering most of the
Gulf of Mxico. One third of the in
habitants of the whole world are liv-
ing in China, and the density of pop
ulation, and the unsanitary living of
most of the people, with the use of
opium were shown. The burial
places are numerous, and the venera-
tion of ancestors is a leading trait
of character, which makes it diff
cult for advanced methods to be
adopted, as a burial place is sacred,
and it is hard to run a railroad
through the country without having
to dodge around these grave yards.
The leading religion of the coun-
try is Confucianism, and while not
strictly speaking, a religion, it is
the prominent teaching of all China.
1t teaches regarding social and po-
litical life, and has no trace of per-
sOnal God in it. Confucius looked
upon the universe as a stupendous,
self-sustaining mechanism, and de-
clared that all things existed from
eternity, and were subject to flux
and refux, in obedience to initial
laws impressed upon them, how and
why we know not, but by some stern
necessity. Confucius said he taught
only what people might learn for
themselves :@''The observance of
the three fundamental laws of rela-
tion between sovereign and subject,
father and child, husband and wife.
and the FIVE capital virtues-univer-
sal charity, impartial Justice. con-
formity to ceremonies and establish
ed usages. rectitude of heart and
mind, and pure sincerity" The
sophical materialism, and is not to
be wondered at, as the teaching of
Confucius was that "Just as / am
forced to accept the phenomena of
the universe as facts, though
can give no explanation of their
origin, so am I forced to accept the
phenomena of the human mind as
facts, though can give no explana-
tion of their origin Confucius
found good and evil. wisdom and
folly, In the hearts of men. He saw
this distinetion-some things are
bad, others are good. and the
oracular utteranee of his conscience
on these matters he calls "the light
of intelligence That is as far as
he goes. Good has no relation on
connection with God. 1t simply
exists, and he is forced to recognize
it, and that is all we can know, as he
sees it. Good exists-then cultivate
it-do not foster what is mean and
unworthy.
Confucjanism appeals to practical
men, 1t lauds the present world
and rather doubts the existence of a
future one. 1t calls upon all men to
cultivate the virtues that are seem.
ly in the citizen-industry, modesty
gravity. decorum, and thoughtful.
ness. Men were told by Confucius
to take part in whatever religious
services had been established of old
He says ''There may be some mean
ing in them, and they may affect
your welfare in way you do not
know of. As for the genii ant
spirits, sacrifice to them; I have
nothing to tell regarding them
whether they exist or not, but Their
worship is part of an august ant
awful ceremony, which a wise mar
will not neglect or despise.
This gives a little light on tn,
Chinese mind. and the efforts o.
missionaries in this land have bee,
handicapped by the extent to whicI
the people hold in reverence the olt
established ceremonies, and the ven
Grafton of ancestors. Of course tn,
lecture last night was for the purpos'
Of showing the work done and bein,
done by the missionaries sent on
by the Presbyterian church, but tn,
lecture was full of interest from tn
first to the last. The church wa
well filed. and the interest in thes
lectures is growing, as the publ
become acquainted with the aim o
the pastor in giving his Sunday eve
ming sermon time to educating hi
people along lines that are of prac
teal use. China is just now attrse
ting the eyes of statesmen the worl
over. Countries who claim a high
er civilization than she, are striv
ing with each other to break the ma
tion and slice off portions for them
selves. Would it not be more hu
name and democratic to civiliz