Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-03-16
CONF UC|ANISM
NOT COMPULSORY.
BY GOVERNMENT
President Of Oriental Republic
Explains That State Religion
Is Not Exactly What Naro
Would Indicate

IiNkIINE. AIUINn n
,bo mandates which have ust been
nromulgated. preseriblne Tho Worship
~ heaven ana of Confucus. bv tho
,r,sldcnt ana certain provincial off /
.l,Is there X one exnlainlne that this
lors rot mean that Chlna has adorted |
#, y,ato relipton Tho documents nj
,,oat vido Interest hocaiisn az tho Iona
aontreyersy ia which they como ns M
leaaf a Temporary termination. They
sro NIXON ~ "a celebration on tho part
w lbo nrosident and while his govern /
mont Intends to worship IN tho way
tnat chinese governments have been
,,orshinrino for .onh,rias n wul not
irtefroro with tine religions of those
,rho beliaye In worshin In another
form rho mandates read i'm part as
fouows
"Relietous liberty Is observed /
fbrouphouf tbe world our repnbll /
ID eomtosed ne five races. Chinese. |
4lanchus Monqellane. Aehanmcdans +
and Thihetnns. and their historical /
traditions differ Their religious be- /
liafs are dlfGcult therefore. to unity |
n would not DO easy to adopt state
rolialon. Tor such a ston might be /
contrary ia the wishes Of the people. /
rul sacrifices offered Al the proper
srascns To tio ancient saints and
saees AS prescribed I'M tho laws OF
the late Ching dynasty. did not touch
me question of religion. since they
ore net IN conflict with republican
form II government thev should be
continual AZ token Of respect On
ma rart OF the succeeding eenern-
Hons II win becono penerallv known
thot tho ceremonies now prescribed
oro nerforned and there is danger
that tho ceremonies win be construed
NJ tbo beginning Of tho establishment
N ranonol reIiotop II t. therefore
,seessarv ~ mo<o known tha nrin-
.inia which nromntad tbc restoration
M mo aneient rites ana ia STATE thai
tbev are I'm rosponse to tho wishes of
tho maturity to exprese thofr revcr- (
,oco ana generation for he saints
,nd sagcs an.t ~ nroesrvo The trndj- I
tiors ~ tbniiaands ~ veors Tho
rboie, ~ raliqi,n Il San left 10 ma
nsonle This is ,eoording ~ tbo M
srfy Guaranteed bv thc constitution
and in accord with tho praofjoe Of
M world This order Is issuod 10
.,,..rt nossifi. ,,,is,,,,aerste.,1f,s and
..,,sniciop
qbc presidon..s rvrl,n,tion
fr nr,,oi,iea.lso mi daoision IN the
,dninistrative ronnel mo president
,fter repeattnp .eo,,noil's renort
..,,s.
~ tbe president am aware That
rho ceremony of sacr,fice-offering 10
bas,en has beeu beld I'M areat rover
eoco slnce remote Zines ana preserv-
cd nv tbe government oe china
through successive ares For The poo
DIe To fast and cleanse themselves.
and pav profound respect Ia the
Deity. Is rational; and no clause
has ever existed I'M the instltu-
lions Of the country prohibiting
.or restricting this Observance. i.
borely order tbnt the sacrifiec-
offering Ia heaven shall be made
81 universal ceremony The recon-
mondatons of the administrative
council regarding the place and time
Of sacrifice are hereby approved. The
ministry Of the interior IS ordered TO
collect opinions az renowned author-
ties and decide upon the special de-
signs for the ceremonial hat and CO.'S
tune. the character Of the ceremony,
the articles To be used. etc.. and to
submit them for consideration and
approval"
The. place chosen for this worship
en he part Of the president is the "a
nous Altar of Heaven. where the em-
perors Of succeeding dynasltes have
bueit and offered thanks and suppli-
cations 10 the open skies. The altar (
IS a vast circular marble dals. or rath- Il
81. series OF dalses rising one upon
another. the center circle, where the
emperor formerly knel as Son of I
Heaven and mediator between his
people and the Deity. being considered #
IN former days the center OF the uni
verse.
on two sides Of the altar are rows
Of huge open furnaces Of wrought
IRON. and larger one Of masonry
where tho ~ +. sacrificed n has been
several years since the emperor DOW
ed npon the altar in person. and II
is not planned that the president shall
perform the ceremony tin the winter
solstlce I'm December next. for the
rite is an annual service. The altar.
and also the temple and the imperial
buildings IN the grounds have been
neglected ana are now IN need of
much rcpair ara SO overerown with +
weeds that the pathwavs are almost
impossible
n t...-.