The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-11-08
CHAPTER II

-~l0 Book of History" which
ranges from 2400 to TOO B. G. In
another volume, Spring and Au-
tumn Annals" the philosopher de-
scribes in dry chronicle his own
"Feuda1 Age" (722-479 B. CO. in
which the power of the central
government was gradually super
seeded by that of local lords given
joyously to love and war. 1t was
the chaos of this period that slim
ulated Lao-tse and ConfuciuS to
PHILOSOPHERS of escape from the
political turmoil that surrounded
them.
Lao-tse (b. 6O4 B. c. means
Old Philosopher; his real name
was Lii. e., plum. He was one
of those quiet and sensitive souls
who want above all things else to
be let alone; and his conception
of government was built, like
Thoreaus, upon his hunger for
personal independence and spirit
ual peace. He did not seek pupils,
but they came to his retreat; and
to them in proud aphoriSmS he
taught Tao, the Way.
In the highest antiquity (says
Lao-tse) the people did not
know that they had rulers. In
the next age they loved and
praised them. In the next they
feared them. In the next they
despised them AS restrictions
and prohibitions are multiplied
in the Empire, the people grow
poorer and poorer. When the
people are subjected to over
much government, the land is,
thrown into confusion. E. The
greater the number of laws and
enactmentS, the more thieves
and robbers there will be. There
fore the sage says So long
as I do nothing, the people will
work out their own reforma-
ton"
r--YNOWLEDGE had no honor
TX in this philosophy; Lao-tse
denounceS it with the
fervor of Rousseau If there were
less education, he thought, there
would be fewer rascals. Nothing
could be more disastrous than
letting philosophers rule; they
would NEEDLE with everything.
HE who tries to govern a State
by wisdom is a scourge to it.
Ability in making theories is a
sign of incompetence in practice;
they who know don't talk; they
who talk don't know" (Mr. Shaw
would be chagrined to find how
old is his opinion of teachers)
knowledge is unnatural, but
truth and happiness are only in
natural things. There is a law,
a Way or Tao, in nature; and the
secret of perfection lies in the
obedience of everything to it's own
nature, and to the nature of the
whole. Leave all things to their
natural course and do not in
terfere." do nothing by self
will, but rather conform to the
infinite will, and everything will
be done for you."
At every turn we find In Lao-tse
remarkable agreement with
Christ.
Requite injury with kindness.
To the good I would be good;
to the not-good 7 would also be
good, in order to make them
good. With the faithful I would
keep faith; with the Jlnfaithful
I would also keep faith, in order
that they may become faithful.
He who has no faith in others
will find no faith in them.
Keep behind, and you shall be
put in front. He that humbles
himself shall be preserved. He
that bends shall be made
straight. He who is great makes
humility his base. He who, con-
scious of being strong, is content
to be weak-he shall be the par
,agon of mankind.
To know, but to be as not
: knowing, is the height of wis
dom. The Sage knows what is
in him, but makes no display; he
respects himself, but seeks no
honor for himself. All things in
nature work silently. They come
into being and possess nothing.
They fulfil their function and
make no claim. All things alike
do their, work, and then we see
them subside. When they have
reached their bloom each re-
turns to it's origin. Returning
to their origin means rest, or
fulfilment of destiny. This re-
version is an eternal law. To
know that law is wisdom.
We do not know when Lao-tse
died, but if we may believe Sauna
Ch'ien, the old Chinese historian,
he lived at least till 518 B. c.,
when, in his eighty-sixth year, he
was visited by a teacher called
.Kung-fu-tse, who was destined to
become the greatest figure in the