Year: 1869

stM sH"n~. " "S'~


Lecture Of Dr. washburne on the Chinese.


Last night q lecture was delivered by DR.. WASH
burne, OF Calvary church, New York, ON 'rhe
Chinese" In the Episcopal Church OF the Reforma-
tion, Gates avenue, Brooklyn. There was good
attendance, and both before and after the lecture
there was an excellent performance Of concerted
music. accompanied by the organ.


The lecturer commenced by glance at the very
superficial character OF the books written by many
Of tho modern travellers OF China and made
special mention OF Bayard Taylor's book as parttcu
larry remarkable for Its ppancy and RESPONSIVENESS.
The Chinese were an important people, and though
the Oldest country in the world 1t was the country
that was now rival to the great American repub-
lie. China was q nation tnat must be studied and
was well worthy or the study.


1t was the good fortune OF the lecturer to spend
about eight months IN the country for the purpose
OF informing himself as TO their social life and not
for the purpose OF writing books. The first thing
that would strike stranger In that remote part OF
the globe is the strange aspect OF the modern element
OF busy. crowded streets, with the characteristics
also OF an Asatlc people. There was no nation,
except the East Indian, that has made so great
developments upon its own native basis as the
Chinese. 1t had population OF over three hundred
and sixty millions OF people, and he should delgnate
the Chinese as the Yankees Of Asia In this people
there the same active enterprise, the same force
OF will; anu II he might be allowed to say It, the
same enormous vanity as found in the American.
The only parallel tnat he knew Of to the proclama-
tions OF the Chinese Emperor, were the Fourth
OF July Orations and the speeches at Plymouth din
ner. Uaughter.) The polity or TINS people was the
most peculiar OF any people in the world. Its his
tory began 2052 years before Christi period that
was on the threshold Of human civilization and the
Chinese were acknowledged TO be the Oldest CIVIL
lied race in the world. The fatherly idea was the
principle thar pervaded its idea OF government. 1t
the only country in Asia where there was not
priesty cast. In China the primitive patriarch was
there IN its entirety. The Emperor IN the religious
services, offered the largest sacrifices and was the
religious sovereign or the people. TINS idea was
carried through the entire social system.
Mingled with that apparent despotism were
was no arlstocracy 10 prevent the rising Of the
son OF coolle TO a Mandarin OF the highest button
The snobs OF Fifth avenue might learn something
from these Asiatics, and that social advancement
matter of friends and sense instead OF dollars
and cents. Laughter). There was no country, Ger
talnly In Asia, where there was IN proportion to
population, 80 little over-wealth and SO little
poverty


displayed by these people in their architecture;
their houses were built upon the type OF the Old
Tartar tent. The most pleasant spectacle was their
love OF flowers. which was passion with them.
The beslty Of this was. however greatly diminished
by the Journalism Of their gardens. AS TO their in-
aeua ds @ was lac. Una 1na Sng Sc
the compass the art OF printing and the discovery OF
gunpOwder. Yet the Chinese were not great navi-
gators. Their printing was not that OF movable
types, ana their gunpowoer was as likely to blow
up their garrisons as their enemies. Tie lecturer
explained OF this BY stating that in order
to give life TO material civilization there must be


life and force communicated to 1t TO give activity,
and that was done by the interchange OF Thought
caused by a rivalry with Europe. How the
Chinese were the best Of gardeners the hard
lest or Sailors admirable cooks. the most sue
could suspass the Chinese. NO grsette on the Paris
BOuevards could charm you better into the pur-
chase OF bouquet than Chinese girl.


DR.. Washburne then gave number OF instances
Of social advancement III the various parts Of Asia
where he mad travelled. lie then proceeded
TO comment very lavorably upon the ltera-
ture OF the Chinese, and though 1t had been
Shakespeare the Chinese had been in possession OF
that form OF the drama for ages 1t had been SAID
BY Mr. Emerson that no people could be known by
their religion but he (Dr. WashDurne was OF an
opinion that people could be known without
knowing their religion. He then traced the religious
religion was buddhism, kind OF Chinese rituallsm.
AS to the position OF the Chinese immigrants In this
country, he did hope that there would be
no attempt ut anything like modification
or the slave trade. Let both the English and
the Americans learn that these people were not bar
barans They could teach much to the European
and the American. The war that was forced upon
them by England was now known to be entirely for
the purpose OF forcing them that opinion which
they desired not 10 be introduced into their country.
AS Christian men especially let the Americans
cleanse their skirts from anything that would be
unjust or degrading to these people,. The lecturer
concluded very Interesting lecture by expressing
his belief that To Asia there would be opened speedily
q bright and glorious future Of industrial anu
social Developments