From a Correspondent, It is of interest to note the attitude of the modern towards this nev appeared on the subject, refer to two as symptomatic of the respective schools of thought. The Conservative organ was more guarded in the choice of language than the more radical paper, but both emphatically condemned the new colt. The con servative denounced it because was take care of himeelf, without these argoed, is strong enough to barrel.
newly added extraneous honours. The keener ism of the more radical organ penetrated more deeply, and analyzed motives. "What then has induced the Mancha Government, at this time of the day, " Government whose ancestors were without either literature or caltare, and whose forebears were the fierce nomads of the north, to re-establish the worship of Confucius, with such " blare of trumpets, and 60 much determination There can be but one answer. They have done this in order to buttress their own position in Chins, and support their claim to be an absolute monarchy. Certain teachings of Confucius, trae and applicable in ancient dave, seem to give sanction to thi type of government, and, therefore, he is enthroned as a God, his teaching is authoritative, and his dictum fiosl, because he is divine. When, therefore, the people are clamouring for an Imperial Parliament, and secking to establish local Self-Governing Associsions, it is the purpose of the Manchus to appeal to Confucios, order to thwart and oppose these open nataral am Confacias vote to the people right. Therefore he mast and shall be obeyed.
Bat the critic penetrates more deeply still. The Mancha Government, be continnee, knows clearly enough that the modern mind of Chios is fiercely opposed to it; the will of the people is united and will be powerfal order to strengthen ita pom io, and has made: Confacins into a God, whom the people, because he is Chinese, will not dare to challenge, "When Confacius says thing is so, others will not dare to say is not so; when he says a thing is not so, others will not dare to affirm that it iso. The Chinese will honour the Sage and therefore they will not dare to lift up their bands against his teaching." '*Confucins is made to 135 teach things that he never dreamt of, and thereby he is made a common prop for s system that is antiquated and obsolete." "Nothing could be more derogatory to his dignity than to be made to support doctrines like this." So the editor denounces the Government for ordering that Confacius be ipped, because thereby it twists his doctrines and applies them to euch "wicked" end. In conclusion, he affirms " that being " mere man, endowed with the same intellectual gifts as Laotze or Mencius, he never was and never can be s God. Therefore, the blaff of this kind will ever torn them from their declared purpose, which is to torn the Manchus out of Chins." It will be seen from what has been written, that some of the more thoughtful and well-read Chinese are definitely opposed to the new cult, and denounce it from various standpoints, lock, stock and A carefal observation of what went on in Hongkong on the anniversary of the birthday of Confucius showed clearly enough, however, that a great change had come over the minds of the people daring the last three years. Lit ong the new worship bed can It ras to be observed that two flaga hang out of very many houses of flag of Chins; the other was red, and inscribed with characters whose inscription meant Holy Confacin; Myriads of years." Thishigh-sounding phrase simply meane, "The birthday of Holy Confucius" It will be seen that fifty years of British rale not undermined the devotion of the resident Chinese cither to their flag, or to their other accessories of worship were arranged in imitation of Christian usages, as when diarches are decorated at Coristmas and Enster. Many of these customs have been introduced into China and adopted by the native Chris-flane, to be taken over in tara by the worshippers of Confacias, It is to be emphasized, however, that many of the houses, whose inmates honoured the Sage in the way described, were owned by well-to-do Chinese. Hitherto the Emperor, the officials, and the literati have worshipped Confucius, The patron saint of scholars, of course, is not Contucias, but Man Cheung, whose image used to confront all visitors when they entered the old examination hi He was carved, standing on one leg, upon a dolphin, new educational regime was introduced into China " few years go, Confacias, the creator of Chinese literature as we have it to-day, was enthroned and worshipped, presumably in the hope that he might give assistance to students and scholars, sod inspire in them a sincere love of learning, New apparently the literati think that they might just as well dethrone their secondary patron saint, enthrone Confucius in his place and for the same reason, Thereby, as they have
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.