griginat Commititatiim. CHINA FROM A CHRISTIAN STAND- POINT, IL The first and strongest impression made upon a thoughtful mind on entering China, is the im mensity of the population; a population full of energy, order and practical sense, but pursuing a method of thought and of action, in every depart ment of life, utterly different from our own. The Chinese empire is divided into eighteen Provin ces; and contains, according to the best foreign authorities, about 400,000,000 of inhabitants, though native official accounts make it 536,000,- 000. No mind can well grasp the idea of this immense number of human beings. If one should attempt simply to count this sum, devoting twelve hours per day to the task, ten years would elapse before the completion of the feat; or, if the Chi nese population could be placed in column, four, abreast, standing as closely as possible together, they would reach entirely around the globe I Yet of this mighty multitude, swarming on the plains and vallies and mountains and waters of China, how few know anything of the true GOd, or of the immortality brought to light, through . the Gospel of Christ! We must not suppose, how have ever, that this.vast and ancientpeopleno ~ great religious systems; that they are all gross idolaters; or that virtue, domestic happiness and social order are not frequently seen. No ancient, andifew modern nations, possess greater ,elements of civilisation; and the more Chinwis,thoroughly understood, the more is she appreciated. There are. in China, three great systems 'of faith which may be styled, l l, Confucianism or Optimism; 2, Buddhism or Pantheism; and 3, Tauism or Intellectualisni; and from the com bined influence of these; there is Ancestral Wor ship which may be styled the real religious sen timent of China. Confucius was born .551 years . before Christ, and in early life was , a close student of the lead ing literary works , of China which, with those composed by himself, and Mencius, constitute the Chinese classics. They are the text books of the schools and ofliter'ary examinations, and the final authority in regard to history, manners, morals, philosophy and govesnment. They have exerted, and continue to exert, an immense .in fluence. In these Classics are found , the moral maxims of China, regulating'conduct in political, social and private life. The writings and teach ings of Confucius were exceedingly pure; but in them we search in vain fur the expression of a sense of obligation and.duty, to God, or of faith in a future life. His maxims have become the major part of Chinese civilization; and his silent thoughts still shine down through the ages sway ing the hearts of one third of the human race. Confucius richly deserves to rank among, the no blest of uninspired men. Confucianism is not idolatry. , The second great system of faith, Buddhism, came originally from India. Being in opposition to the Vedas of BrahMiniam, it was expelled from, that country; but it went forth to, delude mankind and found lodgment in Central Asia, Bnrm.ah, Siam, Ceylon, Java, China and Japan. In all probability, it was introduced into China.,during, the first century of the Christian Era, at which time one of the Chinese Emperors sent an em bossy to the West to 'attain religious teaChers, who returned with Buddhism. In its character , , and genius, it:is extremely flexible and accommo dating, likd the Romanism of the present day, which it strongly resembles in many resnects. Wherever Buddhism has spread, it has become amalgamated with the national religions and this is emphatically the case in ChinP, where it , pos sesses the largest number of followers. Sir'Win. • Jones fixes the first,appearance of Buddhism in India at least one thousand years before Christ; but most' writers place its origin no higher than the period of Gautama, about five hundred years before Christ. Its moral code consists of five cardinal commandments; first, Not to take human or any animal life; second, Not to steal; 'third,. not to commit adultery; fourth, Not to bear false witness;' and fifth, To abstain from all that in toxicates, from opium, as well as alcohol. The minor comtnandments are,first, to avoid producing 'discord eith'er betweetiindividuals, families; or the goVekilnient; second, to abstain from' abusive language ; third, to ahatain from . ' foolish jesting and conversation ;'fouith, to avoid covetousness and malice; and "finally to abstain from following false gods He who,- in all his, transtuigrationS, fulfills 'these cotinandments; "Shall finally liehold-a:god ind'hear' his voice," or in other' wcirds, Shill be lost, or iwalldwed in the infinitudeOf blisi and beihg: Abstraction; or what is higher still, "abscilfite" negation of thought, is the aim of the Buddhist priest;'whicl state is nearest that of Boodh hiinself. One ' of the most remarkable doctrines pf Budd- . hism is the transmigration of Souls. It teachea thgt tlie human soul, in order to be purified and attain, absorption, is allowed several pilibationar trials, thus Pas Sing through many forms of animal life. ThUS, to every consistent liaddhist all anih lifele•saeied the temporary restino•- plicii 'Of human souls, who, reentering, from time to tiinie,Fisw-bbil'babes, are finally absorbed into Boodh. ' In 'A!Sia - , I White efeplants and white monkies 'Eire regaMeti.' with the;highest'reverence, as in theli of dead kings l and princes are supposed to dwell. I have seen, at the THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1869. Royal Palace at Bangkok, two of these animals thus treated with divine honors. At the present time, in some parts of the East, an incarnation of Boodh is expected; and when male children are born, an examination is made of the hands and ears—the fingers of the former to be of equal length, and the latter, quite pendent. When I was at Shanghae, a pall, which had been found at a grave near Soochow was on ex hibition, and on it was inscribed the dying faith of h Buddhist Priest. It gives a very fair state ment of the doctrine of Buddhistic immortality. " Perfection (or absorption) may be attained by the subjugation of the appetites. Having learned this do9trine, I am fully 'acquainted with it. There is no other to be compared with it for ex• cellence. If, however, it be studiel, but by fits and starts, at death the soul will remain grovel ling.,, By accepting this creed, the evils of life 4,4 may be avoided, and quickly will the fruition of holy doctrine be enjoyed. At the moment of my death." shall reach the bright domain , of purity, and learn completely the deep and excellent doc trine. How wise, then, to leave the delights of home, to disregard all craft and cleverness, and to disdain affairs of seeming importance, that thus , speedily may the individual be absorbed, into duty" , • The third leading religious system of China is Tauism, or the worship of the intellectual pow ers—the word Tau meaning truth or doctrine., At the head. of this system is a trinity of persons who preside over the intellectual universe. The first of this trinity is called " The honored one of heaven—first in time." He ,created man ; set the stars in motion, and caused the planets, to revolve. He is the source of all true doctrine ; and is, *ibimseff, immaterial. • The second person of this Tanis!, trinity is very wise and benevolent, and collected all the sacred books which came into existence from the time the world was, made. He calculated the succession of times, and .divided the ages into periods. He determined the movements and inter-action of the great principles of nature. Lautsi, the historical founder of the Tauist system, is the third person of the trinity, and . was born about 600 years before Christ. He professed to communicate to mankind . the doe trines Which the'first in the triad had uttered, and ihe second had collected in the form of books. He is said to have instructed mankind in every age and country. Under various as sumed dames he has, appeared as the teacher of emperors and kings and the 'reformer of success ive generations. He.was., the, of the re markable book on Reason and Virtue. • There are a great many eminent Chinese writers who are the advocates of-pis 'Tauist phi losophy. Confucius himself has a place assigned him among the tleities of this system; and he is addrcessed as " the .honored, one, of heaven, who causes literature to flourish and the world to prosper." In its best expression Tauism. is a transcend ental philosophy ; but among the masses..it has degenerated in o the grossest sußerstition and. , idolatry. Its best teachers claim that it exalts ; and stimulates the intellect, and makes, mental power and development the glory, of man., system it probably, has . the greatest power ; in China, as it attracts scholars, ministe'rs to speeu ,lationand superstition, and is, , so tp.:spe4,,the State religion. The whole theory of, Govern ment as it exists to-day, depends on this system, -demanding intellectual culture for political poi ; and it is to Lautsi, or Bowe otter dpities . of the- system,, that scholars, appeal,. for . Greece v in her palmiest days never. exhibited greater intellectual struggles at, her Olympian, -03 mes than does China, to.day, at the great na-: tional examinations in Peking. I have thus briefly , gone over the three great systems of Faith in. China, in order to show that the Chinese are,by, no means destitute of, grand moral and intellectual ideas as the basis for higher truth. Indeed, one , of the great difficulties which Christian teachers, encounter in China is the willinu confession the part of the people, that their , doctrines are, o•ood—like the teachings of their own great writers. So great the re semblance, that some aredisposed to believe that Lautsi, Confucius, Mencius, width° other great ethical writers of China, ,must have receired hints from the gebrew. Scriptures. That, Israel ites penetrated China at an early age, is now a well authenticated.fact fact, but whether so early as the time , of Confucius, is exceedingly deubtful, unless it• was durino., the Babylonian captivity, some 600 years before Christ. Jewish colonies in China have been visited, not only by Arabian merchants and• Jesuit priests, but by Protestant, missionaries. In the spring of 1867,,the ReY. m r . ,glieresc,hewskly, and later, I believe, Dr. '• • , Martin, visited a Jewish colony in the • province of Ilonan. They fouriA there the ,Hebrew &rip 'tures written on parchment; a , few motinmenes and traditions • but the people unable tQ read the language, and difFering little, if at all, from the Chinese, about them. . At the resent da p) ,y China is .091 .5 7 to Christian,missiOns • and no' bariiers are to be surmounted but those of language, and the pride, superstition, unbelief, and hardness of ''heart, found in' every country. There is no caste in China, as in India; no religious fanaticism and Positive opposition; bat .only.•the opposition of indiffereniiand; of 'nominal assent, and of an an cient confirniedrciviliiation. T might; iierhiPs, to say that there is one caste in China—that of literary culture, a caste of which any• country might be proud. In China every official has to submit to a competitive examination; and no one holds office without the seal of literary approval. The first examinations are made by the district magistrates, afterwards by the pre fects of the chief cities of the districts. If the candidates pass these officials, they can compete for the first degree, before the literary chancellors or commissioners sent from Peking to hold these examinations. Every three years the examinations for the second degree are held in the Provincial capitals by the same kind of commission. The examinations for the third degree are held every three years at Peking, when the candidates pass a very severe ordeal. Their knowledge of the Chinese classics must be exact, with ability to compose and, write flu ently on the subjects discussed in those works. Of course, the vast majority fail' to pass at, these final examinations, though years of time and considerable money ' have I;eett expended in preparatibn. Those who sticceedare received, on their return ,home, with civic tonors ; and occupy Govprnment positions, though not in their own Provinces. Those who fail to' pass the ordeal, become literary men, teachers of schools, and the lights of the people. Fran this class our missionaries obtain their instruct,- ors, and the nation many valuable' citizens. This syStem of campetitiVe examinations stimulates education and literary culture in China, 'and no better plan could be adopted in the United States for procuring efficient public servants. REV. A. X. STEWART'S LETTERS. %XXIII. A special . aini of the Popish priesthood, and by long study and practice they have beconie most skilful propagandists, Vs to loOk after the foreshadowing or thirigsl to preoccupy'secti'ons' and points' Of coming interest. - far in advance of any other ecclesiastics, or statesmen, hers fore saw that this wonderful Pacific coast' was to be the terminus `of western emigration ••" that 'here the. star of empire Would stop and 'Pet:manently shine; that here EurOPe, America arid ASia must`meet and strike hands; that after immense aggregation and congregation, from this centre Of the world influences would go out to every nation and isle of the sea. Whoever may'ave continued blind to these things, Rothe did not. Although we may dread, yet do we greatly admire her sa gacity and conserpient aetion. Far heyond all others has she 'adopted' ItteanS, and on a larger scale than others, to take and , keep possession •cif this, 'at present, most important lbcaliV of earth. Tlie Catholic world has 'been ransacked for 'money' and for the most adeernplished and fitting teaeli.: era priests" nuns',`—to direct the' eduelition of 'the people in this land 'Of ;prat:ride.' 'Already; in the costliness of her buildings; in the'riumber and extent of •her churche,s, her institutions, and' her sectarian schools of all grades, she is in',ad`-' vance &gall others together. , It Such as oni•ur . - nis h es, her . facilities for edtioating, the 'young'' are'' 'better organized'and in the•adVance of 'others: Here, too, she' akei'larger t pretensions' 'Mil . sectarianismyea, she' is even liberal, and With:. out intent to proselyte. Yet "here, cropping out and manifeat to all who will look, are eiery'one of her subtle esseficesand 'they are` wonderful; as wellas legidn' in rinmbef.'' Here she grants the largest sensual 'indulgences:in' Order to coun terbalance 'a jearous spiritual restraint. Her votaries, more than' 'elsewhere, arc' sedulously, trained into the . most abject spiritual slavery . ; yet every pretext is 'seiied upon' and encouraged for physical recreation and enjoyment. The religious` , aim seems to he " Rotust' 'in bOdy,'feebl6' in soul—fat, ragged, and saucy;' ruddy ? hale, igno .rant, unthinking, unquestioning:"` The "devil,' through the priesthood, still continues' the old proffer "All this world Will I 'give 'thee, only fall' down and worship me." ' One of her special aims on this aide' the Cdn tinent has becOme . fullytnanifest---to monopolize the education of the daughters, both Catholic and Protestant; knowing full well if she be'ahle to get the future Wives and mother's under 'her control, she can speedily and easily 'manad, the entire community. preat has been my bigprise as to the extent Catholic female serninaries=nun Jterp schools, are 'pationised by , professed ProteS . tants. Indeed`,-were . it' not for this sUppdrt, these, now' flourishinrichdole, would 'Soon lin guish. Solar is my eireneoe inforMation goes, no girl whO has been from two to fdur years in a' Catholid aohoOl : 'out' untainted' with the many subtle influences of Mash super if net a confirmed' Catholics` Just 'before leaving New; York on my Pacific' mission'tour I met a young lady from - the Pacific coast. Making' some of - her concerning 'the churches 'in 'a certain plaCe which she ha& knoW,"''she • replied,' " but little about any save one s faul lie." I' knew her friends were 'nominally testant,:s . bui learned' front her that 'She had been three years in a California . nunner,y: Visiting lately a well-to-do family in ActAin, Nevad, mcitaer i a p'.•ofesSeil Presbyterian; titt l e father a Man of the' world, and atteniPting'a venation on the subjectiof religion. With a grown' am daughter i.theiliamediai6respoitse,Was I, atria, CdthOlic:" " How 'Pi -, "=WA two 'iii' a nanneryi'f 'Still later i I was` at"the'...deatli and. burial of a lovely little girl, daughter of a very thorouglay, open POPERY ON THE PACIFIC 'Austin,% Nev., 'Jdn.; '1869 prominent man in Nevada; and where the phy sician and myself were the only helps and mourn ers save father and mother. The little daughter had been brought a long journey home from a nunnery in California, to have a joyous holiday season. Somehow, on the way, she had con tracted that fell disease—small pox. When made conscious that death was near, "Mother," she said, " I want to say my prayets." " Say them, daughter." When uttered they were thoroughly popish. Prayers ended, the child continued : " Mother, I want to cross myself; is it wrong?" What could a heart-stricken mo ther, a professed. Protestant, answer under such conditions, to her dying child? Remonstrating with a mother whose young daughters were away at a nunnery school; the an swer in substance was: "Anything.like domestic help on the Pacific coast is very difficult to obtain. The nuns take entire and thorough charge of their pupils, not, only during school months, but vaca tions also ; thus we are relieved from! all care. Protestant teachers will •not - do this." • • Mr. Editor, our business is not only to counter= act popery, but edticate and' direct the masses into better and higher channels.. The only prac tical way will be to excels in all:educational: and religious means- and facilities. And to a'ccom plish thii vastly more means, efforts, and self sacrifice are demanded. - • FLORIDA ...AND TEE FLORIDIANS; L BY H.' E. 0 FIRST SIGHT OF THE COUNTRY Here we are, rolling and tossing on the S. John's bar. , A thump, a rattle of glasses in the cabin, and a great creaking and groaning in , the vessel;-lbints I "Stewardess, whatis the matter ?" "No danger, ma'am: only a groond swell ma'am." . This, to pacify us. The vessel has struck the bar;,but thanks to the kind Hand that has shiel ded As, we are afloat again, and have escaped, a danger where - some before us have been ship wrecked. Onea,across . the bar we begin to look about, us. First at i the water, which has suddenly changed color. The sea-green, is gone; we are sailing, on a stream of .almost inky blackness. What is4hat, ,on shore; a snow-drift? If not, it is a good imi tation of one—a bank of white sand. We must make up, our minds to become, accustomed to sand; • for there is plenty more of it, beyond us and, below us,,and there will be windy days where we,•shalLhave it whirling in the air above us. The shores are low, and the palmetto stand-, ing:sentinel on; either side, gives token of, an ap proach to l the. tropics, And reminds us how far be hind we,have left ; our, dear northern home, Now ) the pine woods meet the eye,.coyering mile upon mile of this flat country. Occasional patches. of live-oaks serve to relieve the monotony ) and as we sail in nearer shore we see the sad' gray' funereal moss, :draping the trees,. swaying an thi3 wind; aod keeping time to the melancholy music. , of, the' pines. :We have fled from; the signs of alkorthern• winter, and from a, death-spectre 'that has been : pursuing us, .to find safety in.the, !‘Sunny South ;" and this, is our sombre, greeting,l-, , • How, silent,it, about , us... One •might almost, imagine himself journeying in; a :country, never. before; visited by a buroambeing., occasion-: ally,. a little rough.building peeps out of.the,woods .and_shows. •where some settler has:begun his clear ing; and as we still:ascendAhe river.lumber-mills ,begin to appear;some,noisily doing their work,, though more , o't them; stand idle.; On:. the , left: rises. a i bluff, ,aseending almost ; perpendicularly/ from the .water.. It does not yea'eh a.very tower-s. height ; but Xis ,a, pleasing. change from the , generally -low, flat,. shores. , Somebody has, irre verently said, that the St. J01311'14 must have been , built on contract, fer it everywhere seems. 'man ished. 'lt certainly has that look.; JACKSONViLLE. `The city is in sight. Our five days' 'is at an 'end. The' sea and its accompaniments are left behind; and soon we shall be' on shore. As We near the wharf, Darkies and Donkeys mingle be fore us in delightful confusion, , a goodly ( number of each. Slavery makes men siymuch likelibtes that yon - natdrally associate the two. "Carriage ? Carriage?" 'Ah, it is your turn; poor voyagers, to i cry'out " carriage." What would you to meet a.New York hackxna.ii now?' Here we are, a ship-load of invalids:` Soine s'tiff box stage's stand yonder, and you ein'perhaPs get a place' in' One of them, and perhaps not; • They Will be well-crowded; and ydnder sits a `yoUni, Eittric:• tive lady, panting for breath,N4honeeds'Very ten der handling, ' Carriagn'";,Yes,'in ten 'days, my. poor child,, a,carriage,.slow-moving, one lone ly mourner following, and'alli that is , :left of .ybu g oes NdiA again'—'to rest. - " Jacksonville', not a very qausical, name, Ipt quite suited to the place: not much poetry in 'either. -Much, has been, written .of l this. small town, perhaps more than it deserves, • ,A ful,cityrit,certainlyis not, although ~there. are: a few ,veiny 'pretty, places, in •, A first: look , .4ives the stranger an impression, of ,white-wash:,', A second: lodir,, especially if it .be:accompaniedt' by a walk, gives an' additiena' - iiiireihion . 'of The linildings:bave been ithrOwnup rapi4l3c,itid 'rnoSily stand on post; without ,cellars,cii founaa,,, don Perhaps , a,s pleasant an-objebt as one grebtssiailis itrolli:ahoutiown is ithe 'live oak. These, especially;ifizien'iAharigini, leavek are objects of great interest—the new foliage seeming to push off the old,and combining sprin , ' and autumn in one view. We are disappointed to see so few flowers; is not this Flor-ida? A n occasional rose smiles its welcome, however, and we are thankful for that. Every one who comes to Jacksonville, is ex pected to take a walk to the Camp, and another to the Monument. The former is an especial object of interest. Situated on a bluff, just where the river bends from its long journey northward, to meet the sea, it commands a fine view of the steamers and smaller craft coursing their way up and down the stream. Then there are some neat white-washed barracks and some very fine trees, and 0 happy sight ! some green grass ! I could almost imagine myself home again as I look at it, and could kneel and kiss the dear old turf with a good heart I But what of the Monument? We plunge out for it through the sand-spurs, and here it is just , back of the town, a pile of bricks in pyramidal form, perpetuating the mem ory , Of some member of one'of the " first families " in the following lines. Do not misread them : here they are, pathetic and beautiful ! .I.i.met colored boy on my way back-to the city; and said to him: "Did you know that I was a rebel ? " "No 'm," he answered with a shrewd show of ivory:; " You isn't a rebel : dey isn't so han!some.as you is.l" The sagacious little rascal. He 'knew I was a Northerner in .a moment; and intended to win a dime by his very untruthful compliment. The Yankee and the Southerner are very distinct types of being. You distinguish them at a glance. MMM= HOME MISSIONS.--GOOD NEWS FROM THE CHURCHES. REV. H. KENDALL, D.D.—DEAR ST.R.—Bro. J., of N. Y.., has just written about Kansas. I have sent him a favorable reply. We should have one organization at least in every county in our new Presbytery. There are several yet that have none. Bro. C. visited me about two weeks ago. He says' you can help churches here need ing Sunday-school Tibraries;to them. The books I got at first we lost largely while worshipping in the gall and in' the Public School building. . Now we, have better accommodations, but our library is very inadequate. We will do what we can, but there is the constant poverty to speak of. Our church building must be finished inside and Out this season, an organ must be got; a bell, &c., While money is tight. So we go squeezing along; " Festina lente." r Week before last at a festival we cleared' 8275; Five hundred more on subscription, we, think; will complete what we want to do this season. The Church Erection has done all we ,can ask; we must help. ourselves and begin to pay back. If you can help us to mine' books this spring, we will make good use th'etnoind. receive them gratefully. I have just' been answering a letter from Mrs. t Moore, of the First ,Presbyterian church of West Chester, _Pa, It is true our wardrobe, &c., needs replenishing, our cloihipg is preitY threadbare, 'but our wants are so much less than the home missionary; with a large family of children, that he certainly should have the preference, and so I wrote,her„, , „„, , "Though 1" am dead and in My grave, And my bones they are all rotten, When this you ape reineMber Me, That I may' not be forgotten." KANSAS r , A GLORIOUS ,REVIVAL. Flushing,•Mich., *arch 15, 1869. DFAA should have forwkrded my re port' bkfore now, (fir 'it has been clun-alnaost a montb,) lauft Lhaie been'greatly pressed with la , tor.. 'Ever. since :the• beginning of the year my hands have been; ,so ,full of work.. Beginning with the week of prayer there have been mani fest tokens of God's presence.. At the close of the week we'felt that it *child be wrong to dis coritinttO the meetings;' and through the first Week :of , February kfive, weeks in all i )L the daily meetings were kept,up, There have been 40 to 56,hopeful conversions. There have been thirty one 'added to our MembershiP, twenty-six on pro fession. In many respects the revival has been very wonderful,' entirely free from all exciting elethents, but of remarkable solemnity through. out. - Of,tlae number who have united with the church, 24 are heads of families, 14 of them 'men; and six families of both husband and wire . .., The Lord has done great things for us whereof' we are glad. . " His name be praised." ' Truly. yours, ' J. H. PHELPS. , • ANOTHER REVIVAL. Woodbine, 'Harrison Co., Ind., 'March 17, 18,69. , DEAR' ,BROTHER last quarter of my communion has been, so busy ,ai?.4 eventful, that L am seriously embarrassed to know where to begin or what to say. But; at the' beginning of it, I iwai t relieved of' St. Johias and Cincinnati' by the :happy: coming of our beloied brother ; G. It Carroll,,the,noblest spirit, and , , best, Evangelist it ;has,everbeen my fortune,toineet in all my,varied ministerial career. his coming did not 'alleilate my excessive' labors4n the least. For, ere he got settled, I had' held l a meeting nine days at •Dakan's sehoolholise, • ilarr;tl . 'Grove,•riding from fifteen .t 0,,. twenty-five miles daily for five 'days, proachin.-- each night, till, our ,meeting was -ended` by the 's t late ;Of the reads. 'ln this meet ing there4'M ks uch real iuteiest, solemnity and , • weeping; '-geven to nine of these"-have since been luipefully converted. -In Loweri.. Harris Grove Mr. Carroll was about half the time with me. .Twenty-fivp were hopefully converted. At the iCldgp Of this 'most interesting naneting,-=the most .genernl'atid genuine 'revival havnever seen, we organize : it .ehurnh. of twenty-.one members; all by profession .but three, of Which five were heads `Of families.. Ten adults were baptizedHa most `inipre6iVe scene, in which some were 'melted to Thik,.was a grave' a happy" day I the ,birthlday of , a church. nvelninged com "munity Li, With what ,a zest,theyrdo". Sing new songs' ofoalvation 1, ,A,likve ; pnrchased itnd dia trihuted f 164 of . our getting' Hymn and Tune `Bea' in'this . ' field; getting' theta price from Mr. Dulles.
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