ON ITEMS OF CHINESE ETHICS AND PHILOSOPHY. 75 



very large work published by the Society for Promoting Christian 

 Knowledge. 



As regards the modern characteristics of the Chinese ; really 

 there is such an immense amount of detail that at once presents 

 itself whenever one takes up the pen to write upon it, that I have 

 always shrunk from the task. 



Before sitting down I may say that yoa have done me the honour, 

 more than once, of asking me to produce something on this topic ; 

 but I find myself so much better at promising than performing, 

 that I will abstain, at any rate for the present, from making any 

 promise on the subject. 



The meeting was then adjourned. 



REMARKS ON THE FOREGOING PAPER. 



The Ven. Ai-chdeacon A. E. Moule, B.D., remarks : — 

 "The statements about 'Ancestral Worship' in China are 1 think 

 open to criticism. The author is, I believe, right as to the original 

 sentiment which gave birth to ancestor worship ; but not right 

 in implying, as he seems to imply, that modern observances 

 coincide with ancient sentiment. Modern observances do I fear, 

 involve worship. I have discussed this subject at some length iu 

 my recent book New China and Old, and have pleaded the 

 desirability of substituting some Christian memorial rite for the 

 Chinese church, which may preserve the sentiment and avoid 

 superstitious observance. — 1 do not venture to oft'er a definite 

 estimate of the number of readers and writers in China, but it is 

 only a percentage of the male population." 



Mr. T. A. Barbek, M.A., Caius College, Cambridge, late of 

 Wuchang High School, writes: — 



Dr. Cordon's paper is a straightforward statement of facts and 

 qiiotations, comment and explanation being, as a whole, excluded 



