REV. ARTHUR ELWIN ON ANCESTRAL WORSHIP. 



67 



ANCESTRAL WORSHIP. By the Eev. Arthur Elwln, 

 " Long " Lecturer on the Eeligions of China. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction — Confucianism, Taouism, Buddhism, united in Ancestral 

 Worship — The chief rehgion of the Cliinese — Universahty— 

 Antiquity — Historical Notices — Confirmed by Confucius — Ancestral 

 Worship defined — Ita great importance — The dependence of the dead 

 on the living — Food, money, and clothes regularly despatched into the 

 spirit world — Consequences of neglect — The Ancestral Tablet — The 

 resemblance of the spirit world to this both in government and 

 every-day life —The effect of this on the social life of the people — 

 Neglected and destitute spirits cared for by charitable societies — 

 Death, insanity, plague, pestilence, and famine caused by destitute 

 spirits — Foreign Devils — Suicide — The value of the head — Ancestral 

 Worship idolatrous — Its great cost — The cause of polygamy, 

 infanticide, and a hindrance to all progress — A striking contrast. 



Objects used by the Chinese in Ancestral Worship will be shown to 

 illustrate the lecture. 



OUR subject to-day is Ancestral Worship, which has 

 been well called the religion of the Chinese, for in the 

 worship of ancestors the whole nation agrees, and Confucianism, 

 Buddhism, and Taouism are united. In introducing this 

 subject I think I cannot do better than give an extract from 

 a book, written by one who has spent many years in China, 

 and who is intimately acquainted with the life of the people. 

 Speaking of the Conf ucianist, we read : " Intellectually far 

 above them" (that is, the uneducated people)," there is yet one 

 spot of common ground. They, in their multiplied idolatries, 

 he, in his cold agnosticism, have one faith in common, one 

 universal family worship, upon which the heart of the nation 

 rests. From the Emperor in his palace to the poorest country- 

 man in his mud cottage, Confucianist, Taouist, and Buddhist 

 alike, all rear the shrine for the ancestral tablets, and worship 

 at the graves of the departed. Hoary with the veneration of 

 four thousand years, this system has come down to them 

 supported by the authority of the sages, and the example of 

 the throne. Ancestral worship has its deep roots in the life of 

 the nation, resting upon that which is most tender, most 

 honoured, most abiding. Fear also lends its aid to perpetuate 

 what affection and reverence demand, for certain calamity, it is 

 believed, would follow the son so unfilial as to neglect the 

 customary rites. 



