REV. ARTHUR ELW1N, ON CONFUCIANISM. 



59 



When the clay came for him to be beheaded, thousands of 

 people accompanied the procession to the execution ground to 

 see the young man die, to see the son die to save his father's 

 life. Every one knew the young man was innocent, the 

 magistrate knew it, the people knew it, but not a voice was 

 raised in his behalf. No one would deprive him of the honour 

 of carrying out, to the fullest extent, the teaching of his 

 great master. He died and his father was free. Nowhere but 

 in China could such a scene be witnessed. One result would 

 undoubtedly follow, the magistrate would be promoted, 

 because it could only be owing to his virtue that there was such 

 an excellent young man in the district. 



On the subject of spirits, as on all matters relating to 

 heavenly things, Confucius seems rather inconsistent. His 

 mind was wrapped up in the things of this earth, and he 

 looked upon all such subjects as obscure and unprofitable. 

 ' Spirits are to be respected," he said, " but to be kept at a. 

 distance." Yet we are told " he sacrificed to the dead, a& 

 though they were present, and to the spirits as though they 

 were before him." 



But we must draw this short sketch of Confucius and his 

 teaching to a close. Every student of Confucius must hold 

 his personal character in high estimation. The narrative of 

 few men's lives would be so free from vice, and so full of that 

 which must be commended as right and good. But while we 

 are forced to confess that there is very much to be admired in 

 the Confucian system, especially compared with other 

 idolatrous religions, we must not forget that there are many 

 serious defects. One writer has summed them up as follows: — 



" No relation to a living God is recognised. It knows no 

 mediator between God and man. It is devoid of any deep 

 insight into sin or moral evil. Truthfulness is not urged, but 

 rather the reverse. Polygamy is presupposed and tolerated. 

 Polytheism is sanctioned. Fortune telling, choosing of days, 

 etc., are believed in. Filial piety is exaggerated into the 

 deification of parents. All rewards are expected in this life. 

 No comfort is offered to ordinary mortals either in this life or 

 the next." 



Certainly we can only say of the Confucianists of to-day as 

 St. Paul said of some in old time, " Having no hope and 

 without God in the world." 



