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REDEEMING FEATURES OF CHINESE RELIGION.

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ent degrees of civilization, not only widely separated in respect of situation and power, but flourishing in ages remote from each other, and having little or no mutual influence, has often been noticed. Human sacrifices are offered to this day in some parts of Asia, Africa, and Polynesia, which the extension of Christian instruction and power has, it is to be hoped, greatly reduced and almost accomplished the extinction of; but no record of the sacrificial immolation of man by his fellow, " offering the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul," has been found in Chinese annals, in such a shape as to carry the conviction that it formed part of the religious belief, or ceremonial practice of the people, although the Scythian custom of burying the servants and horses of a deceased prince or chieftain with him, was perhaps observed before the days of Confucius, and may have been occasionally done since his time. Still this feature, negative though it be, stands in strong contrast with the appalling destruction of human life for religious reasons, still existing among the tribes of western and central Africa, and recorded as having been sanctioned among the Aztecs and Egyptians, the Hindus and Carthaginians, and other ancient nations, not excepting the Jews and Greeks.

The other, and still more remarkable trait of Chinese idolatry is, that there is no deification of sensuality, which, in the name of religion, could shield and countenance those licentious rites and orgies, that enervated the minds of worshippers, and polluted their hearts, in so many other pagan countries. No Venus or Lakshmi occurs in the list of Chinese goddesses; no weeping for Thammuz, no exposure in the temple of Mylitta, or obscene rites of the Durga-puja, have ever been required or sanctioned by Chinese priests; nor are nautch girls as in Indian temples, or courtesans as at Corinth, kept in their sacred buildings. Their speculations upon the dual powers of the yin and yang have never degenerated into the vile worship of the linga and yoni of the Hindus, or of Amun-kem, as pictured on the ruins of Thebes. Although they are a licentious people in word and deed, the Chinese have not endeavored to sanctify vice, and lead the votaries of pleasure, falsely so called, further down the road of ruin, by making its path lie through a temple, and under the protection of a goddess. Nor does their mythology teem with the disgusting relations of the amours of their deities, which render the religious stories of the Hindus and Greeks so revolting; on the

contrary, they exalt and deify chastity and seclusion as much as the Romanists do, as a means of bringing the soul and body nearer to the highest excellence. Vice is kept out of sight, as well as out of religion, in a great degree, and it may be safely said, that no such significant sign as has been uncovered at Pompeii, with the inscription Hic habitat felicitas, was ever exhibited in a Chinese city.

If the irresponsible authority of the Governor of the world be acknowledged in the establishment and removal of the kingdoms of the earth, and his declared detestation of these things be regarded as one reason for destroying those who practised them, then may not one reason be found for the long duration of the Chinese people and government, in their comparative freedom from these abominations? He expressly says to his chosen people (Lev. xviii. 24, 25), "Defile not yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you and the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants." A principal cause of the subsequent calamities which befel the Jews, is repeatedly ascribed to the immolation of their sons and daughters in sacrifice to false gods, and their imitation of the bacchanalian orgies of the heathen around them. If the same causes produce the same effects among other people, the removal of the great nations of antiquity may be ascribed as much to their utter pollution and cruelty, as to their loss of martial vigor, the rancor of political dissensions, and the luxurious indolence which made them a prey to their more vigorous neighbors. When a land is defiled and spews out its inhabitants, the King of the whole earth easily finds a besom to execute his purposes. One pagan nation has come down from ancient times, and this alone is distinguished for its absence from religious slaughter of innocent blood, and the sanctified license of unblushing lust.

To these traits of Chinese character, preventive of their national chastisement and removal, may be added the preservative features of their regard for parents and superiors, and their general peaceful industry. If there be any connexion between the former of these virtues, and the promise attached to the fifth commandment, "That thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee," then the long duration of the Chi

NO STATE HIERARCHY IN CHINA.

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nese people and empire is a stupendous monument of the good effects of even a partial obedience to the law of God, by those who only had it inscribed on their hearts, and not written in their hands. If this view of the case suggest an answer to the inquiry as to the causes of the permanence of their institutions, then the comparative efficacy of the means made use of to perpetuate them, such as general education in morality, a code of laws, a well ordered civil magistracy, regard for life and property, equality of social privileges, &c., are accounted for in China, while they have failed of producing the same conservative effects in other times and nations.

The absence of a hierarchy supported by the state has already been noticed as a remarkable feature in the Chinese polity. No body of priests has ever been able to rise to power and influence, and form a hereditary religious caste like the Brahmins, although both Budhists and Rationalists have been repeatedly patronized by the monarchs, and individuals of their number admitted to imperial confidence. There is, however, a state religion in China of very ancient date, which has undergone few modifications in its essential features, during the long succession of monarchs, and still retains much of its primitive simplicity. "The state religion of the Chinese," observes Dr. Morrison, "does not consist of doctrines which are to be taught, learned, and believed, but of rites and ceremonies; it is entirely a bodily service, and its ritual is contained in the statistics and code of the empire." The word kiau, which means to teach, or doctrines taught, is applied to all sects, Jews and Mohammedans, as well as Budhists and Rationalists, but not to this state religion; there is no generic term for religion. The objects of state worship are chiefly things, although persons are also included. There are three grades of sacrifices, the great, medium, and inferior, collectively called kiun sz', “the crowd of sacrifices." The objects to which the great sacrifices are offered are only four; viz. tien, the heavens or sky, called the imperial concave expanse; tí, the earth, likewise dignified with the appellation imperial; tai miau, or the great temple of ancestors, in which the tablets of deceased monarchs are placed; and lastly, the shié tsih, or gods of the land and grain, the special patrons of each dynasty. These four objects are placed on an equality by the present monarchs, which is strong presumptive proof that by tien is now meant the

material heavens. What may have been the precise idea connected with the words, tien," heaven," and hwang tien, "imperial heaven," as they were used in ancient times, may be difficult to determine; the worship rendered to them was probably of a mixed sort, the material heavens being taken as the most sublime manifestation of the power of their Maker, whose character was then less obscured and unknown than in after times, when it degenerated to Sabianism.

The medium sacrifices are offered to eight objects; viz. the sun, or "great light," the moon, or "night light," the manes of the emperors and kings of former dynasties, Confucius, the ancient patrons of agriculture and silk weaving, the gods of heaven, earth, and the passing year. The inferior herd of sacrifices are offered to the ancient patron of the healing art, and the innumerable spirits of deceased philanthropists, eminent statesmen, martyrs to virtue, &c.; clouds, rain, wind, and thunder; the five celebrated mountains, four seas, and four rivers; famous hills, great water courses, flags, triviæ, gods of cannon, gates, queen goddess of earth, the north pole, and many other things. The state religion has been so far corrupted from its ancient simplicity, as to include as objects of worship with the heavens, gods terrestrial and stellar, and ghosts infernal, flags and cannon, as well as idols and tablets, the effigies and mementoes of deified persons.

The personages who assist the emperor in his worship of the four superior objects, and perform most of the ceremonies, belong to the imperial clan and the Board of Rites; but while they go through with the ceremony, he, as pontifex maximus, refuses to pay the same homage that he demands of all who approach him, and puts off heaven with three kneelings and nine profound bows. When he worships heaven, he wears robes of a blue color, in allusion to the sky; and when he worships earth, he puts on yellow to represent the clay of this earthly clod; so, likewise, he wears red for the sun, and pale white for the moon. The princes, nobles, and officers who assist, are clad in their usual court dresses, but no priests or women are admitted, except at the worship of Yuenfi, the goddess of silk manufacture. There exists in China only one temple consecrated to heaven, and one to earth; both of them at Peking, and there also the annual sacrifices at the solstices are offered. The temple of the sun is east, and that of the moon west of the city, and at the

NATURE AND OBJECTS OF THE STATE WORSHIP.

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equinoxes, a regulus, or prince of the imperial clan, is com. missioned to perform the requisite ceremonies, and offer the ap pointed sacrifices.

The hierophants in this worship of nature, so lauded by some infidels, are required to prepare themselves for the occasion by fasting, ablutions, and change of garments, and separation from their wives and pleasurable scenes, and from the dead; "for sickness and death defile, while banqueting dissipates the mind, and unfits it for holding communion with the gods." The sacrifices consist of calves and bullocks, sheep or pigs, and the offerings of silks. Both are brought into the temple on chargers, not killed before or on the altar, but laid out ready dressed, in proper order. This custom of presenting cooked sacrifices is general in Chinese worship; no garlands are placed on the victim when its life is taken, nor is the blood sprinkled on any particular spot or article. The statutes annex penalties of fines or blows in various degrees of punishment, in case of informality or neglect; but, "in these penalties, there is not the least allusion to any displeasure of the things or beings worshipped, there is nothing to be feared but man's wrath, nothing but a forfeiture or a fine." Heavier chastisement, however, awaits any of the common people or the unauthorized, who should presume to state their wants to high heaven, or worship these objects of imperial adoration; strangulation or banishment, according to the demerits of the case, would be their retribution. The ignobile vulgus of China may worship stocks and stones in almost any form they please, but death awaits them if they attempt to join the son of heaven, the vicegerent of heaven and earth, in his adorations to the supposed sources of his power.

From this it is plain, that the emperors of China, like the popes of Rome, regard themselves as the exponents of the will of heaven, and both of them, "as God, sit in the temple of God, showing themselves that they are God." The idea the Chinese have of heaven seems to be pantheistic, and in worshipping heaven, earth, and terrestrial gods, they mean to include and propitiate all superior powers. If, as seems probable, the original idea of shangtí, worshipped by the early monarchs, was that of a supreme Intelligence, it has since been lost; and the words of Paul are applicable, when he says, "that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; . . . . and did not like to re

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