MISSIONARY SCENES AND ADVENTURES IN CHINA.

of the sect have acquired knowledge and power sufficient not only to appal the vulgar, but thoroughly to confound and perplex educated men. They forecast future events. They foreshow changes in the empire. They often make all the people in the house pass one by one in review in a large vessel of water. They are reported to make Laon Keun appear in the air; and sometimes through magic cause other persons mysteriously to body themselves forth. On one occasion, through their enchantments, they are said to have made the deceased and beloved wife of the Emperor Woo-ti, the sixth of the Han dynasty, to appear distinctly to his Majesty; and this produced such an inpression as to lead him and his successors to attach themselves to their religion. They have been alternately favoured and persecuted by the Chinese emperors. The emperors of the Tang dynasty were greatly attached to them. The first emperor erected a superb temple to them; the sixth emperor caused a statue of Laon Keun to be carried with great pomp and placed in his palace. At this era the head of the sect was raised to the rank of a high mandarin, and their priests got the name of "Tien si," i.e., heavenly doctors, on account of their skill in medicine. Then came a revulsion, and they were greatly discountenanced. But through a trick they again rose into favour in the Loong dynasty. During a very dark night they hung up a book on the principal gate of the capital. This was filled with curious characters and forms. They invoked demons, and maintained that the book had fallen from heaven, and so wrought upon the emperor's mind that he went on foot most humbly, carried it triumphantly to his palace, and placed it in a golden box.

635

be intelligibly given to every question. There are many volumes said to be extant, in prose and verse, written by spirits. These things are done after sunset, and by persons fasting.

If you enquire how they can do such things, they tell you plainly that it is through the agency of demons. And verily you do not need to be told this if you have ever seen their ceremonies. They invoke the demons by howls, and cries, and grimaces, by which they pretend to attract multitudes of spirits to the performer, who gives them his commands. They also worship the spirit of darkness. They drive a stake into the earth, accompanying every stroke with frightful gestures and cries; they then trace a circle and write certain characters as a charm. This being done, they take three animals-a hog, and a fish, and a bird-and sacrifice them to the spirit of darkness, and thus they worship him.

But they are not exclusively devoted to such divinations and practices, they have given great attention to the study of alchemy and chemistry, and it is interesting to find many of the processes and much of the nomenclature of the European alchemists of the middle ages anticipated centuries previously by the Chinese. They tried to find out the philosopher's stone which would transmute metals into gold; and they also earnestly sought to discover the elixir of immortality. Many of them professed to have discovered this liquid, which imparts immortal life on earth; and even persuaded some of their emperors to buy it. These emperors of course died, and they themselves also went the way of all the earth. We do not recollect any one ever professing to be able to transmute metals into gold, but their chemical investigations and experiments were invaluable-virtually accomplishing the end sought for they made discoveries as important as gold. They discovered many dyes, colours, medicines, mercury, sulphate of soda, nitre, arsenic, sugar, bell-metal, gunpowder, metallic mirrors, burning glasses, rock crystal for spectacles, musical stones, paper, many of the secrets of electro-magnetism, and innumerable other things.

Their priests also pretend to tell a stranger all about his family. When we went to China at first this entirely perplexed us. The teacher of a fellow missionary professed to do this. He would take your hand, minutely inspect it, and then tell how many brothers and sisters you had, how many nephews and nieces, whether your parents were alive, and many of the special circumstances of your family. We tried every The medical art is another and more legitimate demethod we could imagine to discover the trick, but partment of their skill. Very many of them are docutterly failed. They also profess to understand spirit tors. Having the accumulated experience-as far as writing, and all such things. The method through this can be communicated-of many generations of means of which the spirit communicates the secrets of practitioners, they often prescribe most successfully. the invisible world is singular as far as I know. When But they also use incantations, and when medicines a few persons wish to find out whether they shall have are not effectual in curing, they ascribe the obstinacy sons, or become rich, or succeed in any scheme, they to evil spirits, and assemble in force in the patient's club together and prepare a feast for the spirit. The house to exorcise the demon. And this is a terrible table is spread, they attend in full dress, and every- business. Such scenes have often been described by thing is prepared just as if they were expecting a dis- missionaries, and I need not enter into detail. Suffice tinguished guest. An empty chair is placed, and the it to say that they perform some magic ceremonies, spirit is invoked. A man is selected, usually one and then throw themselves into convulsions, and then who, they affirm, cannot write. The twig of a tree command the devil to depart. is placed horizontally across the palms of his hands; a pencil is attached to this twig at right angles, and hangs down between his hands; a smooth surface is then prepared and covered with fine sand. When these preparations have been finished, the spirit is solemnly invoked. He comes, and intimates his arrival by moving the pencil-whose point touches the sandand writing the character tan," which means arrived." They then salute him just as they would an illustrious stranger, and invite him to partake of the good things provided. After a time, during which he is supposed to be busy refreshing his spiritual nature, they begin their questions. The medium stands still the pencil moves mysteriously, and replies are said to

66

Notwithstanding this their medical knowledge is far from contemptible. They can diagnose very correctly, and prescribe often with great success. There is a dark allusion to the circulation of the blood in a book of the Han dynasty, i.e., about the time of our Saviour. But if they ever knew this important fact—which is probable-they have now entirely forgotten it. They have inoculated for small-pox time out of mind; and they inoculate in the nostril! Can any of our medical men point out any reason for this? Acu-puncture is in great repute among them; and it is most wonderful the precision with which they can put the needles in, and yet not injure any vital part, ignorant as they are of anatomy.

636

MISSIONARY SCENES AND ADVENTURES IN CHINA.

the two corners were other two genii. The sides of the building were also lined with rocks, and fully occupied by idols. Placed on every protruding point stood an image of the gods of the months, and even one for the intercalary month in their cycle. These were extremely elegant. Their form was pleasant, and they were decked in the flowers which open during their respective months. Here was January, cold, and bleak, and cheerless; there was February, a shade brighter and gayer, with one flower or two enlivening her chilly aspect; here was March, strong and lusty, covered with the flowers peculiar to her; there was April, with its smiles, and tears, and gaudy flowers; and here was May, gayer still, and so on through the year. Some were male and some female, and posture, and dress, and everything was tastefully arranged in accordance with the month represented. On the right and left of the temple also sat images of the two women so famous in Chinese history-the one who introduced the silk worm, and the other who introduced the cotton plant.

Such are a few of the practices which prevail among | had musical instruments in their hands. Beneath at the Taouists, and they supply us with the key to their system of false religion. Pursuing the study of chemistry, they came to have a superstitious regard for the essences of things. They appear to have esteemed these essences as things divine. They imagined that they ascended into the heavens, and that the stars were embodiments of this or that essence. They maintain that Mercury is the essence of water, that Venus is the essence of metal, Mars the essence of fire, Jupiter the essence of wood, and Saturn of earth; and that likewise all the stars are concrete essences. This was the simplest form of their faith. By-andby, they ascribed life and intelligence to the stars; and maintained that they mightily influenced human beings. At last a still more complicated system of religion arose, which it would be out of place to describe in the present connection. Suffice it to say that they now believe in a Trinity, and have a regular graduated mythology. This Trinity is supreme over all. It is composed of the "San-Tsing," or "three pure ones," who reside in the highest heavens, are cognisant of all things, and seek the welfare of men. Laon Keun, the founder of their religion, is explicitly affirmed to have been the incarnation of this glorious Trinity. Under them they have a god called "Yuhhwang-Shang-ti," who carries out the commands of the San-tsing, and is the great active ruler in the universe. Under this god there is another trinity, called the "San-Kwan,' or "three rulers," who preside over heaven, and earth, and water. These, though distinguished as three separate persons, yet, like the Santsing, form one collective unit, and are called "SanKwan Ta si," "the three rulers "which form "one great ruler." They have yet a third trinity formed of the star-god, called "Happiness, Promotion, and Old Age," which are, as my readers may suppose, extremely popular among the people. Many a grand offering they receive. Nor do these complete the Taouist pantheon. The truth is they have deified everything; they worship the essence or spirit (for the same word curiously enough stands for both spirit and essence, as in our own language) of the wind, of rivers, of the hills, of the valleys, of the sea, of the tides, of thunder, of lightning, and of every element. They have also gods of their national sexagenary cycle, and gods of the spring, and of the summer, and of the autumn, and of the winter, and even over the months of the year.

They have temples erected in honour of all these different kinds of gods. In general they are prettier than the temples of the other sects. Those in honour of the cyclic gods are beautiful. I shall describe one which particularly struck me in my journeys. The external aspect of the temple was like the Buddhist temples; but internally very different. At the further end of the great building was a huge rock, high and rugged in the extreme, with innumerable idols standing in different postures on the abutting portions. Right in front, and conspicuous above all, stood LaonKeun himself, with two attendants. At the top, high above him, stood one of the trinities, of which we have spoken, viz, "Old Age," "Promotion," and "Happiness." They were represented by three finely-devised idols. "Old Age" was in the form of an old man with a gray beard, and "Happiness" had a child in On the rugged portions at the sides were the eight mortals who had succeeded in purifying their nature, and becoming immortal, and are now called the "eight immortals." The greater number of them

his arms.

My readers must not suppose that these rocks were natural rocks. They were merely ingenious fabrications of clay and straw fashioned to represent rocks. They were painted like rocks, and had something like iron filings strewed over their surface, which gave them the appearance of sparkling granite. The images were as large as life, and painted in all the colours of the rainbow. It was certainly a pretty sight-by far the most elegant thing I have ever seen connected with idolatry.

In many of their other temples they endeavour to give substance and form to many of their mystical ideas. They try to represent the spirit of the winds, and the spirit of the tides, etc., and sometimes succeed in bringing out very strikingly the idea. We remember once being arrested in one of their temples by an image of the spirit of ascetism. The figure had a pensive, yet gloomy look, an eerie expression about it, and the hair matted and dishevelled.

XXXIII. TAOUIST INCARNATIONS.

Having once got the idea of a Divine being becoming incarnate, they have made great use of it. Their incarnations are innumerable. The Chinese have had the heavens mapped out since 2300 years before Christ, and all the constellations and conspicuous stars clearly defined. These stars, which they believe to be living and intelligent, have from time to time become incarnate in eminent men. Near the Great Bear there is a small constellation, called Vun-Chang by the Chinese. This star became a man, who was also called Vun-Chang. He was a great scholar, and is now regularly worshipped, in temples specially erected to his honour, by students and literary men, as the god of literature-a strange anomaly, showing the power of the religious instinct; for these men are all Confucians, and ought to despise all such superstitions. Another constellation of six stars, called Chang, is also greatly worshipped. They have, even like the Buddhists, and, alas! certain Christians, a queen of heaven, who is supposed to reside in the Great Bear; and in their prayer-books they have many prayers-more than to any other god-which are regularly recited to this female deity.

Tae-Shin, the god of riches, is another idol which is most extensively worshipped in China. His image is

MISSIONARY SCENES AND ADVENTURES IN CHINA.

in every shop and work-room, and often have we been grieved in our journeys and dealings with the Chinese to find this god so much respected. We remember once going into a busy yard, where carpenters were working, and producing most beautiful pieces of workmanship, and seeing one of these images standing in a shrine with smoking incense before it. We remonstrated with them on the folly of such proceedings. They laughed; yet they continued to retain it in their workshop and worship it. This is the great peculiarity of the Chinese; they laugh and joke at their idols, yet they bow themselves before them.

But the state has made the most use of this Taouist belief. They have assumed that all good governors of cities must have been incarnations of gods, and hence they have ordered images of them to be made, and temples to be raised for their worship. Here we have an explanation of the Zung Wang Miaon, "the temple of the governor of the city." One of these is found in every town and city; and at the new year, and at other fixed seasons, the mayor and magistrates proceed in procession, and prostrate themselves before these idols. The inhabitants are also expected to visit this temple at these times, and the vast majority actually yield to the custom, although they have as much respect for the walls as for the idols. We have often seen them at their devotions, with their fine figured silk dresses, and long strings of beads, and red tasselled hats bowing before the painted clay, and rising up and laughing. Here another anomaly must be pointed out. Will my readers credit me when I tell them that these very magistrates read homilies, at the order of the government, against these superstitions in these very temples? Yet so it is. On the morning of every new and full moon, at a very early hour, the town clerk reads sixteen lecturcs, which were prepared by the emperor, the great Kang-he, at the beginning of the eighteenth century. These lectures are read in the presence of the mandarins assembled for the occasion. They are addressed to the working classes, and encourage them in the performance of their respective duties. In one of these lectures the people are warned against false religions. Buddhism and Taouism are distinctly specified, and they are ordered to discountenance all idolatrous practices and the unseemly village festivals in honour of the gods.

XXXIV. THE RELATIONS WHICH THESE FALSE RELIGIONS
BEAR TO CHRISTIANITY.

Intelligent readers cannot have failed to perceive that these three false religions in China, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taouism, have some very striking relations to Christianity. Much might be written on this topic, but in the present connection a few words must suffice. In the old books of the Chinese we have God acknowledged, and many of his infinite and glorious attributes clearly avowed. In the system of Confucius, though his existence be ignored, yet we have the great principle of filial piety insisted upon as the fundamental duty of man. The Chinese themselves extend this principle to superiors and to the emperor, and thus we can easily extend it to the great Father of all.

Again, the word "Taou," which is the root of Taouism, just means "doctrine," and has the same meaning which the Greek Xoyos has; and our form, "word," as in the first chapter of the Gospel of John.

This Taou, or doctrine, or word, is represented as cternal, and as becoming incarnate for the instruction

637

of men. Let my readers weigh the following prayer: "O thou perfectly honoured one of heaven and earththe root and origin of a myriad energies-the great manager of endless ages-do thou enlighten my spiritual perceptions. Within and without the three worlds the Taou is alone honourable, embodying himself in golden light. May he overspread and illumine my person-he whom we cannot see with the eye, nor hear with the ear, who embraces and encloses heaven and earth! may he nourish and support the multitude of living beings!" Thus we have phraseology by which we are helped to express some revealed truths.

In Buddhism we have also phrases by which we can convey the ideas of the work of the Holy Spirit-the great light and only illuminator of the spiritual nature of man. Of course we must guard ourselves with great caution when we use these words; but who can fail to see a special providence in thus preparing phraseology by which the most difficult and mysterious doctrines of our faith can be thrown into the Chinese mind?

In drawing these sketches to a close, the writer hopes that he may have succeeded in interesting many readers in Chinese missions. When this page meets the eye he is again in the midst of his difficult but cherished work. May he request the prayers of all who believe that success depends on Divine power.

THE PULPIT IN THE FAMILY.

THE VICTORY OF FAITH.

"And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."1 John v. 4.

UR life in this world is a conflictthat is the description of it. We are surrounded by foes, powerful, crafty, persevering. If we are overcome, our souls are lost; if we prove victors, we enjoy salvation. Thus is it with individuals; and the church of Christ here upon earth is also to be thought of as engaged in incessant warfare, as a church militant. The city of God is ever at war with the kingdom of darkness. Her history hitherto is that of a series of victories, and her Lord has declared that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against her." But both in the case of individuals and of the church, the principle of warfare and the means of victory is the same. Every success is achieved by faith. In itself it is but a weak instrument, but its very weakness is its irresistible might; for it relies on omnipotence, and is joined to the arm of the living God. In this "holy war," as John Bunyan termed it, it is most encouraging and invigorating to be assured that success is certain to the believer. There may be many trials, many conflicts, even reverses; but in the end victory is assured. And with regard to the church, we know that the gates of hell shall not prevail against her. The church militant will ere long be the church triumphant, through the great Captain of salvation.

The enemy which we aim at overcoming is here called "the world." The world, which is the scene of our life and activity, is not evil in itself; but there is that in the world which is evil. This evil which is in

DAME CLUMPEN'S BURDEN.