December 11, 1905.]
was
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
;
THE RELIGIONS OF CHINA.
401
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Council was held at the Council Chamber on Dec. 7th. Preseptee SIB MATTHEW NATHAN, K.C.M.G.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, MAJOR
HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR-Genbbaj, Vil- LIERS HATTON, C. B. (Commanding the Troops). Hon. Mr. T. SERCOMBE SMITH (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. SIR H. S. BERKELEY, K.C. (Attorney- General},
little beyond pious aspirations; and viewed would not have left Russia in the position | stations undoubtedly stands in the way,' with all the alarm of a practical soldier of pretending that there was a doubt as to be says, of a Chinese episcopate. This the extremes toward which t
degenerate the ultimate outcome. Also, the war might obviously implies that the foreign clergy humanitarianism" seemed to be enticing not bave lasted quite so long. the world. In this they were taking a
would object to work under a native bishop : racial prejudice being stronger than religious perfectly correct view of the leg of the elephant; and the French reviewer, stationed
sympathy. It must not, by the way, be understood that Lao-raz has the impossible at the trunk, is equally right, from his
(Daily Press, 9th December.)
"all men equal" idea. He recognises that point of view, in regarding the German Our reviewer to-day protests, with so.ne view as re-actionary and inhumane. But reason, at an English clergyman's flippant of both leaders and led, must be, as Profesear men must, in this imperfect world, consist neither side sees the whole elephant; and it and misleading reference to Taoism, the PARKER puts it," hammers or anvils." It would almost appear that clear and com- intellectual faith or philosophy of both is the artificial distinctions he condemns, plete views are impossible where enthusiasm | China and Japan. The pseudo-Taoism of with a wisdom we would like to see perco and sympathy and sincerity actuate the the masses deserves no doubt all the dis-lating into another cult. Many of the bebolder. In fact, aloofness, almost amount-respectful things that may be said of it; intellectuals of to-day are Taoists without ing to indifference, will be charged against but it is a far cry from the philosophic | knowing it, so eminently sane and generally the non-blind spectator.
It is certain nobility of LAO-TSZ to the superstitious applicable is this cult which the Chinese are that he must be able to turn a callous eye follies of the so-called Taoist priests who being pestered to exchange for another. on things that make humanity shudder may to-day be found in China. Besides, if Philosophically, the Taoist is on for and equally necessary that he be not 80 the undoubted beauty of the "divine road" ground than the Rev. E. J. HARDY, for he callous as to be unable to shudder. With is to be slighted because of a few ignorant is advised: "To know that you capuot regard to the Hague Conferences, we must and illiterate guides, what may not be know much is best, but to imagine you first settle what they would be at. If their advanced against other cults? Less than know the unknowable is disastrous" Our ideal is to make an end of war altogether, a week ago in Shanghai there was delivered reviewer seems to have beeu justified in. we will remember its horrors, admire their a Thanksgiving oration by Mr. T. R. advising Mr. HARDY to let the "religious aim, and try not to be unduly pessimistic JERNIGAN, a earned man professing the of China" alone. It is our regret that we as to their ultimate success. If their object | Rev. E. J. HARDY's own religion, in the cannot at present persuade some of his be the more practical one of mitigating course of which oration the following fraternity to a like abstention. the inevitable horrors of inevitable war, remarkable utterance occurred: "But the then we must not let sympathy or prejudice | Saxon has always feared God and loved carry us away.
Comic papers mention liberty. In darkest hours he turns directly every winter the tender-hearted lady who, to the Cross for light, and whenever his seeing a football match for the first time, rights have been interfered with he has asks why they don't give each side a ball, known how to defend them." Note the so that the players need not struggle so reference to the source of that light which much. Everybody sees the point desired advocates something quite un-Taoistic, to be made; but not everybody stops to teaching its devotees, wheu robbed of a coat, think that, within limits, the tender-to give the thief the cloak also; and then hearted lady right in principle. the pugnacious ring of the concluding Rules are made to mitigate the rough-sentence. It would scem tha modern 11088 of that sport, but should those pseudo-Christians not only decline to rules go too far in the direction surrender the cloak as directed, but also of the lady critic's ideal, they would defeat cling illogically to another-the cloak of a their own object. The majority of foot-profession that does not fit their practice. ballers would go back to the primitive game, The educated and intelligent Taoist is not unhampered even by the restrictions to handicapped with such demands for which they had before agreed. War is the game of instinct, satisfactory only so long as it satisfies instinct. Human disputes can never be finally settled by games of chess:
one of the disputants will always find his thoughts turning irresistibly to the argument of CAIN. Recognising this, the world has managed to eliminate to a great extent unnecessary brutalities, and tried to reduce the horrors of war to its least unpleasant essentials. Col. PICQUART pro- tests because the German idea seems to be that the end justifies the means. It may be that we have got too near to the elephant; but that is a principle which in warfare we fear we must admit. There was some outcry among humane people who were shocked by the killing (whether actual or alleged does not matter) of wounded men in the Soudan. Those wounded men lay quietly watching for chances to kill British soldiers, in many cases hurting those who were looking for them to play the good Samaritan. If this means could have achieved the end, that is, ensured victory for their side, it would not have been so shock-and ing. The end of reducing unnecessary and un- availing suffering and slaughter was, however achieved by making sure that the savages were as dead as they pretended to be Humanitarians err when they are unwilling to see that circumstances alter cases. Col. PICQUART's point that without extreme rules there would be danger from chiefs wanting in sang-froid or in scrupulousness seems weakened by the reflection that such men would follow their instinct in face of a thousand regulations. It is probable that if Japan had not felt obliged to play to the humane gallery, and had not been embar- rassed by a multitude of conventious, she'
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humbug"; he has instead a guiding principle that fits everyday life. Taoism in its essential doctrine offers no such hard nuts to crack as the one illustrated in Mr. JERNIGAN'a remark.
We are told of the "durable influence upon the cultured Chinese mind' of C pure and unadulterated Taoism." Throughout the ages, solemn quotations from the Taoist classic have ever been in the minds of states- men at supreme moments. Ou page 5 of this issue there is an example in an inter- view extracted from an American paper. Mr. TAKAHIRA, the Japanese Minister at Washington, was being pressed to make a statement. for publication, and we can imagine his inward chuckles at the neat way he managed to foil the interviewer, But he said something, the importance of which the interviewer probably did not realise. He said the Japanese would march on the path of progress, adopting whatever might be found to improve them. That was Taoism, or Shintoism, for there is little difference between the shen-tao of China the shin-to of Japan. Out of it comes bushido and the now renascent ideal of the
C
simple life." LAO-TSZ koew that the great majority of human trials and difficulties are self-created; artificial, not natural; needing artificial remedies. What is the boasted civilisation of the West but a huge aggregation of remedies?
artificial
One of the chief themes of Lao-T82 is the vanity of petty human distinctious. Compare that with the prejudices of another cult which, according to a recent speech by the BISHOP of Houg kong, are the chief obstacle to the desired independence of the native Christian Church in China. "The multiplicity of European
Hon. Mr. L. A. M. JOHNSTON (Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar- General).
Hon. Captain L. A. W. BARNES-LAWRENCE, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM (Director of Publio Works).
Hon. Mr. R. SHEWAN.
Hon. SIR C. P↓ CHATER, C.M.G. Hou. Dr. Ho Kai, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. Gershom SteWART.
Hon. MR. WEI YUK.
Hon. Mr. C. W. DICKSON.
Mr. A. G. M. FLETCHIR (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES.
The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.
WORKMEN'S TRAMS.
His EXCELLENCY-Arising out of the minutes of the last meeting perhaps Dr. Ho Kai has a report to make in the matter of the resolution on the subject of the trams which was before last meeting of Conncil.
The Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-On workmen's care? His EXCELLENCY-Have you anything to report?
The Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-No sir. We have of communications from workmen themselves. made inquiries and received a very large number:
and from others. formation in them and the matter will require There is a great deal of in-
some time for investigation. I should like to have the resolution adjourned until another meeting.
The Hon. WEI YUK concurred. adjourned for consideration to another meeting.
His EXCELLENCY-The resolution stands.
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL Secretary laid on the table the report by the examiners of Queen's Follege.
FINANCIAL,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the tablo Financial Minutes, Nos. 58 to 61, and moved,. that they be referred to the Finance Committer
The COLONIAL TREASURER 69corded.
minutes which it is proposed to refer to the His EXCELLENCY-Of the, four Financial Finance Committees, two of them Now, Gl and No. 61, require further explanation
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