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October 29, 1906.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
PRIESTHOOD AND POLITICS.
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the 'Dawn', who both appear as the Cheo-
suggested in that defiant and strife-inspiring kung, or Chinese Dioscuri, and under them
Encyclical. By a majority of twenty-two, the work is completed and the new kingdom
on May 31st, they declared in favour of a of Cheo, the 'Daylight', founded. Then
(Daily Press, September. 23rd.) policy of conciliation, of making terms with appears a series of events whose astronomical We have had several contributions the French Government. That was kept character is beyond question: at the dawn referring to the dispute between the from HIS HOLINESS; the Encyclical was of day, while the sky is yet red with the French Government and the Church, and issued with a contrary understanding; aud tays of the rising sun, takes place the great are therefore not sure to which our though against their better judgment, the contest, and the new state arises amidst a correspondent's letter published to-day may French Bishops are loyal enough to stand · corruscation of apendour. But the myth be intended to refer. It is quite certain, by it. Our correspondent declares that the was already ancient. Some five thousand | however, that nothing has appeared in this facts presented by us as causes cannot be years ago three conspicuous stars rose at the journal to deserve the severe expressions causes "if the true causes can be songht vernal equinox some two or three hours which our correspondent, in defence as he and found in genuine facts anterior to the before the sun; these were the comparatively thinks of something very precious and dear, occurrence of those mentioned. If we bright stars in the forefrout of the has permitted himself to make. There has had insisted on one being the first canse, constellation of Aries. In these days there been no deliberate suppression of truth and a previous cause were discovered, be had been no calendar constructed, and the although we are always prepared to admit would, of course, be right. But such a husbandman to know when to put in his the possibility of overlooking or failing to method would be endless; the human sed was accustomed to be guided by the recognise it. There has been no suggestion intellect vainly searches for absolute first apparition of these stars in the east just of the false, either; although again the causes; and is satisfied with going as far before the dawn; naturally then these stars possibility of maintaining the false is always back as it can. In war, or iù divorce (a acquired a world-wide reputation, and present in the case of those who ardently more suitable parallel) there are inaumer- formed the foundation of many myths. To champion what they believe to be the true.able little sources of dissatisfaction, but the the people who afterwards settled in India Our correspondent's phrase of fierce, crisis is usually attributed to some salient, and north-west Chica they were known as unmeaning bitterness appears to be self overt, ground of offence. Our corres- the Acvius or horsemen, but originally the contradictory, for surely it would be pondent's anterior causes do not appeal to word seems to have had au initial d, and so unnatural to be bitter without meaning; us as the "conclusive evidence" he seems they were known as the Dacvins or and the word "fierce" turus away the to think they are; certainly we are unable "Peepers". They formed the starting point likelihood that by "unmeaning" he meant to accept the fifth paragraph_as
a fair of the Indian Zodine, and although three the gracious word "unintentional". For record of the "evidence" of M. COMBES. in number are always spoken of as dual. keenly as we sympathise with his very Were it not that our correspondent's use of These, there is no doubt, were the original natural feeling in the matter, his excusable terms like 'brutalities, banalities, half- Twins". Somewhere about B.C. 2,200, and almost laudable feeling, there is no truths, suggestions of the low" and so on, owing to the precession of the equinox, overlooking the fact that our correspond-is before us as an example of what to avoid, they ceased to fulfil this function, and inent's letter is indeed a fiercely bitter we might with regard to the quotation from Greece and Italy their names were trans- one, thoroughly typical of the sentiment the Saturday Review let slip some such word ferred to the two principle stars in the crystalized in the phrase odium theologicum. | as hish". Our respected correspondent, constellation which came to be called the We sincerely regret this, and are auxicus who is sure to regret his letter when he sees Twins, Gemini. With the change many of to avoid augmenting such undesirable it in print, will excuse us for suggesting that their old functions were likewise transferred: feelings; but it is obvious that any refusal he is as unable to appraise the value of the hence we can see how it was that the to grant the publicity he asks for would be Saturday Review's opinions as he was to "Twins came to be associated with the misunderstood by him. Now we do not appraise ours. There is, as we see things, arts of husbandry, the invention of the need to remind our correspondent that no question of insisting on "subservience plough, the general superintendence of the "truths'
some
cease to be truths the in matters spiritual to an atheistic state husbandmen; and became patrous of moment they become subjects of argument. It is an impossibility. The spirit cannot fecundity and the healing art. Traces of Matters of faith are not to be contaminated be subservient, as our friend knows. The this, lost elsewhere, are curiously preserved by logic; they have nothing to do with whole question is a question of matters in China. One of the most pronounced of logic; nor logic with them. It is the temporal; and in France as in China, it is these was the second ballad of the fourth burning of the faith that is in him that has the one fault of the Church concerned that book of the Sian Ya, forming the second betrayed our reverend correspondent into it has consistently failed to observe the part of the old Shi King, miscalled the illogicalities; and we will deal with them, proper distinction. It is patently reluctant Book of the Odes. Dr. Legge's versiou and not with the absence of charity and to "render unto Cæsar the things that are parodies this as follows :—
tolerance that in calmer moments we can Caesar's", and so long as it persists in that We unwillinguess-the unwillingness of "the trust such gentlemen to produce.
our really suspect it
OWI humble young man who bad great possessions attempt to prepare for Far Eastern readers
we see no prospect of peace in either China an intelligible summary of the history of or France. It is to the general recognition the trouble, that was then figuring largely of this fact that English sympathy is in our telegraphic news, that has caused generally on the anti-Christian side"; and him pain and indignation. We did it is because English opinion cousiders this certainly, going as far back as our memory clinging to temporal things un-Christian permitted, mention on September 1st the that it is anti-Catholic and pro-France. Papal protest against President Louner's With all proper deference to our corres visit to the KING OF ITALY in 1904 as the pondent, and with a lively hope that first visible rift in the lute. In good faith reflection and this answer will convince him we enumerated succeeding events which we be has gone too far, we might stop here. regarded as facts of ascertainable history; But the temptation must be yielded to, first, and we were genuinely shocked at the to direct his and the Saturday Review's Encyclical which caused such a painful re-consideration to the line accusing English- sensation all over the world. Remembering men generally of being illogical, absurd, the keenness of our disapproval at that and irrelevant. That was an amusingly time, we can now look back with easy unfortunate remark
to make, in the conscience to the comparatively moderate circumstances, toue in which it found expression; and we assume in the absence of any criticism other than the present letter that our effort THE SITUATION IN MANCHURIA. to avoid unduly wounding the feelings of members of the Church in China was noted and appreciated, We did not know then that His HOLINESS, when pablishing that very inconsistent and improper Encyclical, had been misled by his Secretary of State, MERY DEL VAL, who is would have materially affected the POPE's now alleged to have suppressed facts which
attitude toward this momentous question. The French Bishops were not unanimous as
"Let the brilliant white colt
Feed on the young growth of my vegetable garden. Tether it by the foot, tie it by the collar, To prolong this morning!
A more correct, and more literal trausla- tion shows it to have been a hymn to these
stars :-
"Shine on ye glowing steeds of day, Our meadows wide with light suffure : Halt in your course, your progress stay, This morning's dawn to end refuse.""
The allusion is to another widely spread dawn myth found as far as Greece, but into which it is not necessary now to enter. Myth is, of course, not history, yet, as has been often remarked, it bas one incalculable advantage over history that it cannot lie, and hence supplies invaluable information as to the early history of humanity. This is the true utility of such apparently useless trifles as Dr. KENDEL HARRIS's brochure on the long life of the myth of the Heavenly Twins, which throws an unexpected light ou the conditions of the early days of Christianity in Europe.
A very old resident of Shanghai passed away at the General Hospital on Oct. 20th, in the person of Mr. J. D.Thorburn. Deceased want to Shanghai in the sixties, and early in the seventies joined the firm of Russell & Co. When that house filed he joined the National Bank of Chins, eventually becoming manager
of the branch. He has been interested in
several Shanghai companies, and until quite recently was secretary and trea-urer of the General Hospital. He was, too, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Major Bros,, Ld.
was
34
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(Daily Press, 24th October.) Japan is again discovering that Russian diplomacy is irritatingly slow. Very little real progress seems to have been made so far in the negotiations with regard to tunity in Manchuria; and as Japan is more establishing equality of commercial oppor- susceptible than Russia to public opinion, ber statesmen are growing uneasy.
They