1850.
Midhurst's Inquiry.
483
we ought not to use the word God, as a translation of Shin in the concrete."
Now we think that, in all the hundreds of pages he has written on this question, Dr. Medhurst has no where developed the original and primary meaning of Shin. If he is of opinion that he has done this, we have to assure him that in our opinion he has not, and we doubt- less shall retain this opinion until such time as he shall bring forward some proof, some evidence to support his opinion. We do not set light by his opinion; we submit it, however to our readers, that, in a ques- tion of this sort, we need evidence; and we shall ever try to regulate our course by evidence, and not, as he says, "in spite of evidence." For translating Shin, God, Gods, &c., in the concrete, authorities are not wanting. We will adduce one. The translator of the Shú King, 'printed at the mission press," Shánghái, in the month of October, 1846. In that volume are comprised all the historical records of the Chinese for a period of sixteen centuries, extending from the founding of the empire down almost to the time of Confucius. The translator had been a student of the language for nearly thirty years, and had published in the mean time two large Dictionaries of the language. The translation, therefore, is justly entitled to our consideration. Ia 1847—one year after the publication of the version of the Shú King, Dr. Medhurst published his "Theology of the Chinese," in which he "has been enabled to present to view the whole body of Chinese Tne- ology." In this Theology he has quoted, and commented on every passage in the Shú King in which the word Shin occurs, showing us all the historical uses of the word for sixteen hundred years. We have been at the pains of copying out all these passages, and will here sub. mit them in parallel columns; in one as they were printed in 1846, and in the other as they were printed in 1847. We number the ex-
tracts.
Shi King, published A. D. 1846.
Theology of the Chiness published 1847. 1. Shun then offered a sacrifice of
He (Shun) then offered the corres- the same class to the Supreme Buler, ponding sacrifice to the Supreme Ru- he presented a pure offering to the sixler, he presented a pure offering to the objects of veneration, he looked with six honored objects, he looked towards devotion towards the hills and rivers, and worshiped the hills and rivers, and glanced around at the host of Spi-while he universally included the host rits (Shin), p. 18.
2. Then both gods (shin) and men will approve, p. 35.
3. He (the emperor Yáu) is sagelike and divine (shin), p. 42.
4. Now my intentions were previ- ously settled; consulting and deliberat ing, all were of the same opinion; the
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of Shins, p. 44.
Causing the Shins and men to be harmonious. p 46
He (the emperor Yáu) is said to be sagelike and inscrutably intelligent (Shin). p. 46.
Now my mind is already made up ; ɔn inquiry of my councillors they are