Newspaper Page Text
August 4, 19:9. Til
God's Word, and greater activity ir hi3
worship, both public and private.
"Fifthly?We would heartily subscribe
to the resolutions passed at the Birmingham
Convention, which looks to 'a comprehensive
and pervasive plan of deputation
work,' in which laymen and ministeis
together shall visit all the congregations
in this Synod and lay before
them the plans for this work, and the
means to be used for the accomplish
uiem 01 me uesirea results.
"Sixthly?We would heartily endorse
the plan of the Inter-Uenominationai
Laymen's Missionary Movement for
holding one of the meetings of the coming
National Campaign in Jackson, Miss.,
February il-13, 1910, and would urge
that every church in the Synod make
an effort to secure the largest possible
attendance.
"Seventhly?That the next State Conference
of our Laymen's Movement be
held at Jackson, Miss., in connection
with the Inter-Denominational meeting
appointed for February 11-13, 1910, and
that the canvass of every congregation
for this cause, as recommended, be com
pleted before that time, and reports of
results of said canvass be made.
"Eighthly?That 'The Modern Crusade,'
which is a handsomely bound volume of
320 pages, containing the report in full
of all the important addresses, together
with the transactions of the Birmingham
Convention of our Laymen's Movement,
is heartily commended to our people as
a most valuable source of information
and aid to pastors, laymen and missionary
workers, and as a volume of permanent
value, containing excellent up-todate
maps, showing location of our mission
fields."
Officers for the ensuing year were
elected, as follows: R. F. Kimmons,
chairman; W. C. Smith, secretary-treasurer.
A resolution of thanks for courtesies
extended by the Chautauqua Assembly,
tne railroad and all who had contributed
to the success of the Conference was
offered and unanimously adopted by a
rising vote.
Adjourned at 5:30 p. m.
W. C. Smith, Secretary. .
A CHINESE STATESMAN'S FUNERAL.
By Rev. Warren H. Stuart.
One of the greatest pageants this city
has ever witnessed took place not long
ago, when the remains of the late prime
Minister Wang Wen Shao were carried to
their resting place on the West Lake.
Minister Wang was a native of this city,
and had risen from a poor origin to the
highest posts in the empire, being a special
favorite of the late Empress Dowager,
and second only to the late Li
Hung Chang. He had been in office continuously
for 56 years, and was 76 years
old when he died last December, shortly
after the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
"Successful chef in the kitchen of
state" is the description in a poem published
in his honor. Small wonder that
he was granted an Imperial State funeral.
and no exnense was snared to mnlre
it rival in magnificence the one recently
? ....... -
Z PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOU!
held for the Emperor in Peking.
Through the good offices of a lady missionary
who teaches in the Wang family,
ihe whole missionary community of
Hangchow was invited to the house a
few days before the funeral, to see the
decorations. We were most courteously
received, and invited to inspect all the articles
on display. A foreign-trained band
from Shanghai was discoursing sweet,
solemn strains of music. In the rear
eeuirai nan was piacea tne casket, covered
with richly embroidered red satin,
and over it the form of a dragon some
ten feet long in rich satin embroidery.
The members of the family, clothed in
sackcloth stood by the side, and on a
table in front were offerings of food,
and fruits and lighted candles. Among
the decorations were countless silk
scrolls sent in from all parts df the empire,
extolling the deceased in such sentences
as "The perfect man of his generation,"
"He followed after the Dragon"
(referring to his death coming so
son after the Emperor's,) "Joy and age
alike complete," and the like. There
were also on display a coat of mail and
helmet, his field-marshal's uniform; two
open sedan chairs of satin, and a saddle
of red satin richly embroidered, stirrups
adorned with cloisonne work and imperial
bridle reins; the chairs and saddles
being presented when as a mark of special
favor he was allowed to ride in the
forbidden city or E-Ho park in Peking.
Of special interest was an imitation set
of gravediggers, Implements, flimsily
made of wood, but painted yellow and
displayed in the procession to show that
the funeral was by Imperial sanction.
With all his wealth and wisdom neither
this great man nor his family escaped
the most abject superstition. Some weeks
before the funeral a paper house for his
use in the spirit world was burned. This
bouse was modeled after his residence
with a counternart of ev<?rv nrtiolo r?p
furniture in it, effigies of his servants
and even of the missionary lady who
taught in his family! It was large
enough for persons to walk about in and
had cost hundreds of dollars. Yet all
this went up in smoke. Many more hundreds
of dollars were burned up in joss
paper, or found their way into the pockets
of the priests and monks who took
part in the funeral.
The cortege started at 6 a. m., winding
its way through the principal streets of
the city, and then out the North Gate to
the lake, by a "lucky" route. At eight
different places the procession stopped
to receive sacrifices from the officials
and commercial and religious organizations.
These sacrifices consisted of a
pig and a sheep dressed whole, and were
presented with many prostrations?the
whole thing being equal to canonization
by imperial authority.
In front of the procession were several
persons scattering imitation paper
coins as toll to buy right-of-way in the
material world for one who had already
passed into the spirit world. Heading the
procession then came four Immense human
figures of paper, called "forerunners,"
and borne by two men each. Then came
VW2
TO. 17
arf empty shrine, the imperial grave-digging
articles, some forty caskets containing
the imperial presents, his saddlehorse,
handsomely caparisoned; the satin-covered
harness, besides tablets, lanterns,
scrolls, placques, high silk banners,
and so on too numerous to mention. Programmes
indicating he order of march
and every item of display had been distributed
over the city. From this v/elearn
that there were ninety-eight silk
banners presented by the "grateful people"
where he had held office, ninety-six
Buddhist priests and thirty-six TaoistB,
soiaiers rrom the governor, city guardsand
police, to the number of several hundred.
Sixteen boys, most beautifully
dressed, eight as males and eight as
females, representing pages to attend
him in the spirit world, walked immediately
before the "spirit chest," as the
coffin is called. This itself was borneby
thirty-two carriers, who had been
practicing for three days along the given
route chosen, with a frame bearing
13 cwt. of rice on their shoulders. Following
the coffin were two sons, four
grandsons and six great-grandsons, on
foot, and the women of the family in
sedans. Images of the eighteen Buddhist
sages, together with the four "forerunners"
and a number of other articles,,
were burned on reaching the destination.
The procession was said to be a mile
and a half in length, and occupied two
hours in passing a given point. In point
of outward magnificence it was perhapsthe
finest display ever made in this city.
But the reflecting observer could not but
be struck with the barbaric waste, the
clinging superstition and Christless.
mockery of the whole show. But never,
perhaps, will such a spectacle be seen in
China again. With the growing knowledge
of Christianity and regard for the
people's rights, crude superstition and
wicked waste wiil give way to the simplicity
of a Christian funeral
Since writing the above paragraphs I
have just heard of an interesting sequel
to the funeral pageant, which may point
the moral, even if it does not adorn the
tale. It seems that after the excitement
was over, dissension arose as to dividing
the family property, and much abuse
has been heaped upon the oldest grandson
over the prodigal waste for which he
was responsinie. We hear now that the
great mansion has been divided into hostile
camps, barred and barricaded against
each other, and that the unfrugal manager
and heir has had to flee for his life.
In his absence the wrath has threatened
his two young sons. They were brought
to the missionary tutor's home and then
sent back, and what the outcome will be
no one knows. The lady herself is In a.
delicate position, with rather too many
earthly concerns for one who hasalready
been burned into the spirit world.
Popfolnlu f V? r? <? " a*-*?- A- *
uviixm.J umi. ID UCIIlfi ail LUIIlgB LO all
men" as much as Paul ever was. But
If by this or any other means Christ
preached, we do rejoice and will rejoice,,
for the day is soon coming when a
funeral that is Christian will be the rule
and not the exception in China.
Hangchow, China.