Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1892 — Chinese Idolatry. [ARTICLE]

Chinese Idolatry.

Amidst much that is grotesque, degrading and sinful about Chinese Idolatrous rites, two negative features placo their temples on a higher level than those of any other heathen land. There has been no instance of uman sacrifice and no deification of vice. No human victim was ever immolated on a Chinese altar. The cruel rites practiced by the ancient Britons. Aztecs and Egyptians would horrify the humane monks who leaeh the preservation of all animal life. No Chinese religious sect has ever countenanced in its temple rites the least taint of such licentious orgies as were found in the hieroduli dance to Aphrodite Pandemos or the obscene rites of the jDurga-puja. The Chinese pantheon, to its credit be it said, ha - never contained a Venus, Lakshmi, Mylitta or an Ashtereth. No nautch girls as in India, or courtesans as in anolent Greece, ever found employment in a Chinese temple. Votaries of pleasure though the Chinese are, they have never allowed vioe and obsoeniry to find a place in their temples and mythologies. How far that has operated to preserve them as ; nation, while contemporary nations have gone to decay, who shall sa.V? While the Chinese believe in fiends and evil spirits and propitiate them Just to keeptuem irom mischief, their deepest ho uage Is called forth in the worship of the heroes of their nation and :he patriaohs of their tribes.