Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 86, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1920 — CHINA ADDS TO DEMON LIST [ARTICLE]

CHINA ADDS TO DEMON LIST

At L*a*t Five New “Influence*" Hava Come to That Country With Spreading Civilization. China to a land of demons and spirit*. For untold ages every bu*lness. every and every condition of life ha* had Its particular demon or flock of demons. The ancient Chinese religion consisted mainly of rite* to* either propitiate or render powerless the evil spirits and encourage the attendance of the good ones. The category of demons was so complete that it was until modern civilization began to work its changes that there was room for any more. Now, however, there are at least five new devils, according to Dr. W. H. Hudson of Kashing, whose lectures in Shanghai on the Chinese conception of ghosts and spirits have been reported to the San Francisco Chronicle. “Among the modern new devils,” Dr. Hudson said in one lecture, “are the malaria devil, the opium devil, the red match devil, the railway devil and the gunshot devlL The natives of the malaria districts have learned that mosquito netting Is very efficacious in combating the malaria devil. But that method Is not very impressive, and the Chinese, especially those in the back country districts, insist on being Impressed. So the priests and native doctors have devised charms and exorcisms whereby they claim to banish the demon without recourse to the netting. The foreign doctors naturally are skeptical, but if noise and banners and general impressiveness have any virtue, the method should be effective. “The opium devil calls for a particular set of incantations and paper prayers, as does the red match demon. This is a comparatively new demon that came into being about the time that the Chinese discovered that eating match heads was a very convenient and cheap way of committing suicide. The railway devil is distinctly foreign, the natives say. He dwells inside locomotives and his special business is to run the engine over pebple at every opportunity. He is subject to two sets of prayers, one to allay his yearning to destroy, the other invoking his aid for those tired of life and desirous of a speedy end. “Then there is the gunshot devil, not so distinctly foreign as his brother of the railway, but just as bloodthirsty. He has come into prominence since the mode of public execution was changed In most places from behead Ing with the sword to shooting.