DEAR MR. EDITOR: I send you the translation of a paper read before a company of native catechists, and freely discussed by them, with the hope that it will prove interesting to the reader of the Recorder. May I also express the hope that it may be found to bear somewhat upon the Shin and Shang-ti, oontroversy? The writer is a Chinese pastor, who uses both Shin and Shang-ti for the true God, though he unquestionably prefers the latter, and in extempore prayer uses it much more frequently than Shin. In this paper, however, and on all occasion on which I have heard him speak, he invariably uses Shin for the false gods, and in a sense in which it would be impossible to render Shin by spirit. I have occasionally marked the two words in Chinese characters to make this more evident. Yours very truly, ON SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS. TRANSLATOR. DURING the thirty years which have elapsed since the introduction of the Holy religion into China, the converts have been but few. If we inquire into the causes of this, we shall find them to be two-fold. 1. The time has not come. When the time comes, the church will certainly expand and its members multiply. 2. The obstacles are very If by God's help the obstacles could be removed, the number of Christians would gradually increase. Among the many hindrances there are two specially great; the rest of the Sabbath and the offering of sacrifices. We will leave the Sabbath difficulty, and now speak only of sacrifices. many. Where does the difficulty about sacrifices lie? (1) Because the offering of sacrifices is not a modern institution; it has been in existence for several dynasties past; and being an ancient custom, it is not easy suddenly to break it off. (2) Because the offering of sacrifices is practised by all classes of society, high and low, rich and poor; not only is it difficult to give an answer to others, but even to satisfy one's own conscience. (3) Because some people depend on these sacrifices for their livelihood, or their renown, or other advantages, it is difficult to give them up; not only will they lose renown and other advantages, but even the means of subsistence; therefore those who hear the doctrine and evidently wish to enter the religion,' when they hear of this matter they are unable to receive it, and conclude it is better to turn back. It may hence be seen how great is this difficulty of sacrificial offerings. I will divide my subject under seven heads; but before speaking on these, I will first insert one sentence. Sacrifices are of two kinds, those offered to gods, and those to ancestors. These two are different. In the worship of the gods, reverence is the principal thing; in the wor ship of ancestors, filial piety is the moving spring; the worship of the gods takes place outside; the worship of ancestors inside the house. I. The time when sacrifices commenced. The historical records of this country can be traced back to the emperors Yaou and Shun; before their time all is legendary and without proof, and it is difficult to investigate that which is not contained in the historical records. On examination of the "Four Books," we find that on the accession of the Emperor Shun, sacrifices were already in existence; they contain records of sacrifices offered both to gods and ancestors. In the canon of Shun it is said, **L* "thereupon he offered to Shang-te the sacrifices due to heaven;" AX, “he sacrificed to the sun, moon, and stars, the four seasons, cold and heat, floods and drought;" "he sacrificed to celebrated hills and great rivers;" "he sacrificed to the multitude of gods; i. e. to mounds and hills, tombs and dykes together with the class of ṣages and worthies; these were sacrifices offered to the gods. Moreover it is said, “he went into the temple of Veng-tsoo and offered an ox to him." This was a sacrifice offered to an ancestor. Sacrificial offerings then, to gods and ancestors existed at that time, and have been handed down to the present day. II. The object for which sacrifices were instituted. Every tree has a root, every stream a source. A tree without a root cannot grow, a stream without a spring cannot flow; man has also a source from which he came, as have all the myriads of things. Ancestors are man's source, heaven that of the myriads of things. The object of instituting sacrifices was, that man might requite his original stock to the remotest degree. Now there is no one who does not know that heaven is the origin of the myriads of things, and ancestors the origin of men. This knowledge comes solely from the existence of sacrifices. If there were no sacrifices it would seem as though men were ignorant of their ancestors and ignorant of heaven. Hence the institution of sacrifices. III. The rites pertaining to sacrifices. Sacrificial rites are not all alike; they differ in order and degree; the more this order is transgressed the greater the impropriety. The emperor, the princes, the great officers of state, the scholars and common people, all have sacrifices appropriate to their respective classes. The common people may not offer the sacrifices of the scholar, nor the scholar those of the high officers; the high officers may not offer the sacrifice of the prince, nor the prince that of the emperor. To refer only to the "Analects;" they record the sacrifice offered to the T'ae mountain by the Ke family. Confucius begged his disciple Yen yew to prevent the commission of this error, for the T'ae mountain. may only be sacrificed to by the prince appointed over the state in which it is situated. The head of the Ke family was only a great officer, and could not according to propriety sacrifice there. Confucius also taught Fan-ch'e, that sacrifices must be conducted according to propriety; as regards place, time, kind of offering, vessels, dress, musical instruments, and order of proceeding, they are not all alike, each has its own order, its own canon. IV. The things of chief importance in sacrifices. There are four things of chief importance in sacrifices. "44*, "The fragrance of the offering is not in the millet and rice, but in illustrious virtue." It further says,, "The person who has illustrious virtue can present fragrant offerings." The Tso djün says,鬼神非人實親,惟德是輔,*“The gods and spirits do not really accept men's persons, but assist the virtuous." The Le ke also says, "What the gods and spirits accept is virtue." 2. Filial piety. Hence the Le ke says, *, **7,"Only the benevolent can offer sacrifices to the Supreme Ruler, and only the filial to their parents." The Leng nyü also says,, "Sacrifice to the ancestors as though they were present." This shews the filial piety of Confucius. 3. Reverence. Hence the Le ke says,±7 足,而禮有餘, 不若禮不足而敬有餘,“Sacrifices must be offered with reverence. It is better that there be a superabundance of reverence with a deficiency of ceremony than a superabundance of ceremony with a deficiency of reverence." The "Analects" also says, *** "Sacrifice to the gods as though the gods were present." This shews the reverential spirit of Confucius. 4. Sincerity. Hence the Tso djün says, 7, *** 藻 之 菜, 可 薦 於鬼神,不虔不恪簠簋鉶羹之美不足以 ,"If there be evident sincerity such slender offerings as weeds and grass may be accepted by the spirits and gods; if there be no sincerity, no truth, although there be the most splendid sacrifices offered in elegant and suitable utensils, they are not accepted." The "Analects" also says, 7307, "If I be hindered from sacrificing at the proper time and cannot be present in person, to get another to act as my substitute this cannot be regarded as the same thing,-it is as though I had not sacrificed." This shews *The writer has made a slight misquotation here. That is, he has put together the disjointed limbs of two sentences, both which are found in close proximity. Exactitude requires the character foo to be changed toe, and the meaning would remain much the same.-ED. he sincerity of Confucius in the matter of sacrifice. Choo-foo-ts says "Although the ancestors be very remote, sacrifices must be offered to them with sincerity." These are the four things of chief importance in sacrifices. V. The advantages to be derived from sacrifices. These are fourfold, and consist in the cultivation of a spirit of gratitude, love, fear, and harmony. VI. The rules to be observed in offering sacrifices. Ought sacrifices to be continuous or only occasional? The Le ke says,凡祭不欲數數則煩不欲怠怠則疎, “Sacrifices should not be continuous, if continuous they will become wearisome; they ought not to be negligently performed or they will become cold and formal." It appears then that sacrifices should neither be offered continually, nor at stray intervals, but at stated times. As in bidding farewell to the departing year, this must be at the end of the year; the yearly sacrifice for the dead must be at the same time of the year, for three successive years. Or the monthly sacrifices, as for instance sacrifices to the god of the little door;-these must be offered in the first month; to the kitchen god, in the fourth month; to the god of the great door, in the seventh month; to the god of roads in the ninth month. This may be seen by examining the chapter ♬ Yue ling in the Le ke. Or at the great festivals; for instance, when the emperor sacrifices to heaven, it must be at the feast of the winter solstice;to the earth, at the feast of the summer solstice. Or on stated occasions; for instance, when sacrificing to the ancient sages and worthies, faithful ministers and filial children, this must be either in the spring or autumn. Or in observing days; for instance the seven days' sacrifices must be on the return of the seventh day; the hundred days' sacrifices, exactly on the hundredth day. There are many others, such as keeping the anniversaries of births and deaths, or on other important occasions. VII. The gods to whom sacrifices ought to be offered according to the Sze tin. More than one god is worshipped in China. Even according to the Sze tin, those who ought to be worshipped are numerous. As for instance heaven and earth, the gods of the soil and grain, the gods of hills, forests, streams and lakes, mounds, clouds, wind, frost and snow, thunder and rain; these are all gods to whom sacrifices ought to be offered. Also the gods of the five elements; the god of wood, called Ka-mông(); the god of metal Shoh-siu; the god of water Yuen-ming; the god of fire Choh-yüong; the god of earth How-t'u; the five sacrifices offered to the gods of the great and little door; the kitchen and road gods; and the god of the inner hall; to all these, sacrifices ought to be offered. Moreover sacrifices ought to be offered to the sun, moon and stars, the four seasons, cold and heat, floods and drought, besides many other gods too numerous to be mentioned called the chung shin, as at the close of the year, sacrifices are offered to all the gods. Besides, there are the sages and worthies, the faithful ministers, filial children, virtuous maidens and heroic women of past generations, who have achieved meritorious deeds, either on behalf of the government of their country or the people generally, who have been faithful to the emperor, or surrendered their lives for their nation; who have been able to set an example to the people, or have warded off disasters; all these ought to have sacrifices offered to them; all these are contained in the Sze tin; all others not contained in that book are not to be considered as entitled to sacrifices. The above seven heads all treat of sacrifices; let us now take them up one by one, and discuss their merits. I. The time when sacrifices were instituted. According to the historical records of this country sacrifices can be traced back to Yaou and Shun; to trace them further back is impossible. Were sacrifices instituted by Shun, or did Shun follow the example of Yaou? This cannot be determined with any certainty; but on examining the "Canon of Shun," we find no mention of sacrifices offered by him either to gods or ancestors; even the word sacrifice is not mentioned; only the ancestral temple was already in existence, and we must therefore suppose that sacrifices also existed. But admitting their existence let me ask by whom were they instituted? By man or God? If you say, by God, let me inquire which god? Those who are called god are many. I am under the impression that not only men of the present day do not know, but that if we could ask Yaou and Shun, it is to be feared that even they would not know. If you say they were instituted by man let me ask by which man? By this you may see that there is no proof either as to the founder of sacrificial offerings or as to the time when they were instituted. Even if you were to collect all the books in the world for the purpose of examining this matter, it could not be ascertained. Happily however there is one book, which comes from heaven not from man, in which it is clearly stated that God is the founder of sacrifices. Not such gods as the people of this country call gods, but the God () who created heaven and earth and all things. At what time were they instituted? In the second generation of men, not in the days of Yaou and Shun, spoken of in the books of this country. Man was commanded to offer sacrifices to the one God, not to many gods; still less was he commanded to offer sacrifices to man. When the Saviour came into the world and |