THROUGH CHINESE EYES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21987, 23 June 1933, Page 6

THROUGH CHINESE EYES

DR SUN’S PORTRAIT

The Rev. A. K. Macphcrson writes as follows to “ China’s Millions ”:—A regulation of the Chinese Nationalist Government requires that in all registered schools a Sun Cluing-shan Memorial service be held every Monday morning. Attendance at this service is required of every student and teacher. Non-attendance lays the individual open to the suspicion of being an anti-revolutionary. The students and teachers assemble bei fore the portrait of Dr Sun, and the ser- | vice begins with the singing of the school : song. All standing, Dr Sun’s so-called Will ' is read by the school principal, after which all bow three times. Then comes a threeminutes’ period of silent meditation. All meetings of public bodies are opened with I a similar service of memorial. | Though probably most missionaries and ! Chinese Christian loaders look on this seri vice, especially the bowing before Dr | Sun’s portrait, as an act of worship in : which Christians ought not to participate, ' there are those, both amongst missionaries and Chinese, who say that they see nothing of a religions nature in it, and therefore they can take part simply as an act of respect. The following is a translation of a communication recently sent, to Dr C. T. Wang, General Chang Chih-kiang, General Niu Yung-chien, and other Christians among the Nationalist leaders, by the i Shanghai Chinese Pastors’ Association. I suggesting that those leaders should bring to the notice of the Third Plenary Sosi sion of the Fourth Central Executive Com- ; niiti.ee of the Nationalist Party, which was to be held in Nanking from December 1G i to 22, 1932, the difficult position that I Christians were in, having to bow before II )r Sun’s portrait, as required by the present regulations. We respectfully invite your attention to the following;—The republic of China has already been in existence for 21 years. Though in the matters of reform of the Constitution, change in the outlook of the people, and unity of the nation, we cannot but be far from satisfied, yet President | Sun’s Three Principles of the People— Nationalism, Democracy, and Socialism — have been accepted by the people as a whole, and the Nationalist flag has had the public recognition of all other countries. Had it not been that President Sun was possessed of an indomitable spirit, and bad superhuman determination, how could he have been able to perform this fruitful service and accomplish this great work? Therefore after his decease his body was laid to rest in a great mausoleum, a statue was erected to his honour, and he was held up as an example to be followed. Who can say that all this was not fitting? Only we venture to think it ought not to be that at all public gatherings, large and small, we must bow three times before Dr Sun’s portrait, as is the practice now. For the President was but man, as we are; he was by no means the Creator. We may hold him in reverence as an example, but we cannot worship him as a god. To make three bows is the very highest form of veneration, equal to the adoration by kneeling in the days of the Empire. Therefore to make three bows before a portrait is really no different from worshipping an image. Our revolutionary comrades are, as a rule, to the forefront in promoting the abolition of superstitions and the destruction of idols. How can we Christians, on the other hand, approve of bowing doxvn before a portrait? The first commandment in the Decalogue says: “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” The second says: “Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto . . . any graven image, nor any likeness . . The third says: “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” The Scriptures command us repeatedly and solemnly, “Thou shalt not . . . thou shalt not . . . thou shalt not. ...” The children of Israel were grievously punished—three thousand of them being slain in one day—because they worshipped the golden calf. After they had settled in Canaan their hearts were infatuated by the evil customs of neighbouring nations. They set up altars all over the land and knelt before hosts of images, thus incurring God’s anger and being carried away captive into Babylon. After seventy years a devout Action of the chosen people became convinced that the cause of, their nation’s downfall, the people’s captivjty, and the destruction of their capital city, was without doubt the radical sin manifested in the broach of the first, second, and third commandments. Within recent years the calamities that have befallen our country have followed each other without ceasing. It niay be that those calamities have been sent as warnings to our Government and people that this bowing before a portrait, thereby encouraging the evil custom of worshipping images, cannot but incur the anger of the Supreme and Only God. President Sun was a Christian by conviction. During his lifetime he worshipped God. If we render to him the worship that ought to be rendered to God alone, how can his spirit possibly rest in peace? Notwithstanding the fact that we and our words are of little account—and it may be asked. “Hoxv can they gain the ear of the party leaders? ” —yet, being mindful of our responsibilities as individuals, we dare not fall in with the majority and sit looking on while the hearts of the people are being led astray. We well know that you, sir, are not only devoted to the salvation of our country, but are also eager to defend the truth, therefore it will be possible for you to raise the question of correcting the above-mentioned error and abolishing this formal idol-worship. Thus a beginning can be made in the matter of a thorough break with superstition. In this way the four hundred thousand Christian believers in the land will be able to lead a quiet and tranquil life,_ and our four hundred million fellow-citizens will not only be encouraged to expel error and to honour the truth, but will also come to recognise that in the whole universe there is only One Who is to be worshipped. If you will do as suggested, your merit will be not less than that of the Apostle Paul. Aware of all that is involved, and apprehensive of the present situation, we dare to approach you, sir, sincerely hoping that you will consider this matter prayerfully. May you have Divine help in carrying it through to completion? We respectfully send this with our good wishes. —The Shanghai Chinese Pastors’ Associa- , tion, Chu Kwei-shan (chairman). | Apparently the appeal bore fruit, for at ! a public meeting for prayer held on Janu- ; ary 1 it was announced that a reply had j been received from the Nanking Govern- j nient to 1 the effect that the ceremony of , bowing to Dr Sun’s picture was entirely ; voluntary and that no constraint would be i I put upon anyone. This must surely be reI garded as a definite answer to prayer.