e doctrine of
Confucius; but Confucius, while a great scholar, was not a saint. He
taught men "to improve their pocket," but did not teach them much
about their soul. In order to see the real effect of the teachings of
Confucius, you must go to China. Confucius may make men whom you may
admire, but he cannot make men whom you can respect. The religion of
Confucius is dreary and is lacking in the warmth and blessing which
come from a belief in the Bible.
It is most certainly refreshing to hear this learned Chinaman talking
and giving his impressions and opinions about matters of such vital
importance. Ng Poon Chew, at my request, gave me the business card of
the newspaper. This states that the paper, which is published daily
in Chinese, is called "Chung Sai Yat Po," and that it has the largest
circulation of any Chinese paper published outside of the Chinese
Empire. The card further tells us that "this paper is the organ of
the commercial element in America and is the best medium for Chinese
trade." In addition to the daily issue of the newspaper, "English and
Chinese Job Printing" is done in the office. The work of interpreting
the English and Chinese languages is carried on here. Mr. Ng Poon Chew
spoke with evident pride about his paper, and informed me that he gave
a daily account of the proceeding's of the General Convention, then in
session in Trinity Church, San Francisco, in the "Chung Sai Yat Po."
The editing of a Chinese newspaper is no easy matter. The printing of
the paper is difficult and requires great skill and patience. There
are, for example, forty thousand word-signs, all different, in the
Chinese language, and to represent these signs there must be separate,
movable type-pieces. It is said that it takes a long period of time to
distribute the type and lay out "the case." The typesetter must know
the word by sight to tell its meaning, otherwise he will make serious
blunders. Then it is a hard matter to find intelligent typesetters.
The editor, too, must be a man of business. The paper is watched by
spies of the Chinese Government, and if the editor expresses himself
in any manner antagonistic to the Emperor or the Dowager Empress or
any of the viceroys of the provinces, his head would be cut off if he
ever ventured to set foot in China. There is another obstacle in the
way of a Chinese newspaper of liberal views, like the "Chung Sai Yat
Po." It cannot get its type from China, as the Government is oppo
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