“‘Primal man’s condition’ Teacher sly steals chicken. ‘Good at root was his heart,’ Teacher’s nicking gizzard. The boys won’t touch a book, Roll teacher in the brook.” The boys and girls of China are learning the stories of Joseph, Samuel and Jonathan, of John the Baptist and of Peter. They read the _Pilgrim’s Progress_, _Jessica’s First Prayer_, _Christie’s Old Organ_ and many another favourite, which has been put into the Chinese language for them by the missionaries. Best of all they learn the story of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through it come to know the Blessed Saviour Himself. CHAPTER VIII RELIGION It is rather strange that the Chinese have three religions, instead of being contented with one like most people. Confucianism is the chief of these. It takes its name from Confucius, a wise man born in 551 B.C., who taught men to be just, to be kind to one another, and to agree together; but he said little or nothing about how to know God and worship Him. The most famous saying of Confucius is: “What you do not wish done to yourself, do not do to others.” These beautiful words are nearer to the teaching of Our Lord Jesus than any others to be found outside the Bible, and ought to be treasured by everyone. Following in the steps of the earlier teachers of China, Confucius taught children to reverence their parents, and in this way he printed the spirit of the Fifth Commandment upon the entire nation. We must remember, however, that Confucius did not begin what is called Confucianism, he only handed on truths which the early Chinese had learnt. Indeed some things, such as the knowledge of God, and of a future life, he taught less clearly than those who had gone before him. A story is told which shows that, wise as Confucius was, he did not know everything. One day, when out for a walk he found two boys quarrelling. “What are you two quarrelling about?” asked the great man. One of the boys answered, “The sun. I say that when the sun has just risen it is nearest to us.” “I say that it is nearest to us at noon,” insisted the other. “When the sun rises it looks as big as a chariot wheel. When it is high it is quite small, no larger than a saucer. It is plain that when things are far away they look small, and when they are close to us they look big,” said the first youth. “When the sun rises,” objected the second boy, “it is chill and cold. When the sun is overhead it is as hot as boiling water. Plainly it is cold when it is far away and hot when it is near, so it is nearer to us at noon than it is in the morning.” When Confucius had heard each of them in turn, he did not know what to say, so he went on with his walk and left them. Then the two boys laughed, and one of them exclaimed: “Who are the people that say that the Sage of the kingdom of Lo is a wise man?”