ignorant classes, the world has always been a haunted world, and just in proportion as the light of true religion has become dim, countless hordes of ghosts and demons have appeared.  When Confucius arose this gross animism had almost monopolized the worship of his countrymen, and universal corruption bore sway.  He was not an original thinker, but only a compiler of the ancient wisdom, and in his selections from the traditions of the ancients, he compiled those things only which served his great purpose of building up, from the relations of family and kindred, the complete pyramid of a well-ordered state in which the Emperor should hold to his subjects the place of deity.  If such honor to a mortal seemed extravagant, yet in his view a wise emperor was far worthier of reverence than the imaginary ghosts of the popular superstitions.  Yet, even Confucius could not quite succeed in banishing the idea of divine help, nor could he destroy that higher and most venerable worship which has ever survived amid all the corruptions of polytheism.  Professor Legge, of Oxford, has claimed, from what he regards as valid linguistic proofs, that at a still earlier period than the dynasty of Yao and Shun there existed in China the worship of one God.  He says:  “Five thousand years ago the Chinese were monotheists—­not henotheists, but monotheists”—­though he adds that even then there was a constant struggle with nature-worship and divination.[140]

The same high authority cites a remarkable prayer of an Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1538 A.D.) to show that in spite of the agnosticism and reticence of Confucius, Shangte has been worshipped in the centuries which have followed his time.  The prayer is very significant as showing how the One Supreme God stands related to the subordinate gods which polytheism has introduced.  The Emperor was about to decree a slight change in the name of Shangte to be used in the imperial worship.  He first addressed the spirits of the hills, the rivers, and the seas, asking them to intercede for him with Shangte.  “We will trouble you,” said he, “on our behalf to exert your spiritual power and to display your vigorous efficacy, communicating our poor desires to Shangte, and praying him graciously to grant us his acceptance and regard, and to be pleased with the title which we shall reverently present.”  But very different was the language used when he came to address Shangte himself.  “Of old, in the beginning,” he began,—­“Of old in the beginning, there was the great chaos without form, and dark.  The five elements had not begun to revolve nor the sun and moon to shine.  In the midst thereof there presented itself neither form nor sound.  Thou, O spiritual Sovereign! earnest forth in thy presidency, and first didst divide the grosser parts from the purer.  Thou madest heaven:  Thou madest earth:  Thou madest man.  All things got their being with their producing power.  O Te! when Thou hadst opened the course for the inactive