Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-08-31
INTERESTING FROM CHINA

has Opened
drama 1t has served to establish the truth of pre-
zviosis surIses that large number Of the Chinese
are enlightened Christians, and destroyers of idols
This class of the revolutonists had been known for
some time before as the Shang Brotherhood and
hadanade statement Of their views and principles
in two prOclamations one issued by Yang, the cas-
tern king and the other by Sian, the western king
in the early part of the present year.
We publish some most curious and highly inter-
esting extracts relative to their religious belief
cepts and moral code, extracted from the most au-
thentic sourccss
From the CorTesponentof the Overland China Mail May
THE OREGIN OF THEIR CHRISTIAN KNowLEDGE-It
viii perhaps prove interesting to YOU to learn what
is known Of the origin of their Christian knowledge
Their CHIEF on GARTH Hung Siutsnen, who is styled
the Tap ing Wing, and g to whom kind of divine
origin and mission is ascrbed is anatve of Hawhien
district of Kwang-chau department. in Canton pro-
vince. He came to the residence of missionary in
Canton in 1876 to learn the Christian doctrines He
remained in this misSonary's house several months
supported by him, and was daily engaged in memo
rizng the Holy Scriptures and receiving instruction
in them. When he came to the missionary, he gave
him paper in Chinese, stating that his attention
had first been directed to these doctrines by tract
entitled Good words exhorting the age, which had
been given him, several years previously, IN Canton,
when he was attending the literary examination;
that the doctrines which taught in this tract,
viz: that there was only one true God-that Jesus
was the Savi0n-the folly of idolatry-the duty OF
repentance, &c.-were farther impressed upon ms
mind in vision which he had subsequently, during
spell of sickness and that having heard that there
was foreign teacher in Canton, he had come to be
instructed in these doctrines This paper was I'M
fortunately lost After several months instruction,
he requested baptism; but the missionary not
satisfied that he proper subject for that Ordl-
dance and wished to wait for more decided evidence
of faith and repentance He afterwards left Canton
for Kwangsi He was small man, of good appear
ancc and address, and of considerable attainments
in Chinese literature, but in way very remarkable
In September of 1852, man of the same surname
as Hung Sutsinen, came to Hong Kong. He pro-
fessed to be friend of the Chief and also to be
believer in Christianity. He made the acquaintance
of missionary in Hong Kong, and requested Bap-
tism of him, which request was not granted so far
as am informed. During his intercourse with this
missionary, he gave him two papers in Chinese-one
containing some notice of the conversion of Hung
Sutsinen and the other containing some account of
himself the commencement of their preaching, and
the attendant prosecutions and their subsequent con-
Meeting themselves with the robbers in Kwangsi in
1850.
The first paper in addition to the particulars above
given, as communicated by Hung Siu-tsinen himself
to the missionary in Canton in 1886 states that he
was a student from his youth, and man of trans
cendent abiity-that after he returned from Canton
to Kwang-si, he commenced teaching and preaching
that he wrote many books, explaining Christian
doctrines and exhorting men to believe them-that
he met with opposition, and that he worked miracles
foretold future events, and saw visions.
OF himself, he states in the second paper, that he
was teacher and that after Hung had explained to
him the doctrines of the tract he had received at the
examination and the substance of his subsequent |
vision he Immediately believed the doctrines and
discarded the worship of Confucius from his school
room, and the idols from his house, and commenced
exhorting his friends and relations to believe and do
likewise Some believed, but others opposed. In |
the year 1916, he and two others, he having given
mp his school, commenced preaching these doctrines
from village to village in Hwa-hien district and af-
forwards they went to Kwang-s where they had
much greater success in propagatng the doctrines
han in Kwang-tung. They went and came several
imcs between the two provinces. Whenever men,
per believed, they destroyed the idols and the tenn
oles At first the magistrates did not modest them,
admitting they were good people, and that the doc
rines were good; but that afterwards (when the
,obbers numerous) under the pretext of sup
pressing the robbers, they prosecuted them and two
If their number, surnamed Lu and Wang, died un-
Ter irsufeFngs from these prosecutions AT first
hey had intention of rebelling against the gov
rnment but being goaded to it by their persecu-,
ions and finding in 1850 tens of thousands gathered
ogether, e. of robbers in Kwang-siO they consid-
red them as wing of protection, attached them
elves to them, and became their leaders, organizing
themselves with the protested object of Overturning
ne government. So far from regarding these insur-
ents with favor, an account OF their protested &C
,nowledgement of one God, and their belief in the
sacred Scriptures, cannot regard these facts but
nth the deepest socitude calculatedto seriously
ompromise the character of our holy religion in the
yes of this heather nation.
THEIR COMMISSION PROM GoD.-The revolutionists
lain TO be Commissioned from God, and assert that
e has miraculously assisted them. In of the
referred to above enumerating the
of the world by the food the deliverance
the Israeiites from Egypt and the incarnation of
be Lord Jesus in the Land of Judea as three great
of God in human affairs they proceed
state: In the later ages he has again manifested
lis indignation, and in the year 1887 the great God
ent q celestial messenger, who was commissioned
" the Lord of Heaven, when he assembled on high
o put to death the fendish bands. Again he has
ent the king take the lead Of the empire
A kIocr
Tod has compassonated the calamites of the people,
rho have been entanged in the meshes of the devils
ret on the third month of the year 1851, the exalt
d Lord and great Emperor appeared; and in the
month of the same year, Jesus, the Saviour of the
sorld, manifested himself exertng innumerable acts
# power, and slaughtering great number of i'm
fish fends in several pitched battles" In the &C
cunt of tho Hermes' visit, it is stated that in
bunting their miraculous escapes from Yungugan
ity, they say. Our Heavenly Father came down
md showed US the way to break out"
9 HISTORY AND APPEARANCE OF TEEN-wANG, OR THE
HEAyE9LY PRINCE, AND HIS coMPEERs. The
,nowledged chief of the Insurgents is entitled by
hem Teen-wang, e.. Heavenly King Prince
he latter word being in his equivalent to sover
ign prince In conversation he is sometimes called
rae-ping Wang Prince of Peace :" but rarely. Tae-
ling being the title of the projected new dynasty
lot that of this individual monarch. The existence
# any such person title as Teau-tih distinct
ignored by the Northern Prince, the highest chief
cen, who said it phrase of outside people :"
nd nothing was heard of the re-establ1A ment of
he Ming dynasty.
No little mystery exists with respect to the Teen
yang or Heavenly Prince and there is even room
or doubt Of his being still alive. The imperialists