Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-09-10


they have received sanctioned by the example Of Abra
ham and other Scripture with which they ia
miliar."
OF the books in their possession, copies of which
were obtained by the officers of the English war
steamer Hermes, the writer relates:
"The religious publications which were obtained at
Marking amount only TO six small volumes
Their visitors received from them in addition to the
small original works just referred TO, very beautiful
print Of the first twentyseyen chapters of Genesis
cording to the version OF the late DIR. Gutzlaf.
1.-The probability is that they do have the New Tes-
lament among them. The Pentateuch, some tracts of
missionaries and Chinese christians and vague recoec
ons of their teachings, appear to have supplied the
terals of their present faith
The history of the Pretenders revelations is Pc
culiarly like that of similar prophets from Maham-
med to Joe Smith:
The chief Hung Sew-tseuen has been the enlighten
OF his followers in religious more apprehend
than their leader in The history OF his own acquant
with the scrpural truths which he now publishes
under an Imperial seal may be traced follows In 1887
IS stated in of the works which have been analyz
Ing, he was taken up to heaven and fully instructed in
Divine matters.
.'We informed that in 183T-~so long back-an
gel was sent by God to convey Sewtseuen to heaven.
There he instructed in heavenly things-nsructed
by God in person He furnished by him with odes
and compositions, and the true doctrine, with seal also
and sword, and then commissioned along with Jesus
and the help of angels to come down and DO battle with
he returned 10 heaven when God entrusted him with great
power. He saw there the Heavenly Mother kind,
ceeaingy gracious extremely elegant and noble, not to
ps SsS s 3u he
advising the Elder Brother with reaching consider
alton
ed about the great truths which contained in
Scriptures. There is evidence that he for some
months, in 1916, residing, for the purpose Of recev
ing religious instruction. with Mr. Roberts an Arne-
rican Missionary in Canton. On his first application to
that gentleman he informed him that the thing which first
aroused his mind was tract with the te Good words
to admonish the age which given him several years
before ut one of the literary examinations The
ments of that tract subsequently, we learn from
another document given last year by relative of his
Swedish Missionary in Hong Kong, confirmed to him by
vision which he had in time of sickness and during
which occurred his visit to heaven
- Good words to admonish the age was tract well
known to some ten twelve years but
it has lattery been of print No one can look into it
without seeing at that its phraseoogy and modes
presenting the truth repeated in the publications OBJ
tanned at Marking.
is compilation of tracts short sermons on pas
sages OF Scripture and the general principles of religion
IN four pretty large Chinese volumes
.The writer is still alive, a Chinese named Leang
Aah who was baptized at Maacca in 1916 by Dr. Milne,
and still continues abundant inabors in connexion with
Dr. Hobsons operations in Canton And now, for the
fact OF the distribution of this the literary exam
nations IN Canton. This / shall give in the words of
Aah in letter written in the end of 1884 For three
Scripture lessons, which have been oyfuy received by
many This year the isaal examination, Of Herary can
ddaes acas held in Canton and desired TO distribute books
among the candidates On the twentieth of August there
fore, accompanied by Woo A-chang, Chow A-san and
Leang Asan, distributed 5 000 which were gladly re-
ceved without the least disturbance The next day we
distributed five thousand more
A-fah was the first convert made by Protestant mis-
siens and by him is communicated an influence to the
mind Of this remarkable individual which has already
extended to tens Of thousands and may b. and by spread
over the whole Of this vast and cky peoped territory
:. In 1887, after he had become acquainted with the
truths taught in the above tract he suffered from some
dseas during which he thought he was taken up to he
ven, and sawhis friend says his soul sa,cany things
confrmatory of the doctrines with which his mind
had been occupied
eve conceive Sew-tseuen laboring under the op-
preston of fever shaping the aucies that hoated into
his mind from the world Of thought where he had
been ranging into heavenly and transactions and
then on his recovery with one to help and direct him.
confoundng the ideal with the real that this day
he seems TO see visions and hear revelations"
In 1874, he travelled through Kwang-se and com
posed various works, Of which contained in
ofthe books brought from Marking the Proclamation Of
the Tae-Ping dynasty to which have already referred
displaying grasp and freedom of mind than any
ofthe others IL was two years after this that lie resd
ell in Canton with Mr.. Roberts,"
I'VE find a doxology in their Book of Religious Pre-
cepts,' which shown me- so long ago as 1873 by
missionary not now in China. understood il to be his
own composition and have found il, since got these
books copied with other similar compositions into an
old hymn book by one of our people. Little did the
thor think that his lines would reverberate through
rebel host mention this in support of what have
said that the christianity of the rebels is not natural to
ttem like their belief in the unity and supremacy Of
God. They hold some points, but yet they are only
things delivered to them by men, traditions not lessons
learned from Gods word"
From Canton the future rebel returned to Kwang-se
and an obsury rests his subsequent There
we're reports of very successful preaching Of miracles
performed, and visions SEEN There certainly were
organization Of the rebellion and the stages of its peril
Gus nfancy Its changing of its seat to Hoonan in the
middle OF last year. and its bursting upon the world in
u strength and maturity in less than six months after,
aud then triumphant march from strength to strength
until Nanking fell before it on the 10Th of March"
Their general character is indicated in the follow
ing gathered statements
The model Of these representations has been sought
in the accounts in Genesis Of the appearance OF the Al
mighty to Abraham and Jacob, and especially in
the history OF all the Divine communications with Moses
at the time Of the giving of the Law"
"There still remain the innumerable miracles and
acts Of power said to have been performed by the Hea
yenly Father and Heavenly Brother But no record Of
them given in any Of the publications issuing from
Tae-p'ing Wang himself In proclamation by the
Eastern and Western kings however find the follow
ing account with which shall close this part Of my let
ter. In the 9th month of the row-shn year. (18i8)
Jesus the Saviour descended among and displayed
innumerabe acts OF power slaughtering we know not
how many devils in several great engagements. How
could the impish fends maintain the fight against
Heaven"
As to their comparative merit, what might be
expccted--since it is a law in such moyements--is
stated Of these books:
"The tracts written by Hung Sew-tsuen in 1874 are
greatly superior any that have appeared since under
his name, unless il may be the Book Of Religious Pre-