The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-24
Chinese Book of Precepts.

We publish to-day a most remafkso'e Pc
ner. called The Boosot PreeffFs q "e
Ping Denastv." This paper we copy 80
the North China Herald of the l4'h "SP'
sent ms nv Young friend attached 70 '''u ""
nan squadron. 1t was TRANSLATED - AZ, ~ 49,.
Mr. Medhurst, whose initials are AZ VI,
clus;on of il. The inference q, -,
~. 80 compilation from the bible by .ne
SI;,nsa themselves; as there appears, IN ms
.,o;n;o, not the least sign OF the manu- vi
-: Il, The doctrines OF the book
-,,,oe- ~ he drawn chiefly from the Old les
.a,nent. and the references to Christ appear 10
-, merely incidental. The forms OF prayer
and the commentaries on the ten command
,nants. are some of the mremsrkable for their
beauty and appropriateness the o9lectiona-
HE features, which mark its Chinese origin,
being the recommendation of sacrifices.
Hunr.sin. tsiuen, or Tae-Ping, the reputed
leader of the rebellion, is native of the
Hwa district, near Canton. His history, as
communicated to the English press and the
Missionaries, represents that he took the first,
if not the second literary degree, at Canton,
but found his way to office barred; that he
then turned his attention TO the doctrines OF
Christianity, and was for a timeind direct con-
nection, more or less intimate, with Protes-
tant medical missionary at Canton; that he
afterwards established in Kwang-se com
munity of Christians composed of both
kwang-tung and kwang Sc men; that perse-
eution compelled him and his co-religionists
to take arms in obedience; and that after
this a sense of double injustice and injury
from the government acting on an ambitious
mind, strong feelings, and an enthusiastic
temperament, gradually brought him, as the
success of his arms increased, to the belief
that he was the recipient of a divine mission
ts exterminate the Manchoos, abolish idola-
try, and found new Christian dynasty.
One account states that Hung, under the
impulses with which he was fired, enlisted the
robbers of kwang-si in his cause and that
they composed large if not the greater por-
ton of his forces. Apart of the Chinese con
sidered him as descended from Heaven, and
recent publication speaks of him as Hea-
venly Prince, a son of God, and as bearing
the relation of cadet to Jesus Christ. But no
publication pretending for him any thing like
divine origin, has been traced to him.
II appears that there are FIVE divisions of
the rebel forces and though Hung or Tae-
ping is the most conspicuous of the leaders
according to accounts that have reached Us,
it is not known whether he is supreme over
taem all; or whether they all adopt his reli-
gious views. 1t is generally stated, however,
that the rebels are fighting under the same re
Hgious ensign Some correspondents of the
European press are of opinion that the differ
ent divisions of the rebels are entirely indie
pendent of each other-and that they only
co-operate III their efforts to destroy the pre-
sent Chinese Monarchy, intending, if success
full, to form separate and independent govern
ments upon its ruins.
The extraordinary statements that have
been made concerning the religious notions
of the Rebels, as illustrated in their books
which have been translated by reliable inter
prefers, have very much increased the inter
est IN the heDeAioh- LIS couat VIII now ne
watched more closely and we shall probably
have more reliable information concerning it
Giving to the statements already made ever
partial credit, it is very reasonably inferred
that much will be gained by the success o
the rebels-that China will be at least opene,
to commerce with foreign nations, and tina
through the aid of commerce, even if the in
dications of religious Improvement that shoy
themselves now are fallacious, China will I'll
timately become more liberal part of tn
globe and be blessed with a better religion