Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-10-12

From the London Times, Sept 90.
We apprchend tina, lew readers would be able wi,bou,
some beuidermeut to Peruse document connected With
the Chinese insueetiou which We publish this morning
The extract Of considerable length the cohercncc
matter by obvious aud the tautolosy and met.
phors Of Oriental language contribute In small degree 10
the obscuri,y exposition. Ncvehcc the report 1,
really OF great Importance for Its authenticity may be re-
lied uPoa and II viii be found, when properly apprcca
ted TO oder striking insight into the present re-
sous persuasons OF the iusurgent Chinese Ii IA in ,bi,
peculiar respect that the rebellion has been regarded with
such usual interest In this country iyuss,o quarrel
or even political eonvusiop, in the Chinese cmpe
could hardly have been expected make much mpres.
sion upon the nations Of the West but when the peo,le
Of England heard that the recognition Of Christianity WI
actually maintained leading principle in the esmn oi
the Insurgents aud that serious purpose OF
idolAy by the pure faith OF the Gospel was blended with
the design of subvsrtrg the Tartar Government tey he
came interested indeed, and great anxiety was testified
for the reports OF 50 wonderful revolution Now IN.
statement given in another part of our impression will
convey idea OF the form which Christianity
in those remote regions, but will require p, item, read
ing aud soue little preliminary introduction
IL seems that among the Princes OF the pne,pj.r,.
Court one styled the Eastern Prince processes. or is con
sdered to receive Divine inspiration, aud indeed rep
resented either hguratiyey or a. literal truth that ,h
Divinity descends from Heaven to announce IIis will
either dirrcty through such medium TO the Chinese
people The narrative accordingly purpots to detail the
revelations made aud forth visit of the leayen
Father 10 person, together with elaborate commu-
nication which the Eastern Prince commissioned TO
denver IN the Divine name to the Celestial King e. the
Preteuder himself The commands thus convened have
reference not to doctrirsl propositions any lofty
preceps OF morality but the general administration of
the Government, tho cement OF the Court and even
the regulation gifts ceremonial Tho officers he Court
and especially the female officers are to be treated with
Indulgence and consideration the King to be less
hss'y and impeuous TO nct punishment in moderation
and upon reasonable grounds only be thong in his
actions and to give his less occasion TO stand
in awe OF him. In particular he Is enjoued be caution,
in visiting offences with DEATH and is recommended 70
adopt such method of proceeding in capital eases ns
would ',are room for Investigation aud pardon Such are
the precepts for which the immediate authority othe D.
vinity claimed and which announced in all the aw
ful phraseology OF Revelation itself As climax the ce.
lesal King is represented ibing the Eastern
Prince in consideration of these communications the mis-
sion and title OF 'the Comforter, the Holy Ghost b"
and this designation, We told, has been assumed ac
cordinely.
The first impression upon the readers mind will ma
turaly be that Of shclming disgust the bisphc.
nous parody thus cuac,ed, aud macy persons will CON
Guide, perhaps, that the Gospel in Chta IL ililo more
than shocking mockery of sacred hings aud names
We are not however, without opinion that such a |
view OF the case might be both unjust aud
mat the chinese have imbbci anything like the spirit
true Chrissuty. il is impo sibe believe but we do
not their errors than be anticipated
rom What appears to have been total absence Of in
q
became difused among this singular people has always
been mystery, but the result have been !
probably because preaching was imprac-
tcabe through the agency OF tracts, books or pictures
alone aud the consequence does certainly appea: some
measure TO justify the views OF those who assert that
Bibles without teachers cannot DO expected TO make
Christians The Chinese seem to have earut the Ian
guagc the chief tenets, aud the leading doctrines OF
Christianity and then 10 have moulded these materials
into such form their uuaded instincts suggested
They have retained their notions Of Divinity and
~ htn and has, ,E.l
phraseology and forms derived from the Holy Scrip
lures.
In further of their proceedings request the
reader to observe that their Chrsanity however mon
'trous may be its shape Is nevertheless far il goes
made instrumental for good Though tn" Instructors aud
for which the will oft DIVINITY is
10 our eyes OF anything but sacred character Vet will
De seen that the h after all undoubtedly benefc al
The orders thus revealed calculated control the
sions oil despo c Sovereign AMI promote the ser~
vance oil Charity aud iorhearsnce among the members of
an Iunuenal Court IL should be ed too the
devotion paid by the Chinese their Monarcha has awuy
taken the form of idolsy, and that the Identification OF
Royalty with Divinity is in greater lesser degree an
idea Inherent in the Oriental mind. We suspect indeed
that reference 10 those old histor,n.
relate the first introduction Of Christianity into batbarou
countries would supply pretty close parallels to th.
Chinese narrative Tue first Individual TO be approached
was the King Chief the first thing corrected was
the violence OF bis passions aud il more than na
tura that barbarans should be addressed frs, the
ly language which they could understand.
We think therefore, that there is no necessity for has
ty desparpg OF Chinese Christianity, concluding that
the Divine doctrines of the Gospel have deliberately
depraved for any purposes of 1t appears to US ra
ther that there must be good ground for hope in that
condition of affairs which has rendered Christianity even
In so strange gne important element of social and
political lie aud has induced large part OF enormous
population TO supersede the traditions OF an ancient
gion by at least the language OF purer faith IL cannot
be said at present that the Chinese learnt the Cos
pei but they have at any been taught TO abandon
system OF dolay, TO profess themselves believers in
something better, and 10 appeal 10 this law for the
oil social evil The whole narrative reads very
much like an invention devised for express purpose Of
controlling the passions OF the King; but though its foru,
and style are repuve TO Christian readers the objec. Of
Tue desgn was good can be said that the doctrines
Vi Scripture have been borrowed for purposes wick ed
ness or violence. 1t will probably be long before this
extraordinary revolution is contaminated but We do not
see that the hopes entertained of the eventual
Of Chns need be despondiugly abandoned.
The Alton Courier that the Mormons con template