The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-10-23
A Sect without a Name.


Sect an account of singular religious
sect in Shantung," the NorM Oima
Herald publishes a letter respecting II
much-persecuted body of people rcSid-
ing in China. The writer says: at
has been remarked rs singular fact that
of the sect of HISTORIAN Christians who
tlourishcd extensively in China during
the thirteenth cdntury, little or nothing
is known at the present day. That
they enjoyed the protection and recciv
ed the fostering care Of the lucn dynas-
", and were in turn cruelty prosecuted
and finally exterminated by the Mings,
is all that we know about them. The
few tablets and monuments erected by
them which still survive stand rs dumb
witnesses to the fact that they existed at
one time; but they give no trace of their
devoted faith. There now exists, how
ever, in the southern border of the pro-
vince of Shantung peculiar society or
sect who profess to have received their
doctrine originally from the west. They
are known as the Nameless Sect and
are unable to give the date of the in
PRODUCTION of their religion into China.
They have knowledge of an Invisible,
Omnipresent, Almighty Being, whom
they worship. This god whom they
worship is known amongst them by
three names-the Living Buddha Of the
West, the One not born of father or
mother, and the Heavenly Father
all meaning and pointing TO the one
God, who is eternal. They do not wor
ship idols. Each member of this sect
repeat daily hymn or moral discourse,
in which such sentiments us the follow
ing occur: DO not injure others in
order to benefit yourself Abstain from
evil thoug hts. words, or deeds Let
none covct earth's pleasures, hut set your
hearts firmly on the Heavenly Paradise,
When the Savior comes from the west,
men will have peace. These people
believe in future rewards and PUNISH
ments, but they have no clearly defined
notions of the happiness which awaits
the faithful. They speak OF Savior
to come from the west. They have no
temples. but three times each day every
one. in a sitting posture, with eyes closed,
silently offers up prayers to God, and
the lst and 18th of each moon they
burn incense to Him, but they have no
altars, nor do they make use OF paper
money. g,
EVERY member Of the sect is expected
to contribute money according 10 ms
ability, but there is no compulsion, and
each one is left to determine for himself
the amount of his contribution. These
contributions are paid to the leader
under whose Guidance the members
contributing may be at the time Inc
cporcgate amount contributed 10y the
members is paid to the highest officer
of the district, who takes the wE"le
amount west, and pays it again to an
other who is supposed IN turn 10 take
il still further west, and pay 1t over |"
the proper person, and so on until II
reaches its final destination. 1t IS n lit
tie singular, but no one appears 10 KNOW
what Use is to be made of this money,
or lust where its final destination Is. All
agree that the money Is to go TO the
West and that it is a'mertoriouS act L"
give literally. 1t is understood that
each leader retains certain percentage
of the amount which passes through his
hands for his own benefit; in which case
il is not difficult to see that the money
will in time fail to go beyonda II certain
nnipt These leaders or officers hold
position according to the number OF con-
yrrts or members each Is able TO gam !"
the sect. Each leader has special over
SIGHT over his own converts, and spends
much of his time in going about among
his flock.
"Sinec the severe prosecutions whlch
this sect have encountered from the
government. their religious rites ana
ceremonies and all matters pertaining
10 their church discipline, have beon con-
ducted in secret, so that those who are not
members do not know what Is done, or
who are members of the sect. "heh
the leader goes on his regular visits, the
converts, like the early Christians III
times of persecution, meet IN the mouse
of some brother, men and women to-
oether, where they join in silent solmeh
devotion. The leader then exhorts them
IN he faithful, admonishes and instructs
tbem and at the close of their religious
ceremonies they all sit down together
70 n supper of which wine and bread
form the greater part. This singular
raI;g;ous sect exists in great numbers
throughout the eastern and southern
borders of Shsntung. They have shown
a uniform spirit of kindness and friend
illness towards American Protestant mis-
s;nnsries who have visited them, and
who have succeeded in gaming theiF
confidence and great numbers OF them
have eagerly embraced the doctrines oi
the Christian religion.