Part 3 (2/2)
”'EDICT OF RELIGIOUS TOLERATION,' BY THE CHIEF OF THE CHINESE INSURGENTS.[2]
”'Having received the decree of my Heavenly Father (G.o.d), of my Heavenly adopted Father (Christ), and of my Father (the Celestial King), I command all the King's officers, both civil and military, and all the Brethren, to be acquainted with it.
The true doctrine of my Father (G.o.d), and of my adopted Father (Christ), is the religion of Heaven. The religion of Christ (Protestant religion), and the religion of the Lord of Heaven (Roman Catholic religion), are included in it. The whole world, together with my father and myself, are one family. Those who lovingly and harmoniously observe the regulations of the heavenly religion are permitted to come and visit (us). Now, from the _memorial_ presented to us by my uncles, Kan, Tsan, Chung, and others, I learn that the foreign teacher G. John and his friends, esteeming the Kingdom of Heaven, and reverencing and believing in my Father (G.o.d), and my adopted Father (Christ), to whom be thanks for the bestowment upon us of authority, power, and wonders, of which those who are far and near have reverentially heard--have come for the express purpose of seeing the light, of beholding G.o.d and Christ, and of requesting permission to spread abroad the true doctrine.
Seeing, however, that the present time is a time of war, and that the soldiers are scattered abroad in every direction, I am truly afraid that the missionaries might be injured by following the rabble soldiery, and that thus serious consequence might ensue. Still, I truly perceive that these (missionaries) are sincere and faithful men, and that they count it nothing to suffer with Christ; and because of this I esteem them very highly.
”'Let the kings inform all the officers and others, that they must all act lovingly and harmoniously towards these men, and by no means engender contention and strife. Let all know, that the Father (G.o.d), my adopted Father (Christ), my father and myself, are one family; and let these men (missionaries) be treated exceedingly well.
”'Respect this.'
”NOTE.--The Kan-w.a.n.g told us that the chief is anxious that his son should feel an interest in the propagation of the Gospel, and therefore directed him to write it....
”The expressions 'to the light,' and 'behold Christ and G.o.d,'
are explained in the fact that Nanking is the Jerusalem of the Celestial dynasty. I asked the Kan-w.a.n.g if the above edict opens up the whole of the insurgents' territory--Nanking not excepted--to missionary operations. He replied that it does....
”Thus, then, the above throws open the whole of the insurgents'
territory to missionary work, so far as the insurgents themselves are concerned. Here and there the phraseology is objectionable; still, this point is quite clear: they have done this not in ignorance, but with their eyes quite open to the difference which exists between them and ourselves.”
In a letter, dated twelve days later than that already quoted from, Mr.
John gives this reason for not going to live among the Ti-pings:--
”When I returned from Nankin I fully intended to go to live in that city, if practicable; but after much thought, _and some consultation with those who are in authority_, I have come to the conclusion that it would be premature to do so just now....
The river, I am told on good authority, is to be opened at once, and the ports of Han-kow and Kin-kiang are to become consular ports. Another expedition is about to go up the river, and then it will be determined what is to be done with the insurgents.
They may be treated as friends, or, on the other hand, as foes.
If not as friends, I AM CONVINCED THAT IT WILL BE OUR FAULT, because they cherish the kindliest feeling towards us, in spite of our conduct towards them when they visited Shanghae.”
We will conclude Mr. John's reports with three short extracts; the first of which clearly shows what good might have been effected by the British missionaries had they performed their duty; the second goes far to establish the superiority of the Ti-pings over the Manchoos.
1. ”The insurgents are making rapid strides, and are determined, as you will learn from my journal, to uproot idolatry in the land, _and to plant Christianity in its room_. The former they will do with a strong hand, and the latter will not be left undone, _if the Churches and missionaries are alive to their duty in reference to this great movement_.”
2. ”They have doubtless gross defects; but in every respect--religious, political, social, &c.--they are centuries ahead of the Imperialists, and I cannot but wish them G.o.d speed.”
The third and last extract from Mr. John's reports is taken from one dated ”February 2, 1861,” and fully shadows forth what England has _now_ been compelled to understand, and what every sensible person fully comprehended long since. Mr. John states:--
”It is fortunate for us that the Tartars have their hands full just now, _as the value of the recent treaty rests solely on the weakness of the existing dynasty_. The Tartars hate us with an insatiable hatred, and would, in spite of the treaty, recommence warlike operations to-morrow had they the power. To break faith with the _barbarian_ is not crime but virtue, according to their creed, if his humiliation and expulsion might thereby be effected. From the Manchoos we have nothing to hope, but everything to fear. They are sworn enemies to Christianity and civilization, and they have set their iron faces determinedly against both. They _can_ do but little at present. The wonderful progress of the insurrection in the South, during the last year, and the repeated defeats and the complete discomfiture of the Tartar hosts in the North, have thoroughly undermined the Manchoo power. It must fall. There is no power in China to uphold it. The Kw.a.n.g-si insurrection, on the other hand, must triumph, _if foreign Powers do not interfere_. The Manchoos might as well attempt to blow the sun out of the heavens as to quench this flame which their folly and tyranny have kindled....
”The insurgents themselves are still determinately opposed to idolatry in all its features. At their approach the idols vanish, and the priests of Buddh and Tau disappear. The downfall of idolatry in the land seems to be bound up with their success.
Never did China present such a spectacle to the Christian world.
Will the Church, _unfaithful to her Head and false to herself_, as the depository of the blessings of light and life for the world, look on with indifference? Shall the four hundred millions of China remain in their state of darkness and death, _because of the worldliness and deadness_ of the people of G.o.d?”
To these questions the British Government appears to have returned an affirmative answer.
A few extracts from a report of the Rev. W. Muirhead, in harmony with the testimonies of other missionaries, both as to the death-blow idolatry had received from the victorious arms of the Ti-pings, and the general knowledge of Christianity possessed by them, shall close our quoted evidence for the present. In the spring of 1861, Mr. Muirhead spent a month among the Ti-pings at Nankin, and while there was constantly engaged in preaching about the city, and thus describes his experience:--
”Going about sometimes for several hours a day, I have been abundantly encouraged by the number and attention of the audiences. It seems as if there were a foundation to go upon, from the amount of religious knowledge diffused among the people. There is a response, if not in their hearts, at least in their thoughts, to the tidings of mercy. They are made familiar at every step with the name and compa.s.sion of the Heavenly Father, _by the unprecedented practice of recording the fact over every door_. When, therefore, the same truths are announced in their hearing by a foreign missionary, _they give a ready a.s.sent, and express their cordial approval_. How different is all this from our experience in Shanghae and elsewhere! There we have a hard and strong ground to work upon; ignorance and _opposition_ prevail in abundant measure. Here, on the part both of the military and civilians, there _is_ knowledge, and there _is_ appreciation of the truth to a certain extent, which renders the spiritual enforcement of it a more easy and pleasant duty.”
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