The Christian Rebels Of China

Peoplu d!' the Eljropean and American Continents, whtre pnKtieal revulti tions ure oiten the werk fa fin dnySj and where dynnsties fa]] uliê ire i eeeded by free govefnnrietiii withig a wei-k,can Kcareely coirprehend the slow progieei of the r vulmion in Chin. Th tv have heurd for the lawt tweive yeurit, ttiat the rebels in ihat empire ure constantly endroaehtng upon the Impo rialists and tin enten the ppeedy thiow of the governtnuni ; and y et ao tardy is the change in the cond tion of that old Eastern governnunt thut tlu-y go on mokiflg treaties and enaging in ! oommerce with a power whicli, acoordiög to al] information on the suhj et, is ! graduully naaring uu Inevitable dovvniall. Thcre is a certain sympnlhy feit in ; thi; country ibr the rebels, frons thfl fnct that they are suid to be (Jhnstiaos, though the accounts on lliis point hare been confücting. The Rev. Mr Ed kins, who, in June last, with four othr missioDaries, v:.-itcd the rebel itronghold, and has since furnished the Lrmdon Times vvith the resnlt f his ioqui ries, put a ïoroowbat dïRereut view on th subject. It pppears that Tai-Ping-Wang, the leii.ler if the revolt, is acknowledged by his lollowers as acting nnder divine inspiratinn, thotigh he profeses to be n Clnistian. Wang, the secomi in comtnand of the rebels h:is been baptized into tne Ohristan church by a raiïsitnary, and has n fair dea of the fundamental doctrines ei Christiunitv. Mr. Edkins thinksthat the rstx-I'ionr-ad te foundation in reiigious inftueneeá, but that the fnuuder cf it has erred in regarding himself the subject of iirniio díate Divine nepiration, One ehief, Hosin-i, dedined to tel] him nnjtliing at all about tlie religión of the rebels, as he said lie devoted himsclf wholly to the military deparlment, ar d could dolittle mcr in the theologicul line than ropeat the elernentary formula of lie Tñi-ping cread. Another chif declared that both Chinese and foreignors worshipod the same Heavenly Futher and the same Heavenly Brotber (Jesus,) snd profeased the same religión. Anaong the reiigious books iuthorizcd by tlie rebel government is a lull translution cf the New Testament. When anew adherent joins the rnnks he is baptized by rubbing Bome water on bis cfaest, wbich rite is called "entrance to the Holy," and ia taught to repeat a few sentences in praise of the Father, Son and ïloly Spirit. In April last a body ol the Imperialist artny, numbering over twenty thousand men, went over to the rebelf, and wera admitted among them witli tbeso prcliminaries. Among the "rising mon" of China at present ia one Ghung-VVang, known as the " Faithtul King." He is deseribed as a man of smull, keen features, thirtystvenyears old, and wearing speclacles with largo circular lenses, winle he is at once digmfied in manner and b;nevolent in disposition. He M the conqueror of oochow and otlier importunt cities, is a sincere christiun, and deploras the idolutry prevalent in the country, hut sti'l believos t;it his ehif, Tai PinjíWang, is the younger brottier 61 Jesus Christ. and sent by God to curry i ut this great .vork of Chinese regeneration. Ptom Mr. Edkio's narrativa we gather ; hat the rebels of China have a gnerol idea of Christianity, ntarred, huwev er, by very WTODeouB ideas. 01 tht' uh sti ofc dogmas of uur iaith ttej knovt littlo or'ntthing;!h(r can the criginaton cf the rebellii'ii definitelj state wHenew they received their ñtÚ idoü.s of the faitfa wiih wliich ihi-y ure in t-o iden tified It must be coofeesed, ulso, Ibal thb st-ntiinents they profeM ar practioïilly denled by the ei nelty tliey manifest towards the defeDselem paople thev subjujrate on their wuy to the heattoi