The End of the Movement
By J. O. CORLISS
History of the Early Advent Awakening in China—No. 3
The Tae-pings published many books and leaflets, and were very persevering in distributing them. In these they attempted to show that at one time China was blessed with a correct knowledge of true religion. They referred to the worship of Shang-te, the one supreme God, by ancestors of the Chinese race, and traced their subsequent deterioration to the point where they engaged in the worship of creatures of wood and stone. They also acknowledged the original fall of man, and the power of Jesus Christ to save him from his sins. They gave the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart great prominence, as the agent of God in man’s regeneration. These doctrines were clearly set forth by them, especially that one referring to the saving of men, which was expressed as follows: “Who has ever lived in the world without offending against the commands of Heaven? But until this time no one has known how to obtain deliverance from sin. Now, however, the great God has made a gracious communication to man; and from henceforth whosoever repents of his sins in the presence of the great God, and avoids worshiping depraved spirits, practising perverse things, or transgressing the divine commands, may ascend to heaven, and enjoy happiness for thousands and myriads of years in pleasure and delight, with dignity and honor, world without end.” It is questionable whether many among Western nations could set forth the Christian’s benefit any clearer, in so few words. One more quotation on this point may not be out of place, however. In a text-book for children, entitled “Ode for Youth,” there occurs the following verse:— “Jesus, His first-born Son,
Was in former times sent by God,
Who willingly gave his life to redeem
us from sin.
Of a truth, his merits are pre-eminent.
His cross was hard to bear,
The sorrowing clouds obscured the sun;
The adorable Son, the honored of
heaven,
Died for you, children of men.
After his resurrection he ascended to
heaven;
Resplendent in glory, he wields authority
supreme.
In him we know that we may trust,
To secure salvation and ascend to
heaven.” In their “Book of Religious Precepts10of the Tae-ping Dynasty,” it was required that “in every circle of five-and-twenty families, the youth must go every day to the church, where the vexillary [standard-bearers, or leaders] will teach them to read the holy books of the Old and New Testaments, as well as the proclamation of the duly appointed sovereign.” From each twenty-five families were appointed five persons whose duty it was to see that all the people of their charge were in their places on the Sabbath, to make their offerings, and listen to the preaching of the word. Once in each forty-nine Sabbaths each prefect, tribune, and centurion must take his turn in visiting each church, there to expound some doctrine of the Bible to the people, and also to examine them as to whether or not they were living in obedience to the ten commandments. Every man in the new empire having a family exceeding three in number, must give up one of them to become a soldier. But the widowers, widows, orphans, and childless, together with the sick and feeble, were to have no public responsibility, but were entitled to be fed from the government granaries. All queues were removed, as badges of slavery. The use of opium was forbidden. The books of Buddha and Taou were indiscriminately destroyed. They were indeed puritanic, so much so that some weak natures could not endure their requirements and restrictions, and so were obliged to leave the Tae-ping camp. But it is recorded that these people were “men of their word,” and that they were frank in manner, welcoming foreigners as “brethren.” They were quite positive that the kingdom of universal peace was just at hand, when sin and sorrow and sighing would be things of the past. With all the truth in their possession which the prophets predicted should characterize the good of the last generation, it seems a great pity that the Tae-pings should have been led to adopt National Reform doctrines, so fatal to good religion. Their error came in, however, through mistaken ideas relative to the setting up of “the everlasting kingdom” for which they looked. Finding themselves superior in knowledge to all the heathen outside of their brotherhood, they were led to believe that they were called of God to establish that kingdom by themselves putting down all rule, and all authority, and all power. In harmony with this idea they acted. Success attended their first efforts, and they overcame, in spite of the Chinese imperial troops, nearly all that coast country extending from Canton in the south to within a few miles of Peking in the north. Indeed, the Chinese empire seemed almost entirely at their mercy. So far, in fact, was the overturn of the Chinese empire threatened, that the emperor called upon the English government to assist in the overthrow of the insurgents. The result was that English men-of-war were sent to China, and many of the Tae-pings were destroyed. Others were scattered, some to the United States, others to other nations, and the great advent awakening of the last century in China came to an ignominious end. But it is to be hoped that a revival of the true message, without the errors of that day, may be speedily realized in that country. Indeed, latest news from that quarter indicates that the gathering call of the third angel’s message has already begun its work there, which is to realize a rich harvest of souls for the Master’s reaping. May that time speedily arrive, must be the prayer of every loyal believer in the Lord’s early coming.