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170 AROUND THE WOELD.
fort, a bullet from the enemy proved fatal. He closed his
mortal career a few days thereafter, at Ningpo, and was
interred in accordance with the Chinese method of burial.
His body was afterwards removed to
Soong-Kong, and then
to the inclosure near the Confucian temple, where there is a
tablet erected to his honor. Now deified, he is one of the
warrior-gods of China. His widow and three children
reside in a palatial mansion at Shanghai.
.THE SPmiTUAL ASPECT OF
THE TAI-PESG REBELLION".
This daring movement originated with Hung-sew-tswen,
born near Canton, — a clairvoyant seer from infancy. When
a lad, he was considered strange and eccentric. Returning
to his home, when a young man, from an unsuccessful examination,
he was attacked with a severe sickness, during
which he declared that he had been favored with supernatural
manifestations and revelations. He felt that he
had been washed from the impurities of his nature, and
introduced into the presence of an august being, who
exhorted him to live a virtuous life, and extenninate demons.
This immortalized man, whom he often saw, of middle
age and dignified mien, further instructed him how to act.
Hung called this visitant his " elder brother." About this
time he read the New Testament, and declared immediately
thereafter that this imposing personage seen in his visions
was Jesus Christ, the Sent-of-God. A scholarly friend of
his, named ie, uniting with him, they commenced preaching,
baptizing, and making converts. During their inflammatory
discourses, persons would fall into the trance, speak in strange
tongues, and utter alleged revelations and prophecies. They
organized to protect themselves, and punish their persecutors.
This led to war ; the insurrection became formidable, and
for a time successful. Multitudes perished by sword and
famine ; vacated fields, and burned cities yet in ruins, remain
to tell the tale of war. The primal purpose was to overthrow
the reigning dynasty, destroy the idols of the land, and
establish a g^wasi-Christianity.