General Gordon | Page 7

made this his capital; and here, under the very shadow of the
Chinese metropolis, he established himself in royal state. His followers
were held together by the force of his religious tenets; they believed in
him as the Lord from Heaven, who would save the suffering minds and
give them a celestial reward. A missionary who was in Nanking, Rev. J.
L. Holmes, gives his impressions of this warlike devotee. "At night (he

says) we witnessed their worship. It occurred at the beginning of their
sabbath, midnight on Friday. The place of worship was the
Chung-Wang's private audience room. He was himself seated in the
midst of his attendants, no females were present. They first sang, or
rather chanted; after which a written prayer was read, then burned by an
officer; then they rose and sang again, then separated. The Chung-wang
sent for me before he left his seat, and asked me if I understood their
mode of worship. I replied I had just seen it for the first time. He
explained that the Tien-wang had been to the celestial world and had
seen the Great God and obtained a revelation! &c. . . . As the day
dawned we started for the Palace of the Tien-wang. The procession was
headed by a number of brilliantly coloured banners, after which
followed a troop of armed soldiers; then came the Chung-wang in a
large sedan, covered with yellow satin and embroidery, and borne by
eight coolies. Music of a peculiar kind added to the scene, as the
curious sightseers lined the streets on either side, who probably never
saw such a sight before. Reaching the "Morning Palace," we were
presented to the Tsau-wang and his son with several others including
the Tien-wang's two brothers, who were seated in a deep recess over
the entrance of which was written "Illustrious Heavenly Door." In
another place was "Holy Heavenly Gate," from which a boy of about
fourteen made his appearance and took his place with the royal group;
then they proceeded with their religious ceremonies again: this time
kneeling with their faces to the Tien-wang's seat. Then they sang in a
standing position. A roast pig and the body of a goat were lying with
other articles on tables in the outer court, and a fire was kept burning on
a stone altar in the front of the Tien-wang's seat. Afterwards, says the
missionary, I was led through a number of rooms and courts to see
Chung- wang privately. I was brought into one of his private
sitting-rooms, where he sat clothed loosely in white silk, with a red
kerchief round his head, and a jewel in front. He was seated in an easy
chair, and fanned by a pretty slipshod girl. He asked me to a seat beside
him and questioned me about a map he had seen with parallel lines
running each way, said to have been made by foreigners, asked me to
explain what it was. He also showed me a musical-box and a spy-glass,
asking many questions. From all I could learn by my visit to this
pretender there was nothing in their religion to elevate, but everything

to degrade. With them to rob and murder were virtuous deeds. "Slay the
imps" was their watchword. Gordon found in this fanatic a foe of no
mean order. But he soon found too that courage and faith in God had
done and would still lead to victory. In a letter home he says--"I am
afraid you will be much vexed at my having taken the command of the
Sung-kiang force, and that I am now a mandarin. I have taken the step
on consideration. I think that any one who contributes to putting down
this rebellion fulfils a human task, and also tends a great deal to open
China to civilization. I will not act rashly, and I trust to be able soon to
return to England; at the same time I will remember your and my
father's wishes, and endeavour to remain as short a time as possible. I
can say that if I had not accepted the command I believe the force
would have been broken up and the rebellion gone on in its misery for
years. I trust this will not now be the case, and that I may soon be able
to comfort you on this subject. You must not fret about me, I think I am
doing a good service . . . I keep your likeness before me, and can assure
you and my father that I will not be rash, and that as soon as I can
conveniently, and with due regard to the object I have in view, I will
come home."
Gordon had hardly yet realized the difficulties and dangers which beset
him. His