  RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS WRITTEN BY THE TIEN-WANG HUNG-SIU-TSHUEN, AND USED BY THE TI-PINGS. DECALOGUE.THE TEN CELESTIAL COMMANDS WHICH ARE TO BE CONSTANTLY OBSERVED. THE FIRST COMMAND.THOU SHALT HONOUR AND WORSHIP THE GREAT GOD. Remark.—The great God is the universal Father of all men, in every nation under heaven. Every man is produced and nourished by him: every man is also protected by him: every man ought, therefore, morning and evening, to honour and worship him, with acknowledgments of his goodness. It is a common saying, that Heaven produces, nourishes, and protects men. Also, that being provided with food we must not deceive Heaven. Therefore, whoever does not worship the great God breaks the commands of Heaven. The Hymn says:— Imperial Heaven, the Supreme God is the true Spirit (God): Worship him every morning and evening, and you will be taken up; You ought deeply to consider the ten celestial commands, And not by your foolishness obscure the right principles of nature. THE SECOND COMMAND.THOU SHALT NOT WORSHIP CORRUPT SPIRITS (GODS). Remark.—The great God says, Thou shalt have no other spirits (gods) beside me. Therefore all besides the great God are corrupt spirits (gods), deceiving and destroying mankind; they must on no account be worshipped: whoever worships the whole class of corrupt spirits (gods) offends against the commands of Heaven. The Hymn says:— Corrupt devils very easily delude the souls of men. If you perversely believe in them, you will at last go down to hell. We exhort you all, brave people, to awake from your lethargy, And early make your peace with your exalted Heavenly Father. THE THIRD COMMAND.THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE GREAT GOD IN VAIN. Remark.—The name of the great God is Jehovah, which men must not take in vain. Whoever takes God's name in vain, and rails against Heaven, offends against this command. The Hymn says:— Our exalted Heavenly Father is infinitely honourable; Those who disobey and profane his name, seldom come to a good end. If unacquainted with the true doctrine, you should be on your guard, For those who wantonly blaspheme involve themselves in endless crime. THE FOURTH COMMAND.ON THE SEVENTH DAY, THE DAY OF WORSHIP, YOU SHOULD PRAISE THE GREAT GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS. Remark.—In the beginning the great God made heaven and earth, land and sea, men and things, in six days; and having finished his works on the seventh day, he called it the day of rest (or Sabbath): therefore all the men of the world, who enjoy the blessing of the great God, should on every seventh day especially reverence and worship the great God, and praise him for his goodness. The Hymn says:— All the happiness enjoyed in the world comes from Heaven; It is therefore reasonable that men should give thanks and sing; At the daily morning and evening meal there should be thanksgiving, But on the seventh day, the worship should be more intense. THE FIFTH COMMAND.THOU SHALT HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER, THAT THY DAYS MAY BE PROLONGED. Remark.—Whoever disobeys his parents breaks this command. The Hymn says:— History records that Shun honoured his parents to the end of his days, Causing them to experience the intensest pleasure and delight: August Heaven will abundantly reward all who act thus, And do not disappoint the expectation of the authors of their being. THE SIXTH COMMAND.THOU SHALT NOT KILL OR INJURE MEN. Remark.—He who kills another kills himself, and he who injures another injures himself. Whoever does either of these breaks the above command. The Hymn says:— The whole world is one family, and all men are brethren, How can they be permitted to kill and destroy one another? The outward form and the inward principle are both conferred by Heaven: Allow every one, then, to enjoy the ease and comfort which he desires. THE SEVENTH COMMAND.THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY OR ANYTHING UNCLEAN. Remark.—All the men in the world are brethren, and all the women in the world are sisters. Among the sons and daughters of the celestial hall the males are on one side and the females on the other, and are not allowed to intermix. Should either men or women practise lewdness they are considered outcasts, as having offended against one of the chief commands of Heaven. The casting of amorous glances, the harbouring of lustful imaginations, the smoking of foreign tobacco (opium), or the singing of libidinous songs must all be considered as breaches of this command. The Hymn says:— Lust and lewdness constitute the chief transgression, Those who practise it become outcasts, and are the objects of pity. If you wish to enjoy the substantial happiness of heaven, It is necessary to deny yourself and earnestly cultivate virtue. THE EIGHTH COMMAND.THOU SHALT NOT ROB OR STEAL. Remark.—Riches and poverty are determined by the great God; but whosoever robs or plunders the property of others transgresses this command. Remark.—All those who tell lies, and indulge in devilish deceits, with every kind of coarse and abandoned talk, offend against this command. The Hymn says:— Lying discourse and unfounded stories must all be abandoned. Deceitful and wicked words are offences against Heaven. Much talk will, in the end, bring evil on the speakers. It is then much better to be cautious, and regulate one's own mind. THE TENTH COMMAND.THOU SHALT NOT CONCEIVE A COVETOUS DESIRE. Remark.—When a man looks upon the beauty of another's wife and daughters with covetous desires, or when he regards the elegance of another man's possessions with covetous desires, or when he engages in gambling, he offends against this command. The Hymn says:— In your daily conduct do not harbour covetous desires. When involved in the sea of lust the consequences are very serious. The above injunctions were handed down on Mount Sinai; And to this day the celestial commands retain all their force. "Note.—The expression 'corrupt spirits' in the remarks upon the second commandment, rendered by the translator 'gods,' refers probably to the numerous malevolent spirits whom all uneducated Chinese believe to have power over all things noxious to the human race. The gods of thunder, lightning, wind, &c., are the principal of these, but there are also hundreds of inferior spirits whom poor householders believe to be abroad at night, with power, if they so will, to spread pestilence, disaster, and fire, and who consequently receive daily and nightly offerings of prayer and incense from the timid and trembling poor, who dread the exercise of their malevolence."—(The Taepings in China.) THE TRIMETRICAL CLASSIC.EACH LINE IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINING THREE WORDS, AND EACH VERSE FOUR LINES. The Great God Made heaven and earth, Both land and sea, And all things therein. In six days He made the whole; Man, the lord of all, Was endowed with glory and honour. Every seventh day worship, In acknowledgment of Heaven's favour; Let all under Heaven Keep their hearts in reverence. It is said that in former times A foreign nation was commanded To honour God; The nation's name was Israel. Their twelve tribes Removed into Egypt; Where God favoured them, And their posterity increased. Then a king arose Into whose heart the devil entered; He envied their prosperity, And inflicted pain and misery. Ordering the daughters to be preserved, But not allowing the sons to live; Their bondage was severe And very difficult to bear. The Great God Viewed them with pity, And commanded Moses To return to his family. He commanded Aaron To go and meet Moses; When both addressed the king, And wrought divers miracles. The king hardened his heart And would not let them go; Wherefore God was angry And sent lice and locusts. He also sent flies, Together with frogs, Which entered their palaces And crept into their ovens. When the king still refused, The river was turned into blood! And the water became bitter Throughout all Egypt. God sent boils and blains, With pestilence and murrain; He also sent hail, Which was very grievous. The king still refusing, He slew their first-born; When the King of Egypt Had no resource, But let them go Out of his land; The Great God Upheld and sustained them. By day in a cloud, By night in a pillar of fire; The Great God Himself saved them. The king hardened his heart, And led his armies in pursuit; But God was angry And displayed his majesty. Arrived at the Red Sea, The waters were spread abroad; The people of Israel Were very much afraid. The pursuers overtook them, But God stayed their course; He himself fought for them, And the people had no trouble. He caused the Red Sea With its waters to divide; To stand up as a wall, That they might pass between. The people of Israel Marched with a steady step As though on dry ground, And thus saved their lives. The pursuers attempting to cross, Their wheels were taken off, When the waters closed upon them, And they were all drowned. The Great God Displayed his power, And the people of Israel Were all preserved. When they came to the desert They had nothing to eat; But the Great God Bade them not be afraid. He sent down manna, For each man a pint; It was as sweet as honey, And satisfied their appetites. The people lusted much, And wished to eat flesh, When quails were sent By the millions of bushels. At the Mount Sinai Miracles were displayed, And Moses was commanded To make tables of stone. The Great God Gave his celestial commands, Amounting to ten precepts, The breach of which would not be forgiven. He himself wrote them, And gave them to Moses; The celestial law Cannot be altered. In after ages It was sometimes disobeyed, Through the devil's temptations When men fell into misery. But the Great God, Out of pity to mankind, Sent his first-born Son To come down into the world. His name is Jesus, The Lord and Saviour of men, Who redeems them from sin By the endurance of extreme misery. Upon the cross They nailed his body, Where he shed his precious blood To save all mankind. Three days after his death He rose from the dead, And during forty days He discoursed on heavenly things. When he was about to ascend, He commanded his disciples To communicate his gospel And proclaim his revealed will. Those who believe will be saved And ascend to heaven; But those who do not believe Will be the first to be condemned. Throughout the whole world There is only one God, The Great Lord and Ruler Without a second. The Chinese in early ages Were regarded by God; Together with the foreign states They walked in one way. From the time of Pwan-koo, Down to the three dynasties, They honoured God, As history records. T'hang of the Shang dynasty, And Wan of the Chow, Honoured God With the intensest feeling. The inscription on T'hang's bathing-tub Inculcated daily renovation of mind; And God commanded him To assume the government of the empire. Wan was very respectful And intelligently served God; So that the people who submitted to him Were two out of every three. When Tsin obtained the empire He was infatuated with the genii, And the nation has been deluded by the devil For the last two thousand years. Suen and Woo of the Han dynasty Both followed this bad example, So that the mad rebellion increased In imitation of Tsin's misrule. When Woo arrived at old age, He repented of his folly, And lamented that from his youth up He had always followed the wrong road. Ming of the Han dynasty Welcomed the institutions of Buddha, And set up temples and monasteries To the great injury of the country. But Hwang of the Sung dynasty Was still more mad and infatuated, For he changed the name of Shang-te (God) Into that of Yuh-hwang (the pearly emperor). But the Great God Is the supreme Lord Over all the world, The Great Father in heaven. His name is most honourable, To be handed down through distant ages; Who was this Hwuy, That he dared to alter it? It was meet that this same Hwuy Should be taken by the Tartars, And together with his son Perish in the northern desert. From Hwuy of the Sung dynasty Up to the present day, For these seven hundred years Men have sunk deeper and deeper in error. With the doctrine of God They have not been acquainted, While the king of Hades Has deluded them to the utmost. The Great God displays Liberality deep as the sea; But the devil has injured man In a most outrageous manner. God is therefore displeased And has sent his Son With orders to come down into the world Having first studied the classics. In the Ting-yeu year (1837) He was received up into Heaven, Where the affairs of Heaven Were clearly pointed out to him. The great God Personally instructed him, Gave him odes and documents, And communicated to him the true doctrine. God also gave him a seal, And conferred upon him a sword Connected with authority And majesty irresistible. He bade him, together with the elder brother, Namely Jesus, To drive away impish fiends With the co-oporation of angels. There was one who looked on with envy, Namely, the king of Hades, Who displayed much malignity And acted like a devilish serpent. But the great God, With a high hand, Instructed his Son To subdue this fiend, And having conquered him, To show him no favour; And in spite of his envious eye He damped all his courage. Having overcome the fiend, He returned to Heaven, Where the great God Gave him great authority. The celestial mother was kind And exceedingly gracious, Beautiful and noble in the extreme, Far beyond all compare. The celestial elder brother's wife Was virtuous and very considerate, Constantly exhorting the elder brother To do things deliberately. The great God, Out of love to mankind, Again commissioned his Son To come down into the world. And when he sent him down, He charged him not to be afraid; I am with you, said he, To superintend everything. In the Mow-shin year (1848) The Son was troubled and distressed, When the great God Appeared on his behalf. Bringing Jesus with him, They both came down into the world, Where he instructed his Son How to sustain the weight of government. God has set up his Son To endure for ever, To defeat corrupt machinations And to display majesty and authority. Also to judge the world, To divide the righteous from the wicked, And consign them to the misery of hell, Or bestow on them the joys of heaven. Heaven manages everything, Heaven sustains the whole; Let all beneath the sky Come and acknowledge the new monarch. Little children, Worship God, Keep his commandments, And do not disobey. Let your minds be refined, And be not depraved, The great God Constantly surveys you. You must refine yourselves well, And not be depraved: Vice willingly practised Is the first step to misery. To insure a good end, You must make a good beginning: An error of a hair's breadth May lead to a discrepancy of a thousand li. Be careful about little things, And watch the minute springs of action: The great God Is not to be deceived. Little children, Arouse your energies: The laws of high heaven Admit not of infraction. Upon the good blessings descend, And miseries on the wicked; Those who obey Heaven are preserved, And those who disobey perish. The great God Is a spiritual Father; All things whatever Depend on him. The great God Is the Father of our spirits: Those who devoutly serve him Will obtain blessings. Those who obey the fathers of their flesh Will enjoy longevity; Those who requite their parents Will certainly obtain happiness. Do not practise lewdness, Nor any uncleanness; Do not tell lies, Do not kill and slay. Do not steal, Do not covet: The great God Will strictly carry out his laws. Those who obey Heaven's commands Will enjoy celestial happiness; Those who are grateful for divine favours Will receive divine support. Heaven blesses the good And curses the bad: Little children! Maintain correct conduct. The correct are men, The corrupt are imps: Little children! Seek to avoid disgrace. God loves the upright, And he hates the vicious: Little children! Be careful to avoid error. The great God Sees everything; If you wish to enjoy happiness, Refine and correct yourselves. ODE FOR YOUTH.EACH LINE IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINING FIVE WORDS, AND EACH VERSE FOUR LINES. ON THE WORSHIP OF GOD. Let the true Spirit, the great God, Be honoured and adored by all nations; Let all the inhabitants of the world Unite in his worship, morning and evening. Above and below, look where you may, All things are imbued with the Divine favour. At the beginning, in six days, All things were created, perfect and complete. Whether circumcised or uncircumcised, Who is not produced by God? Reverently praise the Divine favour And you will obtain eternal glory. ON REVERENCE FOR JESUS. Jesus, his first-born Son, Was in former times sent by God: He 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 honoured of heaven, Died for you, the children of men. Died for you, the 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. ON THE HONOUR DUE TO PARENTS. As grain is stored against a day of need, So men bring up children to tend their old age; A filial son begets filial children,— The recompense here is truly wonderful. Do you ask how this our body Is to attain to length of years? Keep the fifth command, we say, And honour and emolument will descend upon you. ON THE COURT. The imperial court is an awe-inspiring spot, Let those about it dread celestial majesty; Life and death emanate from Heaven's son, Let every officer avoid disobedience. ON THE DUTIES OF THE SOVEREIGN. When one man presides over the government, All nations become settled and tranquillized: When the sovereign grasps the sceptre of power, Calumny and corruption sink and disappear. ON THE DUTIES OF MINISTERS. When the prince is upright, ministers are true; When the sovereign is intelligent, ministers will be honest. E and Chow are models worthy of imitation: They acted uprightly and aided the government. ON THE DUTIES OF FAMILIES. The members of one family being intimately related, They should live in joy and harmony; When the feeling of concord unites the whole, Blessings will descend upon them from above. ON THE DUTIES OF A FATHER. When the main beam is straight, the joists will be regular; When a father is strict, his duty will be fulfilled: Let him not provoke his children to wrath, And a delightful harmony will pervade the dwelling. ON THE DUTIES OF A MOTHER. Ye mothers, beware of partiality, But tenderly instruct your children in virtue; When you are a fit example to your daughters, The happy feeling will reach to the clouds. ON THE DUTIES OF SONS. Sons, be patterns to your wives; Consider obedience to parents the chief duty; Do not listen to the tattle of women, And you will not be estranged from your own flesh. ON THE DUTIES OF DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW. Ye that are espoused into other families, Be gentle and yielding, and your duty is fulfilled; Do not quarrel with your sisters-in-law, And thereby vex the old father and mother. ON THE DUTIES OF ELDER BROTHERS. Elder brothers, instruct your juniors; Remember well your common parentage; Should they commit a trifling fault, Bear with it and treat them indulgently. ON THE DUTIES OF YOUNGER BROTHERS. Disparity in years is ordered by Heaven; Duty to seniors consists in respect. When younger brothers obey Heaven's dictates, Happiness and honour will be their portion. ON THE DUTIES OF ELDER SISTERS. Elder sisters, instruct your younger sisters, Study improvement and fit yourselves for Heaven. Should you occasionally visit your former homes, Get the little ones around you and tell them what is right. ON THE DUTIES OF YOUNGER SISTERS. Girls, obey your elder brothers and sisters, Be obliging and avoid arrogance, Carefully give yourselves to self-improvement, And mind and keep the Ten Commandments. ON THE DUTIES OF HUSBANDS. Unbending firmness is natural to the man, Love for a wife should be qualified by prudence; And should the lioness roar, Let not terror fill the mind. ON THE DUTIES OF WIVES. Women, be obedient to your three male relatives, And do not disobey your lords: When hens crow in the morning, Sorrow may be expected in the family. ON THE DUTIES OF ELDER BROTHERS' WIVES. What is the duty of an elder brother's wife, And what her most appropriate deportment? Let her cheerfully harmonize with younger brothers' wives, And she will never do amiss. ON THE DUTIES OF YOUNGER BROTHERS' WIVES. Younger brothers' wives should respect their elder brothers' wives, In humility honouring their elder brothers; In all things yielding to their senior sisters-in-law, Which will result in harmony superior to music. ON THE DUTIES OF THE MALE SEX. Let every man have his own partner And maintain the duties of the human relations Firm and unbending; his duties lie from home, But he should avoid such things as cause suspicion. ON THE DUTIES OF THE FEMALE SEX. The duty of woman is to maintain chastity; She should shun proximity to the other sex; Sober and decorous, she should keep at home: Thus she can secure happiness and felicity. ON CONTRACTING MARRIAGES. Marriages are the result of some relation in a former state The disposal of which rests with Heaven. When contracted, affection should flow in a continued stream, And the association should be uninterrupted. ON MANAGING THE HEART. For the purpose of controlling the whole body, God has given to man an intelligent mind; When the heart is correct, it becomes the true regulator To which the senses and members are all obedient. ON MANAGING THE EYES. The various corruptions first delude the eye; But if the eye be correct, all evil will be avoided: Let the pupil of the eye be sternly fixed, And the light of the body will shine up to heaven. ON MANAGING THE EAR. Whatever sounds assail my ear, Let me listen to all in silence: Deaf to the entrance of evil, Pervious to good, in order to be eminently intelligent. ON MANAGING THE MOUTH. The tongue is a prolific source of strife, And a multitude of words leads to mischief; Let me not be defiled by lying and corrupt discourse, Careful and cautious, let reason be my guide. ON MANAGING THE HAND. To cut off the hand whereby we are dragged to evil Appears a determination worthy of high praise; The duty of the hand is to manifest respect, But for improper objects move not a finger. ON MANAGING THE FEET. Let the feet walk in the path of rectitude, And ever follow it, without treading awry; For the countless by-paths of life Lead only to mischief in the end. THE WAY TO GET TO HEAVEN. Honour and disgrace come from a man's self; But men should exert themselves To keep the Ten Commandments, And they will enjoy bliss in Heaven. FOOTNOTES: |
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