e rid themselves of the incubus
without provoking the discharge of another shot.

Here ends the first act, in 1842; and in it I may claim a personal
interest from the fact that my attention was first turned to China
as a mission field by the boom of British cannon in the Opium War.

China was not opened; but five gates were set ajar against her
will. For that she has to thank the pride and ignorance of emperor
and viceroy which betrayed them into the blunder of dealing with
British merchants as a policeman deals with pickpockets. For the first
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time in her history she was made aware of the existence of nations
with which she would have to communicate on a footing of equality.

The moderation and forbearance of Pottinger in refraining from
demanding larger concessions, and in leaving the full consequences
of this war to be unfolded by the progress of time, may fairly
challenge comparison with the politic procedure of Commodore Perry
in dealing with Japan in 1854. One may ask, too, would Japan have
come to terms so readily if she had not seen her huge neighbour
bowing to superior force?

* * * * *

An important consequence of the Opium War was the outbreak of rebellions
in different parts of the Empire. The prestige of the Tartars was
in the dust. Hitherto deemed invincible, they had been beaten by a
handful of foreigners. Was not this a sure sign that their divine
commission had been withdrawn by the Court of Heaven? If so, might
it not be possible to wrest the sceptre from their feeble grasp,
and emancipate the Chinese race?

Private ambition was kindled at the prospect, and patriotism was
invoked to induce the people to make common cause. Three parties
entered the field: the Tai-pings of the South, the "Red-haired" on
the seacoast, and the Nienfi in the north. Neither of the latter
two deserves notice; but the first-named made for themselves a
place in history which one is
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not at liberty to ignore, even if their story were less romantic
than it is. It will be convenient to introduce here the following
note on the Tai-ping rebellion.

THE TAI-PING REBELLION

In 1847 a young man of good education and pleasing manners, named
Hung Siu-tsuen, presented himself at the American Baptist mission in
Canton, saying he had seen their sacred book and desired instruction.
This he received from the Rev. Issachar Roberts; and he was duly
enrolled as a catechumen. Witho