Prevalence of Infanticide. 369 



expressing tlie idea of " God," have given rise to a vast 

 number of publications, vrhicli however have unfortunately 

 tended rather to envenom the dispute than smooth the way 

 to a common understanding. 



Conspicuous, however, as are the services of the mission- 

 aries in the publication and diffusion of useful and moral 

 books in the Chinese language, their direct efforts have, on 

 the other hand, been attended with but limited results 

 hitherto, and although it is always laid down as an axiom in 

 the books and manifestoes of the Tai-Ping insurgents, that 

 the doctrines of Christianity, as deduced from the writings of 

 the Missionary Societies, are the leading j^rinciple of the 

 movement, yet, as set forth and promulgated by the in- 

 sm'gent chiefs, they cannot be said to deserve recognition 

 by any known form of Christianity. 



As in their religion, so in their mode of life, and their 

 national customs, the Chinese remain stiff-necked and obstin- 

 ate, and in tliis direction also Christianity is in but few 

 cases capable of mitigating their frequently barbarous 

 customs. Children in China are constantly exposed in large 

 numbers, and that not owing to poverty, but from in- 

 difference to the female children. One Chinese woman who 

 at present professes Christianity, and is a member of the 

 Bale missionary community, has herself killed eight female 

 children whom she had herself carried in her womb ! Dr. 

 Lobscheid informed us that he was personally cognizant of 



VOL. II. 2 B 



