Pi'ogress of the Tai-ping Movement. 527 



tliG whole may also mean j^b 4]o Kia-hoei, " to yield 

 grace and benevolence," or may be applicable to him who 

 wears it, '' one who enjoys the all-embracing Imperial cle- 

 mency." 



The religious direction of the Tai-ping movement, cou- 

 pled with its apparent Christian tendencies, its results, and, 

 above all, the last hostile proclamation of the Pekin Go- 

 vernment against foreigners, roused the sympathies of both 

 Europeans and Americans in favour of the insurgents ; 

 and in the English papers of Hong-kong and Shanghai, 

 the policy was vigorously and repeatedly advocated of 

 turning the insurrection to their own advantage ; while in 

 a religious point of view it was recommended to avail them- 

 selves of the favour shown to the Scriptures by the Christian 

 sect of the Tai-ping, which was also so amicably disposed to 

 foreigners, who at all events were more likely to prove a bul- 

 wark and support to English Protestantism than the deceitful, 

 promise-breaking, idol-worshipping Mantchoos. Letters and 

 communications, which from time to time were published on 

 the visit of Protestant missionaries in the insurgent camp, were 

 apt to propound the most favourable ideas about the insurgents 

 and their strivings after religious truth, and to attach to their 

 victories and successes the most glorious hoj^es with respect 

 to the spreading of Christianity in China. Fortunately the 

 English Government did not suffer its policy to be affected 

 thereby, but continued to observe the strictest neutrality. 

 Only in those cases where, owing to the advance of the 



