CHINESE SECRET SOCIETIES. 65 



produced a complete circle, or globe, of peace and harmony. In 

 the political stage of the Thien-Ti-Hui, which, according to the 

 history given in the various manuals, commenced during the 

 latter part of the 17th century, under the reign of Kang-hi or 

 Sun Cheng the 2nd and -3rd Emperors of the present dynasty 

 " Ching"* or " pure/" the happy results expected upon the union 

 of Heaven, Earth, and Man, seem to be merely the restoration to 

 Imperial powers of the Chinese Mingt or " Bright" dynasty, 

 which in the person of Tsung-Cheng was cut off by the Manchus 

 in about 1628. In these Colonies, it is difficult to imagine what 

 are the aims of the numerous lodges, which having departed from 

 even a political status, though nominally branches of the origi- 

 nal Society, are to all intents and purposes rival Societies. 



However degraded the Society may have become in its pre- 

 sent hands, there is great reason to believe that originally in 

 the long past, it was a system of freemasonry, and that its ob- 

 ject was to benefit mankind by spreading a spirit of brother- 

 hood, and by teaching the duties of man to God, and to his neigh- 

 bour. The motto of the Thien-Ti-Hui whether acted upon or 

 not, is Ci Obey Heaveu and Work Righteousness," and the asso- 

 ciation which could adopt this principle as its fundamental rule, 

 must have been composed of individuals raised far above the 

 ideas of mere political adventurers. 



Oppression which " maketh a wise man mad/' may have 

 forced the Society to become a political association, and the rites 

 and ceremonies already in use were utilised as means to screen 

 the operations of the Society from the government officials, and 

 also to unite the members, from all parts of the \ast Empire. 

 In the Tai-ping rebellion, the League played a conspicuous 

 part, and there is no doubt that, " when Heaven shall have 

 changed its intentions," and the present reigning family of 

 China shall have accomplished its destiny, the Thien-Ti-Hui, will 

 be at its post, and the members of the " Hung" family will be 

 ready to take advantage of the general upheaval which must take 

 place, and at least will attempt to fulfil one of their avowed ob- 

 jects, viz : the overturn of the " Ching." 



As before remarked the professed objects of the League have, 

 been in the Straits to a certain extent lost sight of. But at the 

 same time it must be recollected that some years ago the leader 

 of the "SioTo"or " Small Knife " rebellion at Amoy, was a 

 Straits-born Chinese, and that there are doubtless now in the 



* Hokkien dialect, Chheng. 

 t Hokkien, Beng. 



