¹ The China Baptist Centennial 1836–1936, Historical and Miscellaneous Notes, Vol. I Google Scholar, No. 2 (Shanghai).

² For the best sketch of the life of Roberts, sec Tupper, H. A., The Foreign Missions of the Southern Baptist Convention (Philadelphia, 1880), pp. 83–90.Google Scholar

³ Ibid., p. 90.

⁴ Hervey, G. W., The Story of Baptist Missions (St. Louis, 1884), p. 512.Google Scholar

⁵ Dictionary of American Biography (New York, 1935), XVI, 8.Google Scholar

⁶ File of Reverend Issachar J. Roberts, Archives, Foreign Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention, Richmond, Virginia.

⁷ Letter from Mrs. J. W. Parker, Secretary, Hayner Public Library, Alton, Illinois, June 8, 1959.

⁸ The missionary was probably Edwin Stevens. See Boardman, Eugene P., Christian Influence upon the Ideology of the Taiping Rebellion, 1851–1864 (Madison, Wisconsin, 1952), p. 99n Google Scholar. The influence of these tracts on Hung is discussed in Ssu-yü, Teng, Historiography of the Taiping Rebellion (Cambridge, 1962), pp. 1–5 Google Scholar, 8.

⁹ Hamberg, Theodore, The Visions of Hung-Siu-tshuen and Origin of the Kwang-si Insurrection (Reprinted by Yenching University Library, 1935), p. 9.Google Scholar

¹⁰ A good description of the visions is in Hamberg's book, pp. 9–11.

¹¹ Yu-wen, Chien, T'ai-p'ing Tien Kuo T'ien-chih Tung K'ao (Hongkong, 1958), III, 1711.Google Scholar

¹² Roberts, I. J., “Taiping Wang,” Putnams' Magazine, VIII (10, 1856), 380–382.Google Scholar

¹³ Ibid., 382.

¹⁴ Another version of this episode told by Chou Tso-hsin, the assistant of Roberts who invited Hung to Canton, states that Huang tricked Hung to ask for a monthly pay of five dollars, and thus aroused Roberts' suspicion. See Yuan-shen, Wang, Sheng Too Tang-lai K'ao, p. 11 Google Scholar, quoted from Chien Yu-wen, III, 1711.

¹⁵ “Taiping Wang,” p. 382.Google Scholar

¹⁶ “Letter from J. L. Holmes, Shanghai, June 29, 1860,” The Commission, V (11, 1860), 142 Google Scholar. People belonging to the Hakka community around Canton, as Hung did, usually can understand the Canton dialect which was used by Roberts. But there is no evidence to refute Holmes' statement.

¹⁷ The translation of this letter probably first appeared in North China Herald, 02 6, 1854 Google Scholar, by Roberts; then in the Anglo-Chinese Calendar for 1855; also in Nye, Gideon, China Question (Macao, 1857)Google Scholar, and Brine, L., The Taiping Rebellion in China (London, 1862)Google Scholar. The validity of this document has been doubted by Kuo Ting-i, T'ai-p'ing T'ien-kuo Shih-shih Jih-chih (Shanghai, 1946–1947)Google Scholar and by Yu-wen, Chien, I, 26–33.Google Scholar

¹⁸ Yu-wen, Chien, I, 26–33.Google Scholar

¹⁹ Medhurst, W. H., “Critical Reviews of the Books of the Insurgents,” North China Herald, 09 3, 1853.Google Scholar

²⁰ “T'ai-p'ing T'ien Jih,” Tai-p'ing T'ien Kuo, ed by Hsiang Ta and others. (Shanghai, new edition, 1957). II, 647.Google Scholar

²¹ “Chung Wang's letter to Lord Elgin,” North China Herald, 10 27, 1860.Google Scholar

²² Yates, M. T., The Taiping Rebellion, a Lecture Delivered at the Temperance Hall (Shanghai, 1876), p. 2 Google Scholar. In the Ch'üan Shih Liang Yen, there are also passages denouncing idols.

²³ “Untitled article by I. J. Roberts, Canton, October 6, 1852,” Chinese and General Missionary Gleaner (02, 1853), p. 69.Google Scholar

²⁴ This was signed by five Chinese converts and Roberts on July 26, 1845. Dr. E. C. Bridgman, Roberts, William Gillespie, and Liang Fa were the presbytery. The constitution is in Roberts' file, Archives, Southern Baptist Convention.

²⁵ “T'ien T'iao Shu (Book of the Laws of Heaven),” T'ai-p'ing T'ien Kuo, I, 71–80 Google Scholar. Article Six of the constitution singles out the evil of opium-smoking by use of the verbal phrase “shall be,” while in comparable articles only the phrase “should be” is employed. As early as 1845, Hung also discussed the evil of this drug in “Yuan-tao Chiu-shih Ko (A Song in Praise of the Prime Truth to Save the World),” T'ai-p'ing T'ien Kuo, I, 90.Google Scholar

²⁶ “T'ien-chao t'ien-mou chih-tu (Land regulations and political economy of the Celestial Dynasty,” T'ai-p'ing T'ien Kuo, II, 322.Google Scholar

²⁷ According to A Wylie, Memorials of Protestant Missionaries to the Chinese (Shanghai, 1867), pp. 96–97 Google Scholar, Roberts wrote four tracts in 1840. They are Tzu Pu Chi Chieh (Explanation of the Radical Characters), Wen Ta Su Hua (Catechism in the Macao Dialect), Chen Li Che Chiao (The Religion of Truth), and Chiu Shih Chu Yeh-su Hsin I Chao Shu (New Testament of the Saviour Jesus). The first two tracts were recently discovered in the Department of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts, British Museum, London. Tsu Pu Chi Chieh, Shelfmark 15344.c.24; and Wen Ta Su Hua, Shelfmark 15116.d.21.

²⁸ Chinese tradition also played a part in the Taiping religion. See Boardman, , pp. 116–118.Google Scholar

²⁹ Chinese and General Missionary Gleaner, p. 67.Google Scholar

³⁰ Ibid., pp. 69–70.

³¹ Meadows, Thomas T., The Chinese and Their Rebellions (Reprint, Stanford, California, 1956), p. 259 Google Scholar. Roberts returned to the United States in 1849 for a year.

³² Roberts' letter, Canton, June 19, 1853, Archives, Southern Baptist Convention.

³³ Roberts' letter, Hongkong, July 8, 1853, ibid.

³⁴ See footnote 17.

³⁵ Circular by Roberts, , 12 31, 1853.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

³⁶ “Marshall to Roberts, June 20, 1853,” China, VIII, State Department, US National Archives.

³⁷ Circular by Roberts, December 31, 1853.

³⁸ Roberts' letter, Hongkong, July 8, 1853.

³⁹ Circular by Roberts, December 31, 1853.

⁴⁰ Ibid.

⁴¹ “Roberts' letter to his wife,” Western Recorder, (11 16, 1853).Google Scholar

⁴² Papers of China Miscellany, No. I, Pcabody Museum.

⁴³ Roberts' letter to his wife, loc. cit.

⁴⁴ Ibid.

⁴⁵ “Letter from Charles Bird, Secretary of Chinese Evangelization Society,” Western Recorder, (08 20, 1853).Google Scholar

⁴⁶ Circular by Roberts, December 31, 1853.

⁴⁷ “Roberts to Paul S. Forbes, Shanghai, April 30, 1854,” Forbes Collection, Case 1, Folder 18, Baker Library.

⁴⁸ For the account of this trip see “McLane to Marcy, June 14, 1854,” China, IX, State Department, US National Archives.

⁴⁹ Circular by Roberts, December 31, 1853.

⁵⁰ Wylic, , p. 96.Google Scholar

⁵¹ “Roberts to E. C. Bridgman, March 28, 1854,” South China, III, Archives, American Board.

⁵² Roberts, I. J., “May News from China,” 05 8, 1856.Google Scholar

⁵³ Roberts to Forbes, loc. cit.

⁵⁴ The will of I. J. Roberts, Archives, Southern Baptist Convention.

⁵⁵ Thirteenth Annual Report of the Seventh Day Baptist Missionary Society (09 6, 1855).Google Scholar

⁵⁶ Alabama Journal, 05 19, 1855.Google Scholar

⁵⁷ Roberts, , “May News from China,” 05 8, 1856.Google Scholar

⁵⁸ Littell, John B., “Missionaries and Politics in China—the Taiping Rebellion,” Political Science Quarterly, XLIII (12 1928), 585.Google Scholar

⁵⁹ Circular by Roberts, , 12 31, 1853.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

⁶⁰ Roberts returned to China via Panama and San Francisco and arrived at Canton in the beginning of 1856. On the outbreak of troubles at Canton by the end of 1856 as result of the “Arrow” Incident, Roberts moved to Hongkong and did not return to Canton again till two years later. See Wylie, , p. 96.Google Scholar

⁶¹ “R. I. Fearon to A. F. Heard, February 24, 1861,” Heard Papers, HM-42, Baker Library.

⁶² “T'ien-wang chao hsi-yang fan-ti,” T'ai-p'ing T'ien Kuo Shih-liao, ed. by Yu-fu, Chin, (Peking, 1955), p. 97.Google Scholar

⁶³ “Tzu-cheng hsin-p'ien” (“A new work for aid in administration”), T'ai-p'ing T'ien Kuo, II, 529.Google Scholar

⁶⁴ Chung Wang (Loyal King) is an honorific title given by the Heavenly King to Li Hsiu-ch'eng.

⁶⁵ Edkins, J. and John, G., “A Visit to Insurgent Chief at Soochow,” North China Herald, 07 7, 1860.Google Scholar

⁶⁶ “Roberts' letter from Soochow, September 29, 1860,” North China Herald, 10 27, 1860.Google Scholar

⁶⁷ Ibid.

⁶⁸ “Roberts' letter, Tan-yang, October 8, 1860,” North China Herald, 11 17, 1860.Google Scholar

⁶⁹ Roberts to Crawford, Nanking, December 4, 1860, Archives, Southern Baptist Convention.

⁷⁰ Ibid.

⁷¹ Ibid.

⁷² Edkins, Joseph, “Narrative of a Visit to Nanking,” in J. R. Edkins, Chinese Scenes and People (London, 1863), pp. 274–275.Google Scholar

⁷³ Chung Wang Li Hsiu-ch'eng Tzu-ch'uan Yuan-fo chien-cheng (The autobiography of the Chung Wang Li Hsiu-ch'eng, based on the original manuscript with commentaries and corrections), by Lo Ehrkang (Peking, 1957), p. 196.Google Scholar

⁷⁴ Wolsely, G. J., War with China in 1860 (London, 1862), p. 338 Google Scholar. Wolsely saw Roberts in Nanking in early 1861. This was what the missionary told him about the contents of their conversation.

⁷⁵ Ibid.

⁷⁶ Yu-wen, Chien, II, 969.Google Scholar

⁷⁷ This Declaration of the Heavenly King was translated and appeared in North China Herald, 06 22, 1861.Google Scholar

⁷⁸ Wolsely, , p. 338 Google Scholar. R. I. Fearon, an American merchant, saw Roberts dressed in yellow silk robe, mandarin boots, and crimson hood. Reverend Muirhead said that these were actually the Heavenly King's cast-off clothes. See “Fearon to Heard, March 9, 1861,” Heard Papers, HM-42, Baker Library.

⁷⁹ As stated by Hung Jen-kan; see T'ai-p'ing T'ien Kuo, II, 853.Google Scholar

⁸⁰ “Burlingame to Prince Kung, October 25, 1862,” China, XX State Department, US National Archives.

⁸¹ “Fearon to Heard, March 9, 1861,” loc. cit.

⁸² Yang occupied the second position in the Taiping régime till 1856, when he was killed by order of Hung.

⁸³ Edkins, Joseph, p. 269.Google Scholar

⁸⁴ “Letter from Roberts, Nanking, February 24, 1861,” North China Herald, 03 30, 1861 Google Scholar, and “Letter from Reverend Carpenter, Shanghai, April 5, 1861,” Sabbath Recorder, XVII (08 1, 1861), 198.Google Scholar

⁸⁵ Roberts' letter, ibid.

⁸⁶ Wing, Yung, My Life in China and America (New York, 1909), p. 107.Google Scholar

⁸⁷ Tupper, , p. 88.Google Scholar

⁸⁸ Foster, L. S., Fifty Years in China (Nashville, Tennessee, 1909), p. 119.Google Scholar

⁸⁹ “John Heard's diary, Monday, April 22, 1861,” Heard Papers, FP-3, p. 18.Google Scholar

⁹⁰ Roberts' letter, Nanking, April 16, 1861, Archives, Southern Baptist Convention.

⁹¹ Heard Papers, FP-4, p. 130.Google Scholar

⁹² “S. J. Schereschewsky to Bishop Boone, Yo-chow, March 16, 1861,” Spirit of Missions, XXVI (07 1861), 213.Google Scholar

⁹³ Johnson, J. E., “Taiping Wang,” New Englander, XXX (07 1871), 404.Google Scholar

⁹⁴ Brine, , p. 299.Google Scholar

⁹⁵ Yu-wen, Chien, II, 970–973.Google Scholar

⁹⁶ Brine, , pp. 296–297.Google Scholar

⁹⁷ Twentieth Annual Report of the Seventh Day Baptist Missionary Society (09 11, 1862), p. 14.Google Scholar

⁹⁸ Brine, , p. 296.Google Scholar

⁹⁹ Wylie, , p. 96.Google Scholar