Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 608

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Journal of Occurrences.

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descend to the sea whenever a cessation of warfare invites them to renew their inter- course with foreign countries. The southern bank of the Kampot river is in the actual occupation of the Cochinchinese, so that the desire of the Cambojana to have trade carried on in English vessels is easily accounted for. The two nations, however, dwell in peace with each other just now. The southern boundary of Camboja is the delta of the Mekong, or nearly a straight line drawn from the mouth of the Kampot river to Saigong. To the east it is bounded by a desert tract which extends in a parallel direo- tion with the left bank of the Mekong; and to the north by the Laos nation, which is met with about 14' N.

Kampot is in lat. 10° 38′ N., long, about 104° 40 E. It is situated at the point where the coast, after running in a due north direction from the south extreme of the peninsula, takes a sudden turn to the W. and S. W., thus forming a bight at the head of which is the Kampot river. Its position may easily be recognized by the high land to the north, which slopes down and terminates on the western side of the river's entrance, the land to the south being uniformly low. The anchorage is to the S.S.W. of the western mouth, in 3 fathoms, distant about 5 miles. During the N.E. monsoon, when the wind is off the land, the water is perfectly smooth; and during the other season ships are tolera- bly well sheltered from west and S. W. by Koh Dud, a long island which lies to sea- ward of the Roads ; but during this season intercourse with the shore is sometimes sus- pended by a heavy surf on the bar of the river, which prevents loaded boats from coming out."-Singapore Free Press, Aug. 30th.

The following edict respecting Christianity was issued Aug. 8th, on occasion of the arrest and imprisonment of several native Roman Catholics in Kiaying chau in the northeast of this province; a foreigner was also imprisoned at the same time, but has since been liberated and sent to Canton.

Wan, prefect of the inferior department of Kia-ying chau, translated to his present post from another of the same degree, raised ten steps and recorded ten times, puts forth a proclamation in earnest language; that the hearts of men may be rectified, "and that the laws may be had in due respect.

Be it known that there is in the western world a doctrine of the Lord of Heaven which originated with Jesus. So long as the barbarians propagate or practice this amongst themselves, expounding its books and worshiping according to its ritual, there is no occasion to take notice of it; but it is not permitted them to enter the Inner Land to propagate this doctrine, and natives of the Inner Land who invite men from far places to flock hither, who, in league with them, inflame and unsettle the minds of the people, who inveigle females [to join their sect], or commit any other offenses contrary to the law, are punishable under the statute still in forco. The provisions of the codo are explicit; who shall venture to act otherwise than in observance of it ?

In this department the literary persuasion is held in chief esteem; the character of its people stands high; descended from and connected with men in office, fragrant with scholarship, they are assuredly not about to desert the learning of the sages and wor- thies of the Central Kingdom to run wildly after another doctrine. It has come to my knowledge, notwithstanding, that the simple unenlightened population of the village of Chi-kang and its vicinity have of late invited hither men from afar, and have seduced some to link themselves with these; and that females as well have joined (their socie- ty]: a serious infraction of the laws. It will be my duty to seek out and apprehend such persons as may be guilty of so inviting [foreigners], and of connecting themselves with them, and to punish them severely, in conformity with the old established law and, farther, to put forth an earnest proclamation. I issue this accordingly, for the full information of the military, common people, and others.

You should all be aware that Jesus, born in the time of Ngai Ti, of the Hán dynasty, ranks no higher than Hwa To, Chuh-yu, and others of the same class; being merely skilled to relieve mankind by curing them of disease. His power of breaking seven cakes into food for three thousand men, is not either any more than the witchcraft of the Rationalists, by which things are shifted from one place to another: in other ways he had no peculiar ability. As to his extravagant title of the Lord who made heaven, be- think you, the three sovereigns (B.C. 3369-2622), the Five Emperors (2169), Yau, Shun, Yu, Táng (1743), Wan, Wú, (1105), the Duke of Chau, and Kung (Confucius) the Philo sopher (500), spread abroad civilization, as the agents of heaven, during thousands and tens of thousands of years: the different countries beyond the sea had from an early date rulers and peoples, forms of government, and laws to punish crime: did none of these exist until Jesus appeared to create them in the time of the Han?

It will be found, in the Hải-kwoh Tú Chí, that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the wife of a man named Joseph; that he (Jesus) broke off all intercourse with his father, and regarding himself as the offspring of his mother, conceived while she was a virgin, falsely affirmed that he was her illustrious son created by heaven. The converts to his doctrine therefore allowed no sacrifices or obeisances to be performed to ancestors or Rovereigns, or before any sacred representations of supernatural beings (shin k'i); they distracted the people with doubts, and nusled them to believe that there was no heaven.