Page:Tseng Kuo Fan and the Taiping Rebellion.djvu/130

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TSENG KUO-FAN

all are false gods who deceive and harm the people on earth. By no means must they be worshipped. Whoever worships a single one of the false gods breaks the heavenly law.)


False demons with the greatest ease influence the spirits of men.

Those who in error accept them at last become Hell's own victims.

We warn you, oh you brave souls, that you arouse yourselves,

And make haste to come into fellowship with your Almighty heavenly Father.

The third Heavenly law: Do not lightly utter God's name.

(The Supreme God was originally named Jehovah. Human beings must not utter the name in an unseemly manner. Those who do this, and those who curse Heaven, break the Heavenly law.)

High and majestic is the Heavenly Father! greatly to be reverenced,

They who rashly take his name soon come to grief.

Those who know not the true way should bestir themselves,

For to blaspheme lightly is an endless sin.

The fourth Heavenly law: On the seventh day offer worship and sing praise to the kindness of the Supreme God.

(On the sixth day God completed the creation of Heaven and earth, mountains and seas and human beings. The seventh day he had completed his work and called it the Sabbath day. Therefore men of this world who enjoy the blessings of the Supreme God should on the seventh day especially adore, worship and sing praises to the virtue of the Supreme God.)

Every blessing enjoyed on earth comes forth from Heaven;

To chant (Heaven's) virtue and sing his merit is surely reasonable.

Morning and night and at meals we should render thanks

But with greater reverence should we worship on each recurring seventh day.