mens and hunting down the "tiger" mandarin.

The present Manchu dynasty seized the Dragon throne in 1644. For one
hundred and fifty years China enjoyed comparative peace and prosperity.
The emperor Kang-hi and his grandson Keenlung, each reigned sixty years, to
the Chinese a manifest token of Heaven's favor. The past one hundred years
have been troublous. There has been internal strife. There have been
momentous issues to settle in the opening of China's gates to the outside
world. When she needed Emperors of the broadest statesmanship, she has had
to blunder along with mediocre men or bend an unwilling neck under the sway
of puppets. Had it not been for her great Prime Ministers, such as Prince
Kung and Li Hung Chang, the days would have been fuller of dark-presaging
omens and their disastrous fulfillment.

The beginning of this century found a secret society in existence known as
the "Triads," whose avowed object was the expulsion of the Manchus and the
restoration of the Mings. In 1803 the emperor Kiaking was attacked in open
day while being carried in a chair of state through the streets of Peking.
He was saved by his attendants, several of whom lost their lives.

In 1851 the Tai-ping Rebellion began. The fuel that fed the flame was
various. It was reaction against oppressive government. It was iconoclasm
inspired by a spurious Christianity. It was pride of race that would not
tolerate a Manchu on the throne. For fourteen years China staggered under
this awful scourge. Whole provinces were devastated and almost
depopulated. For a long time the issue was uncertain. At length the
united strength of foreigners and Chinese battered the serpent's head and
destroyed its vitals.

While the boa of rebellion was stretching itself across the heart of the
empire a whole brood of little serpents were poisoning and devouring other
outlying provinces. An insurrection was organized in the neighborhood of
Amoy early in 1853. Mr. Talmage writes fully concerning it.

THE "LITTLE KNIFE" INSURRECTION.

Jan. 25, 1853. To the Sunday-school, Flushing, New York.

"The streets of Amoy are very narrow. The widest are only a few yards
wide. At very short distances apart, there are gates across the streets.
The object of these gates, and the principal cause of the streets being so
narrow, are to protect the inhabitants from gangs of thieves. In the
winter season, when men have more leisure and more temptation to plunder,
these gates ar