Southern Christian Advocate

A SECOND NERO. A persecuting edict against Christians was promulgated at the end of 1854, by Tu-Duc, the king of Cochin-China. This edict is very long, contains horrible blasphemies, and breathes a furious hatred to the Christian name. Not only does Tu-Duc aspire to walk in the steps of his predecessors, Ming, Mang and Thien-Tri, of detestable memory—he aims even to surpass them. The following are the principal provisions of the edict in question:

The Christian Mandarins of both the capital and the provinces are required to recant, the former within a month, the latter within three months; in default of compliance, they will be deprived of their rank; and if still obstinate, will be punished like the common people. The soldiers and the people must apostatize, and trample the cross under their feet within six months, on pain of severe punishment. The European missionaries will be beheaded, and their heads exposed for three days; their bodies will then be thrown into the sea. Any person betraying them will receive 300 taels. The native clergy and the pupils of the Europeans will also be beheaded, and 100 taels reward is offered for their apprehension. The pupils of the native preachers will be banished to the distant islands. The churches and places of meeting will be burnt, and the rice belonging to the Christian communities distributed to the people. All the mandarins of the provinces, from the least to the greatest, will be severely punished if they fail to execute these decrees. The chief in the canton, and the mayor of any village in which any European or his pupils may be apprehended, will be punished with death. This odious edict was not published till two months after it had received the sanction of the king Tu-Duc.