Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-24

Mr.. Parkyns favors US with pretty vivid and, we
fancy pretty accurate account of the religious prnci
pies and ob,ervances Of his Abyssnian friends Christi
anty or rather corruption Of it, as is well known is
the prevailing religion of the country being professed
by majority Of the population, though many Moham-
medans and Faashas Jews are tolerated in the
community. The gospel was introduced into Abyssinia
by Frumentus early the year of Lord 330 In
matter Of profession nation is SO cloudy christian"
their fass numerous than those Of any other
christian Sect amounting they do to 260 days Of
the $685. though Mr.. Parkyns thinks they make up for
this abstinence if not by the number Of their feass
least by the voracity with which they celebrate them
His of Abyssnian agaps Of bridal banquet
ncnes favor his opinion ST. Johns day, it seems,
is held in high repute by the African christians, and his
is, BESIDES 'the only ceanly day. in the calendars for
in the evening the whole population, male and female,
old and young, 60 down to neighboring stream and
bathe 1t is fact that excepting this occasion,
there are many Of the number swho beyond washing
their hands before and after meals, and their feet after
journey trouble the water from years end to
another Mr. Parkynss habit Of washing every morning
like European christian gave RISE he says, Sat first
much scandal subectng him to the suspicion Of being
Mussulman We suspect he did not long give occasion
to such scandal, but became anhydrous the
rest "Ofa TRUTH he moralizes, christianity but
la dirty religion in Abyssnia."
From these statements should infer that the Abys
snian church has long been faithful it's first principles
and traditions for, if we remember arght the early
nails Of ecclesiastical history record the sefdenyng
sauaor and ithiness which distinguished Of tro
godyte saints and sages in the craggy Businesses Of Nu
bia and these torrd soitudes of Abyssina. Hy
drophoba has always been sympomatic pety
We read Of the good Saint Anthony who bequeathed
Athanasius skin in which his sacred person had been
wrapped for half century.
Our readers will not, Of course be OF oil surprised
when weinform them that exemplary traveller pooh
poohs at the attempts put forth by modern christians
both Catholic and Protestants for the reformation and
religious culture of the Abyssnians He very compla-
Gently proceeds to give advice to all who may feel scal
ed to embark in missionary tour among this people,
though whether his precepts will be deemed quite apos
ocal need scarcely state after the idea readers
have already been able to form Of their author Ii
life has charms greatly superior to those of civil
zaion and if crime is the natural product of the latter
as Mr. Parkyns persuades himself, easily under
stand why o benevolent barbarian like himself should
look with regret upon the humanzng tendencies Of
dern philanthropy MEANWHILE however, it is to be hop
ed that the American Board of Commissioners at Bos
and the Society Of the Propaganda at Rome will not
be entirely dsheartened by Mr. Parkynss report of their
progress and past in Abyssnia; for in clos
ing his bulletin this head he to have been visit
apology for the quantity and quality Of his remarks
this topic that they filed up from notes taken, it
is true on the spot, but when he was lad, in
somuch that he trusts amy want of business in his con-
cusons may be attributed to the nexperience Of youth