Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-21
EARLY CHRISTIANITY
I'm Esypt-1he Copfs and Their Church
and Rs They Are 5o-Bay-Their
Prospects,.

I'm Egypt-5he Copfs and Their Churci
and Rs They Are 8a-Bay-Thetr
Prospects,.
To-day, says the New York Herald, Egypt
rs probably the most Mohammedan of ali
Mohammedan countries. Cairo il much
more thoroughly Mohnmmedan city than
Ganstspsinnple, asd through iss fsraous uni.
versIty the influence it exerta on the Moham.
medan world is hardly surpassed by that OF
Mecca itself. There is bat very little, in
deed, in the Egypt of these latter times
| litter to remind the traveller that this yery
same land was at one time one of the strong
holds of Christianity. Yet il was 1t was here
! that ST Anthony, the father of monachism.
lived and died. lt was in Alexandria thai
the first serious discussions arose az to the
number OF persons in the Godhead, and in
the entire history of christian polemics
probably no discussions have been conducted
| with more ability or with more bitterness or
have created deeper or more widespread
interest. The excitement was not the less
| becsuse OF the personal interest taken in The
controversy by the Emperor Constantine.
and general mental repose was impossible
while men were compelled to listen
to the fierce logomschy and to witness
the alternate prosecutions and triumphs OF
Arius and Athanasius. These discussions,
to the doctrines and dogmas OF the Church.
had an injurious effect upon the christianity
OF the East. The Egyptian Christians, az a
| rule, have favored the views of Arius The
result was that they became gradually iso
latsd- from their breth1ss.- ef-ttle West and
thai finally, in 45l, at the council, they were
formally condemned. Thenceforward they
were regarded as heretics and treated ac-
cordingly. Oh these primitive Christians, in
nf
survives.
WHO ARE THE coPTs?
The Copts are the direct descendants of the
early Christians OF Egypt. OF this there
never has been any serious question. They
are to-day what the Crusaders found them
len centuries ago, and in all these years they
have remained steadfsst to the faith. An
easy faith ii may be in some particulars but
it is still something to be able TO say that,
according to the light that is in them, they
have been sieadfast, loyal and true. 1t is
almost equally certain that they are the
lineal descendants OF The ancient Egyptians.
In form and feature they resemble in most
striking manner the figures on the
ancient monuments. The thick lips,
curly hair, the low stature are
scarcely 1ess in striking contrast
with the Arab fellaheen than they are in re-
semblance TO the sculptured figures to be
seen at Thebes, at Karnak and at Luxor.
The race marks are unmista BILE The en-.
during power is remarkable. II would be won
derfnl-would it Motif the present move
ment in Egypt should give to this people an
opportunity such as it has not enjoyed in
1900 years? the preservation OF the race
has not been for nothing. 1t is not SO that
providence and nature have hitherto worked
race 30 miraculously preserved must
have been preserved for some purpose
r.. a. 4
ever, in the present article to deal with the
Copts-the Gubtees, as they are now named
in Alexandra and Cairo-as the descendants
OF the ancient and mighty race OF tie Egypt
OF the Pharoans, the pyramid builders of
1000 or 5000 years ago, as the people who
form living link with the Christians of the
first four centuries of the Christian era. OF
course it has to be admitted that The Greeks
and Romans had made strange inroads into
Egypt; but that there was distinctive
Egyptian people, in spite of Greeks and
Romans and jews and Ishmaelites, in some
force in the land up until the time of the
Saracen invasion no one has evet attempted
to deny.
THE CoPTs AND THEIR CHURCH.
The Copts, although found all over the
land of Egyp', are not numerous. They
have been variouslY estimated at between
10000 and 100000. The actual number
lies perhaps midway between the two figures.
Probably the Copts are not more than one
fourteenth of the people OF Egypt. Their
power, however lies not in their NUMBER,
but in their adherence to their creed, in their
quiet ways and their stubborn tenacity OF
purpose. 1t is long time since the days of
ST. Mark the Evangelist, and one of the i'm
mediate followers of Jesus of Nazareth 1t
is claimed, however, by the Copts-and the
claim is generally admitted to be
we'll founded-that Egypt received the gos-
pei from that teacher. OF course there is no
authentic history bearing on this fact.
We know that Mark was a nephew Of Bsrna-
bas; that he accompanied st. Paul and his
uncle to Antioch, Cyprus and Perga, in
Pamphylia; that he came back to Jerusalem
and went thence a second time TO Cyprus,
and thence to Rome. Tradition, however,
has it that at some particular period OF his
career he made a missionary tour in Egypt
and Western Africa and that he suffered
msrtyrdom about 62 or &c A. D., and that
his mortal remains were conveyed TO Venice,
of which city he became the patron saint.
According to the Copts, he was the fret
patriarch of Alexandria, and through him
Abyssinia as we'll as Egypt received
the teachings of the Christ. At the pres
sent day the chief dignitary of the Coptic
Church is the Patriarch of Alexandris,
whose residence is in Cairo, and it is his
privilege to nominate the metrepolitans OF
Abyssinis. In the Coptic Church there are
twelve bishops. The subordinate orders are
archpriests, priests, descons and monks. AS
a rule the patriarch rs named by his prede-
cessor, and he is found among the monks
of the convent OF ST. Anthony, the patron
saint of Egypt. The Copts are strict in their
religious observauces. They baptizs by i'm
mersiou; practice JUNCTION, exorcism and
auriculsr confession, and celebrate the
Lords Supper with leavened bread dipped
in wine Good Friday with them is a fast
day. Attention of no ordinary kind is paid
by them to education. In the schools the boys
are taught 10 resd the Psalms, Gospels and
Epistles in Arabic, the Gospels and Epistles
being slso read in Coptic. The Coptic is
no longer spoken language, although it
can boast of few books in religious hiosrn-
ply and philosophy. 1t is still used IN the
religious services. The Coptic alphabet was
mainly borrowed from the Greek. 1t was
the privilege of the writer Of the present
article some years ago, in the late patrisrch's
presence and with his consent and help. TO
attempt to read the synopticsl gospels. fhe
effort was rendered the more agreeable by
some excellent coffee and some delightful
conversation.
THE coPTs AS THEY ARE TO-DAY.
1t is unnecessary TO say that during their
long history the Copts have suffered much
from the races which at successive periods
have dominated the country. They have
been compelled 10 wear the badges of sepa-
rate,and conquered people, and have other
wise been made 10 feel their position OF iu-
feriority. These compulsory distinctions,
however, have been little felt since the days
of Mehemet Ali, who saw the propriety OF
enlisting Coptic sympathy in behalf OF his
own plans. The Cspts are the scribes oil
Egypt They are also the school-masters. In
all the divsns, in every public Office, you al
once discover the Copts by his black, glossy,
often curly hair and by his comparatively
pale face. They are really superior class
1t is pleasing, however, 10 be able to relate
that since the removal of all inequalities
they live on terms of perfect friendship with
the Moslem, while preserving their indi.
viduslity and their separate family arrange
ments Many of the Copts, through the
| the Arab population; but since the tempta.
| tions to proselytize have been taken out oi
| the wsy secessions to Modernism have be
come exceedingly rare.
| - TIE PROSPECT.
In present circumstances it is undoubtedlJ
| dangerous to predict, but there is q strong
| presumption that one OF the results of thil
war will be.to bring the Coptic Christians
into more intimate relations With thei
brethren OF the West; thai by force OF con
| tact they will be awakened into newness o
| life and that thus they will become a reno
waiting power on the banks OF the Nile.
would no doubt seem 10 nIsny a strang
| freak OF fortune il conservative Moslen
| Egypt should become the instTumen; shrougi
which Christianity is revived in az OH
| home in the Eastern world.
| krosr A., m f.uesofa
MISNEAPoLIs. September 20. = Their
was sharp frost throughout this State las
j rlulaf lh. L. 4 aIf Ii, shlaclc