The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-07
CHRISTIAN ABYSSINIA
HOW THE COPTS CONVERTED THE
VALLEY OF THE NILE.
Origin of Monastic Lffe-Africa Not
So Dark After All-Emperor Meme
lexis Descent from Sheba.

New York Times.
Chrstendom has a deeper interest in
Abyssinia and it's remarkable monarch, EN-
peror Menelek, than the world at large has
stopped to consider 1t is not the fate of
the Italian army nor the march of the
British toward the Soudan that attracts
thinking people. 1t is the general focusing
Of the worlds lenses upon that part of the
globe which was literally the cradle of cul-
ture and of Christianity
1t has been the vogue to speak of Africa
as a dark continent" God-forsaken and
debauched region. There has been some
foundation-nay, one had almost said posi-
tive iustifcation-for this practice, because
among the wild and untamed tribes of CEN
trail Africa and the inhabitants of the
south and west all the excuses of debased
carnalism prevailed.
Not so, however, in Abyssinia has this
been the case, despite the habitudes of SEN
sational correspondents and those who we're
part of or accompanied besieging and in
vading European armies. Abyssinia, Etnio-
pia and Egypt have been and still continue
to be the repositories of the relics and treas
ures of wondrouS civilization, a gran
deur, learning and culture to which mod.
ern historians reverentially defer and point
With reverential awe.
If the wars which have begun in Africa,
particularly in that region of which Ethi-
opla and Abyssinia are part, reveal the
treasures hidden in the monastries OF the
Coptic monks and the monophysite priests,
they will be a blessing TO Christianity,
science and progressive civilization.
Emperor Menelek has been regarded as a
barbarian" by Europeans, who seem to
have adopted the term with even less justi-
fcation, for it than had the Roman people
when they applied it to all other races on
earth. But when this barbarian is inves-
tigated he turns out 10 be by birth and pos
s sibilities very much OF gentleman of lofty
to-day country of about 100000 square
miles, inhabited by 100000 persons, whose
forefathers We're believed to be the oldest
are divided into three great subdivisions of
the whole: First, the Philippians of Tigre,
who speak the ancient Geez language: sec
ond. the Amharic tribes. living in Amhara
and Shoa, and, third the Agows of Wag
Lasta. said to be of Phoenician origin.
There are also the Calais, who settled in
Amhara and Shoa.
BRUTALIZED BY WAR
1t must be admitted that the frequent
civil wars brutalized and depraved these peo-
pie by engendering evils and vices and by
destroying the literature that once belonged
to Abyssinia and which tradition tells us
was important and extensive. Abyssinia is
situated between ATTITUDES eight degrees thir-
~ minutes and sixteen degrees thirty min
utes north, and between longitudes thirty
four degrees twenty minutes and forty-three
degrees twenty minutes east. 1t is bounded
north and northwest by Nubia and south and
east by Gala and Samal and Adal Its
topography may be described as elevated
table land and extensive valleys and IL has
many thriving cities. So much for the geo.
graphical summary of Emperor Menelek's
domnions. OF its relations TO Christianity
and the worlds early greatness few words
of description Will be interesting.
Menelek claims to be direct descendant
from the Queen of Sheba and her son
Menelek, whose father was said TO be Solo
mon. and the legendary lore of this part OF
Africa says that the first Menelek was a
Jew and was educated by the wise king
himself. Be this as it may. the present
Menelek Is a wise man. and is bent on be-
ing classified by his European cousins as
their peer-a Dotentate of common sense
and progressive, of longer descent and
loftier lineage-prepared to take his place
among them for the benefit of his people
and humanity. He wishes TO belong to the
Geneva convention. and il is asserted that
most recesses of his kingdom and its
monasteries TO the properly accredited ex-
plorer.
There should be plenty to repay research
of this character in land wealthy in
biblical tradition. and where stands the old
est temples and religious edifices In Axum.
a cathedral to-day as old as Christianity
itself IL historians are TO be believed.
Coptic. Christianity was and is. the re-
many Mohammedars and Jews. The first
apostle OF Christianity I'm Abyssnia chrcn-
iclers claim to have been the chamberlain
baptism is recorded in Acts vii. q. But
Frementius and Adesius OF Tyre were
slaves to the King of Abyssinia. and on his
hereditary princes and Adesius went back
to Tyre This was In A. ID. 320 and FREE
mentius formed Christian church among