The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
NJ EN- ELIK'S ABYSSINIANS.
4 JEWISH IRTSToCRiCr D.ITING
EROM kLNG SOLOMON.



TsrN Cn,i Themselves 'cuid sI,rInm." Chn.
drcn or Nnry--Rrinrorc bS later jews
Fairly Diplomatic Relations MIth France.
From the st. Jdmcgs Gn:ciis.
II mny not lie without interest, while n~ttcui!o,
Is turned to Ahyssinla. To collect Il few lili'e
known or unpublished details about the rcnrle
who-to quote Father Ohrwnldcr'S book love IN
he called could Myrinm," the Children OF Mary.
Let us take frat n birdscyc view Of diplomatic
| and international relations between the rmuire
of the AtiGs trulcrs OF Ahysslnia) ana Enrore.
in the fifteenth century Ncgus Tara Jacob trcl,,
himself to q mission composed of two E,liorf,n
bishops. who arrive in 1899 with let.
tors OF Introduction to the Council n,
Florence, greatly ASTONISHING the assem-.
hicd Fathers by their complexion. 4 SIN.
ccssor sends another embassy to Enron,
TO the court OF Spain, craving mother moro nov
less than tho hand OF the kiri,s GaUshtcr. m,
Princess being Anne of .Aua,Tia, the futur,
bride OF Louis XIII. Some year later. again mi,
appearance from ira los m0atcs Of an hbyssininn
prince ut the court OF Louvre. This young man.
Zaga Christ by name and ION Of The dcposcd Ne.
gus David, comes lover" with tho modest "a.
quest that his Most Christian Majesty tic King
OF France he good enough to supply him wi,hun
army that he might rcconQucr the thrurc Of lis
ancestors. Cardinal liichc!icu j, unable 10
CRAFTY the young Princes laadnh!c ambition.
but gives him., all tn" satnc. a tension and Ter.
mission to misbchavc; and IL we are to trust M,uo.
do SGvignG, the Abyssinian Prince tool; out his
disappointing Mt in Irritation. Ilucil boasts the
privilege Of having been tho las, resting place
OF this son "of the seed Of solomon An cy.
change of embassies took place again during
the reign of Louis NV, when also a French
quack became lccch and confdunt in ordinary
to the Ncgus. Gen. Bonapartc wrote u letter to
Ras Mikacl OF TigrG. and cpistolary relations
continued between France and successive Ne.
guscs until 1870. A complete plan for the rcor.
ganization oil -tbyssinia seems to have been
maturcd at the time, the scheme including
French dispcnsarics at Gondar and .Adown, o
zouavc guard of honor for the Ncgus,
IA corner for Abyssinian students in
the Latin Quarter, and "A Franco.Abyssin.
languages! The unbclicving are referred to lie
minutes of the "Liguc. de. lEnscigncmrnt."
founded by NJ. Jean Mace. this gentleman har.
ing gone out of his way as far as Cairo in order
to examine The possibility Of starting an Abys.
f &, ihar branch r.. ,Ha Of PIN the d L,SI iSi,b IhT IN lmI at. wen, no
twenty years the "Chi!drcn of Mary - have be-
come attracted toward another sect, The Chill
from the foregoing that the French Drdng mach
Abgssinicn is but II logical consequence OF pre-.
vious efforts, and that there is u traditional
element of no mean Importance in the move.
ment is beyond DOUBT.
Its sources can be traced again TO the remote
centuries when the exploits of the Crusaders
fllGd the African Christians with wonder and adj
tidings from Jerusalem Of how the Franks had
become protectors of the holy places and of all
The Christians of the East. Whatever the actual
the tradition keeps It's perennial hold. especially
with a ps9nlG addiciei ! 10 a primitive form OF
faith TO have. withstood alone the tremendous
avalanche of Islam over the Dark Continent.
sentiment to the conclusion that The :. precious
friendship OF the, reigning NeRus will make OF
France 20 settle definitely the angry question
concerning the possession OF the valley OF tho
Ni MI. But there is no denying that the French
As to the Emperor Menclik. This monarch's
recent proves, both moral and material. has
taken the civilized world by surprise; his hordes
OF warriors have proved quite equal 10 well-dis-
turned out more than n match for I. diplomacy
Said to he Tg!tG a,nm prete c di HGchiareIIi.
simply ch"SSe dc race. being a direct descendant
of King solomon, his very name being taken af-
Queen of shcba of the Scriptures
and OF the great Hebrew monarch, Menelik
ans will have it translated as ."Son Of
The Wise by assimilating Menelik to Ebn
any rate, it IS evident that the Negus is Of the
chosen people: and this once established we
i nigsI no H N9T " he aI OF ms Of eT sbe qa@a IA bi in am.
Jews one sees as a rule in the East, but by au:
the escort OF 1900. which Solomon's solici-
tudc provided for the Mcnelik OF 1900 years ago.
when that favorite son of his, having finished
his studies in the Temple, set out to Join the
Queen, his mother A new Jgdea was founded
thus after the death OF Makcda, Menelik oriyi-
mating tho Solomonian dynasty of Ethiopian
Einpcrors. and Jerusalem beanie the CEN
tire OF pious p~ilgrimages for the peo-
during the first captivity and during the reign
of Salmanassar, the eXi!es getting rapidly nc.
ClimatizcG and absorbed in the bulk OF tho
Ethiopian nation. \ last exodus followed after
enough, this batch OF cxilcs remained without
the sphcrc of action or influence of their African
Countrymcn. Through ali these centuries they
have kept the proud nickname OF JGAd =ids-
GNilcs; they live in ghcttos built by themselves
in he province of Samcn; they are exempt from
duty; they disdain trade, mCtal-wOrk.
ing being their only occupation; and they have
remained faithful 10 their ancient creed. It 10
hey onI the scope of these notes TO review
N detail the conversion of this .!rcmarka-
bic race to Christianity, and It will! suffice
to mention that tradition places the event as
early as the year 50 of our era. Nor can one say
more rs regards the religious organization OF
the country. the rites and The very spirit of tho
than that tho whole people accepted
the new faith and kept all OF the old one that
was not abroSa;cn by the law o! Christ. Our
was recognized as the expected Mes
siah, and thus have Ethiopians or rather eth
Jesus. These aborigincs form to-day the ariS-
toCraCy of the country; all the Church and State
tho Bishops, word bearers. tho
mounted Ahbots. and all representatives Of this
They are about 100000 in rough nunl.
hers. ruling over $4,000 900. That is how Jews
reign in Ethiopia, md that is why We need not
10 surprised ut any Of their mighty deeds whom
The tid!ngs reach our half-informcd ears.
~