Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-07
Menelik is Chief Ruler Over Seven
Million People.
UPPER CLASS OF JEWISH ORIGIN
Taking on Some of the Aspects of
European Civilization.
THEIR RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS
From the Providence Jaurnai.

'"ud Eject OF the Savior. King OF Kings
OF Ethiopia, ;hc monarch who by his vic
tories at Amba-Alaghi at Mnkalle. Adigrct
and Amba-Garima shattered Italy's colonial
ambitions he who thanks to his generosity
TO the Italian prisoners. has reserved tho
designation OF most Just man" which
Homer himself applied to a king Of Ethia-
pia 5000 years ago. Menelik II, Emperor OF
Abyssnia is not only the chief OF a nation
OF f"ro.0po inhabitants. the mysterious orr
gin of which Is lost In the night OF ages
the sovereign Of kingdom sooot1 square
miles In area, but also Of a country which
from political and commercial point OF
view is destined to play a leading part ina
the future history Of the dark continent.
The switzerland OF Africa" as Napier
commander of the expedition against Th.o-
doros, once called Abyssinia. excltes alike
the interest Of saVRuts. by it's past and of
Statesmen by its present and future. Bat
from every point of view the country Is IN
teresting 10 the mere dilcttante tourist A
people OF farmers and warriors. the Abys-
sluialls have great afIinities with our races
and civilization The upper and ruling
class OF the empire is of Jewish origin TIE
Ably ssifians firmly believe that they have
as king a descendant OF Meneiik son of
So!omon aud OF the Queen OF Shchs.
According to Tradition.
This Menelik, who was sent TO Palestine
~ SSAit'tNte 4ilS ttutdlibil. IL supposed, ar-
cordinG to Aby ssinian tradition. to have re-
turned homo accompanied by 1900 Jews.
belonging to the upper classes Of the twelve
tribes. and TO have founded a government
in conformity with the laws OF Moses IT
is from these i2.eoa Hebrews that are sun
posed to be descended the 100000 mobiles
who form the governing class i'm Ethiopia
TO-DAY. The state church IN Ahyssinia,
though termed Christian church is in
reality an otfshoot of the Jewish rites aud
maintains all the Jewish traditions not spe-
cialIy abolished by Scripture. Like the
tenacious Israeites that they are the
Abyssinians resisted during many centuries
the assaults of Islam. At one time Stephen
brother of Nasco da Cana. governor of In
dlar came to their assistance when the ia
nous Turkish warrior, Mob ammed Grain
threatened their independence. Da Gama's
soldiers, 10 the number of lnnbi cstah-
hshed themselves permanently ia the coun-
try Increased the ranks of the Christian
arlstocracy ana came near bringing about
the definite triumph of the Roman Catholic
Church in the kingdom. But the intrlgues
OF the Jesuits resulted in a reactionAry
movement favorable TO the Greek Church
TO which Abyssinia has become definitely
affiliated.
Religious Customs.
The baptism of children among the Ahys-
sinians takes place the fortieth day after
birth by immersion, if possible, in river.
At the festival of Easter a lamb is killed
in every family, just in ancient Israel.
The high priest is appointed by the patri-
arch of Alexandria, and only ofiiciai = at
important functions. All religious services
are held in Gheez, a dead language the
characters of which resemble those OF an
cient Hebrew. The priests, gorscuusly at
tired during the services. assume their
modest, everyday dress Immediately after
ward
The Ahyssinlans are very strict In this
observance of a number OF fast days. They
invariably abstain from eating pork. They
slaughter animals with great ceremony, in
much the same manner as the Jews.
The Abyssinians speak a great number
OF dialects, which bear the imprint Of the
different historical origins of the inhabi-
tants. Tigreen and Amharica are the two
most widely ciffused idiOms. Then come,
in their order of Importance, Tigre gina,
Saho, Dancali. Agao. Baria and Baza. The
two last-named are spoken in the colony
of Erythrea,
But. though ,he people Of Abyssinia diff
fer from each other in the language they
speak, they all Resemble each other from
a physical point Of view, and bear the inn
print of the same racial type. To what
ever class they belong, they have a marked
Semitic cast of countenance. Wherein they
differ slightly is in the color OF the skin,
which varies according to the social class:
the mobiles and the upper classes generally
are almost white this is particularly true
of the women) but in going down the So
cia scale the color OF the natives is OF
darker hue.
of Recent Years.
OF late years the Abyssinians have taken
on the aspects of European civilization,
and this, Notwithstanding the fact that
there are a considerable number OF Ma
hommedans in the empire \ proof Of the
advanced state of civilization In Abyssinia
comparatively speakIng-is found in the
not TO say luxurious manner
in which the natives live. Ths houses oil
the Abyssinians do not, in the least. re-
semble the filthy huts Of the Algerian
Arabs for instance. Their houses. which
are almost entirely built of wood. are spa
cious and well furnished, resembling III
many respects the Swiss chalets.
Like the Jews, In certain countries OF
eastern Europe, the Abyssinians marry at
an early age. The Negus, or emperor IN
accordance with the tradition of Solomon,
reserves to himself the right Of having sew
eral wives. The Hebrew type Is easily dis
cernible in the upper classes. The chris
tian names of men and women are all OF
Jewish origin, as well as the names OF
towns, mountains and rivers.
Landed Aristocrats.
There are a considerable number OF large
landed aristocrats in the country, though
a recent royal statute, which recalls the
old Mosaic laws, places obstacles in the
way of a too great accumulation Of landed
in the possession Of one person.
Abyssinia boasts of three different cli-
temperate. tropical and the In
AS a result Of these three oif-
ferent zones, the country produces the
vegetation of all the tropical and temperate
climates in the world. The principal vege-
table products of the temperate zone are
almost the same as those found in the
Pyrenees and southern France, beside
which sugar cane, cotton. bananas. coffee,
teas and wild vines likewise flourish The
silk worm industry has also greatly de-
yeloped within the past few years.
Commerce fs Considerable.
In 1896 the total commerce of Abyssinia
to $3.50, 900, 600. During the same
year the trade of the Italian colony Of
Erythrea only amounted TO SJOOoO,o 600,
though the colony is in the hands OF Eu-
'opeans and boasts of a good seaport. The
italian colony is today in a most precarioUs
whereas the empire Of Abyssinia
S most prosperous and is destined TO a
great future. This is certainly the only in
stance known In which African civilization
aas proved superior to European methods
But, Notwithstanding the fact that the
mercy displayed by the Abyssinians I'm
avor of their national Independence, and
he generous conduct of Menelik toward
10 hal Tsa1sa