The suburban citizen., 1901-09-07
THE DANCE OF DAVID.
furious Religious Ceremony Peculiar 60
the Abyssinlans.

Ahe Auyebihlhhss
The following extracts, says the
London Graphic, are from the diary
Of Captain Il. =. Cobbold during his
Journey to join the Abysslnians oper-
atlng with the British forces against
the Mad Mullah: 81 was lucky to
have been in Harrar at the festival Of
the Dance of David Before the Ark
of the Covenant Of the Lord The
sight is probably but little changed
since the first performance 1900 years
ago, and still bears, in all probability,
an intimate relation to the old Jew
ish dance. The Christianity of Abys-
sinia of to-day, in accordance and IN
religious observance is a replica of
ancient Christendom, such as it was in
the time Of Constantine, and in this
sense alone offers historical interest
such as is afforded by no other coun-
try at the present moment.
But to get on with the dance. It's
origin dates from the year 323 A. D.,
or thereabouts, when the Emperor
Constantine called together the first
council of Bishops in Constantinople.
At that time the Abyssinians had been
recently converted to Christianity,
and, as time went on, sent, as did
other Christian Kingdoms and States,
a Bishop or representative of the
church, at the invitation of the EN-
peror, to the yearly Council of Bishops
at Constantinople, where the ordn-
| ances of the church for the ensuing
year were drawn up and agreed upon.
At the sixth council the Dance Of
David Before the Ark Of the Cove
nant Of the Lord was revived, hav-
ing been copied from the Jews, and
was ordered to be hereafter included
in the ordinances for each ensuing
year by the representatives of the
Christian Church. 1t seems, however,
that at the seventh Council Of
Bishops the continuation of the dance
of David was disallowed, and the
order for its performance rescinded.
But it happened that the Bishop repre-
senting Abyssinia was unable to be
present either at this or the next
council; the country, in all probability,
being in a state Of war, and unable
to consider spiritual matters. The
Abysslnian Church, therefore, con-
tinued in ignorance Of the order re-
scinding the dance, which has, in con-
sequence, been continued and per-
formed on the sacred Saturday before
Easter.
'As we neared the courtyard Of Ras
Makennon's house we were greeted
with sounds Of singing. Upon enter
ing we were surprised to find the place
crowded with people, and then real
lied that we had been asked to wit
ness a religious ceremony Some of
those present were beautifully attired
nj Indian robes, and wore gold crowns
covered with precious stones. Others
dressed in white, with deep red
band running down the centre dis
tinguishing them from Mohamme-
dans,) the headdress consisting OF a
large white turban. All these people
were seated on the ground in the ver-
anda, and in the centre we discov-
cred the Garasmatch General of the
Right seated on chair of state.
After greeting him 1 had time to look
about at the weird crowd facing us in
a semi-circle At my left, under a
magnicently embroidered umbrella,
stood an aged man, and in his inn
mediate following were small children,
holding some scriptural sign. The old
man was the high priest. Beyond
him, and completing the semi-crcle,
stood other men, all dressed in white,
some holding wands and others rat
ties. while still Others were weighted
down with heavy drums. Thus they
sang the Psalms of Davld-to the ac-
compartment of music and dancing.
The priests, as they continued the
movement gradually warmed up 20
the work. and ended in a wild, fan
tastical figure. This over, a repre-
sentative was chosen from among the
priests, who delivered a long harangue
to the Garasmatch, chanting psalms
and extolling the merits Of the En-
perOr, Ras MakennOn and the Garas-
match himself finishing by hoping
that the Garasmatch would not for
get that they had tasted for two
months, and that he would give them
plenty of food and money.
The General of the Right thereupon
asked us TO call upon him in half an
hour, and then proceeded to the re-
ception hall, where the priests re-
ceived money and an invitation to
breakfast on the following morning.
After this the priests broke up into
small parties, and visited the various
European high officials in the town.
from whom they demanded money
Each man, on giving them a present
received a talisman from the priests
meaning Good luck and peace be to
them"