ROMANTIC HISTORY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 77, 27 September 1924, Page 16

ROMANTIC HISTORY

ETHIOPIA, ANCIENT AND MODERN.

"Thore are not many States which for two thousand years have never submitted to. the .rule of alien conquerors," says the "Daily" Telegraph." "The Regent of the Empire of Ethiopia, who has been vistiting London- as ■■ the guest of tho King, juay boast that his country has not endured the control, of foreigners since Greek kings ruled in Egypt, if, indeed, their tales of victory are true. Ethiopia haa to out- ears a somewhat mythical sound. ' Was not the Queen of Sheba sovereign of Ethiopia? Ethiopia is : now the proper name of Abyssinia, whose Emperor's title is 'the Conqueror and the-Lion of Juda,-the Elect of God, King of Kings of Ethiopia.' The authentic history of Abyssinia is romantic. That the Queen of Sheba came from the Abyssinian hills, that the modern Royal house of Abyssinia is descended from the son Menelek whom she bore to Solomon, inay_ bo fable. It is certainly true that for-sixteen hundred years Abyssinia has been the homo, of a Christian Church which has. never'been under tho sway of infidel or pagan. No other part of Christendom lias that unsullied fame. That it should have been achieved by a community in the Dark Continent is in the nature of a miracle.

"Abyssinia became Christian in the fourth .century. - In the seventh Islam conquered Kgypt, whence its Christianity hud come, and the Abyssinians were Ciit oh" from t!ie rest of Christendom, a territory surrounded by Mohammedanism and heathendom, 'Encompassed by the enemies, of their religion, tho Ethiopians slept" for near a, thousand years, forgetful- of- the world by whom they were, forgotten.' So much is ascartained fact, bub thero are stranger stories still; that they were Jewish before they were Christian, that they were converted liot'in'the fourth century, but much,earlier by.St. Matthew the Evangelist. When the great- age of exploration began, Portuguese travellers discovered Ethiopia;,'and its Emporor sent an embassy to the.King of Portugal to ask help against ■ Islam, and with Portuguese musketeer's delivered his country from the armies of the Crescent. The Christianity of Ethiopia was again in touch with Christendom, and for a hundred and fifty years received priests from Rome. But from the middle of the seventeenth century the Abyssinians were again isolated, save for such' bold explorers as James Bruce on his quest of the source of the Blue Nile:till the opening of the gates of Africa in the last century. In. the division of (he continent among tho European Powers Abyssinia successfully maintained her independence, ,and' now, enrolled in the ■League ol Nations, thn Abyssinians" ai.'« undertaking- UW- development ■of .their own country."! -._».,._. _._!..