Anglican and Eastern.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XIII, Issue 2, 1 August 1922, Page 393

Anglican and Eastern.

Of progress towards Reunion Bishop Gwynne' writes from Khartoum : — An advance was also made" m the movement towards the re-union of Christendom, when the representatives of seven Churches spent three days at Helouan m friendly conference as to the next move towards this great aim. . A very interesting account is given by Archdeacon Waddy of the visit of a deputation to Jerusalem from Abyssinia last October. They presented from the Empress of that country an Abyssinian manuscript of the Gospels. Underneath a picture of the presentation is the folloAving note : — The Abyssinian race is Semitic, speaks a tongue akin to Hebrew, and claims that its Royal Fariiily is descended from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The nation was converted m the fourth century to Christianity, by the Egyptians, the Abyssinian Church being a daughter of the Coptic and its Abuna or Bishop always being sent it from Egypt. Abyssinian books are kept m cases which are hung on pegs. The presentation of a handcross and a copy of the Gospels, -written m Ge'ez, the ancient Abyssinian used m church services, to the Bishop of Jerusalem, is a very delicate compliment, such things not usually being _given to •anyone not iii communion Avith the Coptic Church. The f blJoAving letter, given m the quaint English of the interpreter, accompanied the gift:— The prevailent Lion of the Tribe of Judah, The Elected by God's . Grace Empress ZoAvditou, the daughter of- Emperor Menelik 11. of Ethiopia— To, the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Jerusalem pf Britannic Church— After we present ' our re-

spectable salutations, and., request to God ; that He may bless your Lordship's function— And we have sent to your Lordship as a mem T ory a Gospel of the Four Apostles m Ethiopic language and a Cross for .benediction. '.: . ; . r We hope your Lordship will" accept them with pleasure. A paper read before the Jerusalem members of the J. and E. M. views the missionary work from the aspect that the representatives of the various churches of the world are m Jeru : salein as anibassadors. , • . It may not altogether be news to many but it is worth recalling that St. George's began to grow to its present dimensions with a clear eye to the advantages it might hold out from just this ambassadorial aspect. Long before the Cathedral Avas consecrated (m 1898) the then Orthodox Patriarch suggested both to the Archbishop of Canter- ... bury .and. the Anglican Bishop m Jerusalem to show to the Eastern Orthodox Church the manner of worship of the Anglican Communion m its most seemly form. The Patriarch believed that this, better than any other means,. would draw the two churches together.— "Church Standard." At Salisbury, m Southern Rhodesia, a remarkable service Avas held m the Cathedral on Eastern Even, when the Bishop, assisted by the Rev. W. G. Webster, celebrated the Eucharist for a large congregation of Greeks : — The Bishop read the English office, and after the Epistle took one of the altar lights m his hand, and went down to the altar rail, and from his light all the candles held by the congregation were lighted, incense was used for .the Holy Gospel, and after the Creed the Bishop gave a short address welcoming them to the Cathedral, and saying he Avas only too pleased for them to have the use of it whenever they washed. He also. said how thankful he was at the friendly intercourse between the two churches, which was t.teadily growing everywhere, the importance of which could not possibly be over-estimated arid which for some years had been most marked m Salisbury. After the service the Bishop and Mr Webster went round- to shake hands with the whole congregation, giving each one the old Easter greeting, "Christ is Risen." —"Church Standard."