EELIGION AND EDUCATION. 157 



am an Englishman because I am a Protestant.' " Later on lie even forbade 

 foreigners to preach, tolerating them only as artisans. His o\vn fate justified the 

 sentiment he so often repeated — " First the missionaries, then the consuls, and then 

 the soldiers ! " Abyssinian territory is now interdicted to priests of foreign 

 religions, and Europeans, like Schimper, dwelling in the country, have been obliged 

 to adopt the national religion. 



Till recently the Mussulman propagandists seem to have been more successful 

 than the European missionaries. Nearly all the frontier peoples had embraced 

 Islam, retaining but a vague recollection of their Christian faith, and even in the 

 interior the Mussulmans threatened to acquire the ascendancy. According to some 

 writers, they already formed a third of the nation, and in the towns they prevailed 

 through their numbers, influence, and wealth, whilst all the trade was in their hands. 

 In virtue of the fundamental law of the country, they failed to attain political 

 power only because rulers must profess the Christian religion ; but in the middle of 

 the century the master of the country. Has Ali, was seen to abjure Mohammedanism 

 only with his lips, whilst distributing offices and the plunder of the churches to the 

 disciples of Islam. The reaction against Mohammedanism was principally caused 

 by the invasion of the Egyptian armies, when the hatred of foreign enemies 

 reflected upon those of the interior. An order for a general conversion was issued, 

 and all the Abyssinian Mussulmans were obliged apparently to conform to the 

 established Church, and to wear, under pain of exile, the mateh, or " sky-blue " cord, 

 the Christian badge. The Mohammedans who remained faithful to their religion 

 fled to the frontier states, especially to Galabat, on the route to Khartum. Abyssinia, 

 the refuge of Mohammed's disciples in the fifth year of persecution, has not, there- 

 fore, justified the praise the Prophet awarded it in calling it "a country of upright- 

 ness, where no man falls a victim to injustice." 



The abuna, that is " our father," head of the Abyssinian clergy, is not an 

 Abyssinian, for since the reign of Lalibala, some seven centuries ago, this prelate 

 has always been a foreigner. It was doubtless feared that he would acquire too 

 much power in the country were he a native of royal descent ; hence a Coptic priest 

 is sent them by the Patriarch of Alexandria in return for a considerable sum of 

 money. Thus his precious life is most carefully guarded to save further expense to 

 the State, and on the death of an abuna the pontifical chair has often remained 

 empty for many years. The duties of this high priest consists in ordaining priests 

 and deacons, in consecrating altars, and in excommunicating criminals and blasphe- 

 mers. For these services \e possesses an entire quarter of Gondar, and receives the 

 revenues of numerous fiefs, besides perquisites, regulated by a strict tariff. 

 Although highlj^ venerated by the natives, his power is not equal to that of the 

 negus; and Theodore, when excommunicated by the abuna, was seen to coolly 

 draw a pistol and cover the prelate, demanding a blessing, which it is needless to 

 add " the holy father " hastened to grant him. 



The abuna's power is held in check by the king's political spies, as well as by 

 the echagheh, the national priest and a religious rival, his equal in dignity and 

 power of excommunication, although he cannot confer orders ; he also possesses a 



