702 Report on Shoa [No. 140. 



The Abyssinians have also fully adopted the same spirit of merciless 

 destruction, which impelled the Israelites to destroy their enemies from 

 the face of the earth ; considering themselves the lineal descendants of 

 those heroes of ancient history, who were arrayed against the enemies 

 of the Lord, they are actuated by the same motives and feelings which 

 led the hand of Judah to the massacre. The foe is a Pagan who does 

 not fast, nor kiss the church, nor wear a watch. All feelings of hu- 

 manity are thrown to the winds, and a high reward in Heaven awaits 

 the king and the blood-thirsty soldier for the burning of the hamlet, 

 the capture of the property, and the murder of the accursed Heathen ; 

 self-interest rarely interferes in the tragedy of blood, and the captive 

 is seldom secure even for the sake of the forthcoming ransom, or to 

 pass the residue of miserable existence, a drudge in the household of 

 the spoiler. The words of absolution from the mouth of the royal 

 priest usher in the ruthless slaughter, and the name of the most high 

 God is wantonly employed to consecrate the ensuing scenes of savage 

 barbarity. 



Abyssinia in her present state, belongs altogether to the ancient 

 world. The pure principles of Christianity exist not in the land, and 

 there remains not one solitary hope, that in her degraded condition she 

 can tend, in any way to lift the curtain of moral darkness which hangs 

 over the interior of the African continent ; nor, redolent of evil prin* 

 ciples and practice, is it to be desired, that she should be permitted to 

 exert any important influence over the surrounding tribes. 



The instruction gained from her teaching would prove small indeed, 

 and the advance would be but trifling, from the state of heathenish 

 superstition in which all are plunged alike. 



The bigotry of ages is confirmed by the self-pride and the excessive 

 ignorance of the present race ; and on the rising, or on the unborn gene- 

 ration, rests the sole hope for the moral resurrection of the people. 



But years must necessarily elapse before the folly and the falsehood 

 of the nation can be successfully combated, ere the errors of her impure 

 creed can be plucked out by the root, and the pure light of Chris- 

 tianity be introduced even by the most zealous and ardent messenger 

 of the true Gospel. 



(Signed) D. C. Graham, Captain, 



Principal Assistant to the Embassy. 



