1843.] and the Abyssinian Church. 705 



holy books into Ethiopia; whilst others trace the legend of emigration 

 to the period of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. But 

 whatever be the true date of their arrival, it is certain that the Hebrews 

 have exercised a much greater influence upon the affairs of this country 

 than in any other since the day of their dispersion ; and although the 

 taint of their religion was abjured by the nation on the Promethean 

 touch of the true Gospel, the children of Israel, moulding a portion of 

 their worship on the formula of the Christian faith, and esteemed as 

 sorcerers and cunning artists in the land, found a safe asylum among 

 the mountains, and exist to the present day here, as elsewhere, a separate 

 and peculiar nation, 



In the year 330, after the birth of our Saviour, Meropius, a merchant 

 of Tyre, during a commercial voyage to India, landed on the coast of 

 Ethiopia, where he was murdered by the barbarians, and his two sons, 

 Fumentius and Edesius, both devout men, falling into the hands of the 

 savage inhabitants, were made prisoners, and carried as slaves before the 

 Emperor. The abilities, the information, and the peaceable demeanor 

 of the brothers, soon gained not only their release, but high office in the 

 court, and living in the full confidence of the monarch until his decease, 

 and subsequently under the protection of the Queen mother, the 

 good will of the entire nation quickly succeeded. The work of con- 

 version was commenced, and proceeded with wonderful rapidity and 

 success ; a thriving branch was shortly added to the great Eastern 

 Church. 



Bearing the happy tidings, Frumentius appeared in Alexandria, and 

 was received with open arms by the Patriarch Athanasius. Loaded with 

 honors and consecrated the first Bishop of Ethiopia, a relation was 

 thus happily commenced with Egypt, which has remained firm and 

 friendly to the present day ; and throughout fifteen centuries has be- 

 stowed upon a captive priest the high office of Patriarch Abuna of the 

 Ethiopian church. 



On his return to the country of his hopes, Frumentius found that 

 the spark of life had spread rapidly throughout the gloomy darkness 

 of the land. Baptism was instituted, Deacons and Presbyters appointed, 

 churches erected, and a firm foundation laid, whereon to establish the 

 Christian religion in Abyssinia. Frumentius was deservedly honored 

 with a favored niche in the annals of her Church History, under the 



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