4 
THE SOURCE(OF THE NILE. 339 
‘in your time, but as you did not intend it, and could not 
‘prevent it; the confequence of an accident, where inatten- 
‘tion is exceedingly culpable, will be imputed to you, and 
nothing further.” 
Tue prieft declared to me, with great earneftnefs, that he 
‘never did believe that the elements in ‘the eucharift were 
converted by confecration into the real body and blood of 
Chrift. ‘He faid, however, that he believed this to be the 
Roman Catholic faith, but it never was his; and that 
the conceived the bread was bread, and the wine was wine, 
‘even after confecration. From this example, which occur- 
wed merely accidentally, and was not the fruit of interroga- 
‘tion or curiofity, it appears to me, whatever the Jefuits fay, 
fome at leaft among the Abyflinians do not believe the real 
prefence in the eucharift; but further [am not enough 
informed to give a pofitive opinion. To follow this invef- 
tigation more curioufly ‘would have been attended with a 
confiderable degree of danger; and therefore I have ftated 
‘my only means of knowledge, and leave my readers entire- 
ly to the freedom of their own opinion, and to after inqui- 
ry and information. 
Tur Abyfiinians are not all agreed about the ftate of fouls 
before the refurrection of the body. The opinion which 
generally prevails:is, that there is no third flate; but that, 
after the example of the thief, the fouls of good men enjoy 
the beatific vilion immediately upon the feparation. trom the 
body. But I mutt here obferve, that their practice and books 
~do both contradict this; for, as often as any perfon dies, alms 
are given, and prayers are offered for the fouls of rhofe de- 
parted, which would be vain did they believe they wete 
I quer2 already 
