256 
DISSERTATION ON THE 
These men are worthy of every praise, and they received their re- 
ward from our kings, so that they planted their vines, and tilled 
their lands in a country, where they had received nothing, not even 
a foot of land, as an inheritance. And whatsoever they have left, it 
remains to their children, who to this day live among us, upon 
the bread granted by us, and bequeathed to them by their fathers ; 
nor is there any one who can say to them. What do you here ? or, 
what business have you in this country? since all know that they 
came for the public good/ 
*' From these facts it will appear, that although partial here- 
sies and gradual corruptions may have crept into the Abyssinian 
church, which was the natural consequence of their peculiar and 
isolated situation, yet they can justly claim the honour, not only of 
having resisted the open and formidable attacks of the Mahome- 
dans, but likewise the more insidious attacks of the Romish church ; 
as also, in its earlier period, of having resisted the Arian schism, and, 
like the Coptic Greeks, to whom their church is nearly allied, may 
still consider themselves as adhering to the faith which they first 
received. At the present moment, however, the nation; with its 
religion, is fast verging to ruin ; the Galla and Mussulmaun tribes 
around are daily becoming more powerful ; and there is reason to 
fear that, in a short time, the very name of Christ may be lost among 
them. Some events have lately occurred likely to hasten their fall ; 
namely, the death of their late Aboona Marcus, and the failure of 
their endeavours to procure another from Egypt. By this, the last 
tie which bound them to the mother country is cut asunder ; divi- 
sions among the priests have already ensued ; the consequence of 
which is, that their most holy rites are likely to become objects of 
