18. And it came to pass that one of the new comers into the Athlican faith who sat in the midst of the audience spake, saying, may I ask his holiness, what is the principal belief of the Athlians.
19. Straightway the Shepherd answered saying, the fundamental belief of the Athlican faith is justice to all, but hear ye, also, the Athlian’s creed:
THE ATHLIAN’S CREED.
20. We believe in one God, maker of all things, Father of Ethiopia and then in his Holy Law as it is written in the book Piby, the sincerity of Angel Douglas and the power of the Holy Ghost. We believe in one Shepherd Athlyi as an anointed apostle of the Lord our God, then in the Afro Athlican Constructive Church unto the most Holy House of Athlyi. We believe in the freedom of Ethiopia and the maintenance of an efficient government recorded upon the catalog of nations in honor of her posterities and the glory of her God, the establishment of true love and the administration of justice to all men, the celebration of concord, the virtue of the Solemnityfeast and in the form of baptism and concretation as taught by our Shepherd Athlyi.
We believe in the utilization of the power and blessings of God for the good of mankind, the creation of industries, the maintenance of colleges and the unity of force, then in the end when earth toil is over we shall be rewarded a place of rest in the kingdom of heaven, there to sing with the saints of Ethiopia, singing Hallelujah, hosanna to the Lord our God for ever and ever—Amen.
21. Then the Athlians shouted hosanna to the Lord God, surely the Lord has sent us not only a Shepherd but a saviour.
22. Straightway the Shepherd Athlyi spake saying upon those words the Afro Athlican Constructive Church stands firm over which the hosts of hell nor the armies of the earth shall not prevail.
23. And the Shepherd being full with the Holy Spirit recited from his heart saying:
24. Father, thou God of all, closer to thee even though afar we stray; thou hast called us back, now all in one we come, children of Africa: Closer, oh God, to thee; closer to thee.
25. And he began to tell his followers about the wonderful works of God; how he hath sent apostles of the twentieth century, to save Ethiopia and her generations from the oppressive feet of the nations that they prove themselves fruitful for the good of their children and the glory of their God.