Mendez had, likewise, ordered those to be re-baptized, who, in compliance with the will of the emperor, embraced the religion of Rome, as if they had formerly been the votaries of Paganism, and their worship a system of idolatry. They were also compelled to renounce the observance of the seventh day. This the Abyssinian clergy regarded as a most shocking insult to the religious discipline of their forefathers, and quite as provoking as the violence and barbarity exercised upon those who refused to submit to the Romish yoke. Besides his arbitrary and despotic proceedings in the church, Mendez excited tumults and dissensions in the state, and with an unparalleled spirit of aggression and arrogance, encroached upon the prerogatives of the crown, and even attempted to give law to the emperor himself. Many circumstances, indeed, concur to favour the opinion that he entertained the design of subverting the liberties of the empire, and rendering it an appendage of the Portuguese crown. At any rate, the kingdom became torn to pieces by intestine commotions and conspiracies, and though obliged to carry on his machinations in secret, he filled the court with cabals which lasted until the death of the reigning monarch, in 1632. Basilides, the son and successor of the former, deemed it expedient to free the country from such troublesome guests, and accordingly, in 1684, he banished Mendez, with all the Europeans belonging to his train, from the Abyssinian territories, commanded all his subjects to return to the religion of their ancestors, and forbid the worship of images, or the observance of the first day. He likewise requested the Patriarch of Alexandria to send them a new abuna, with which request that dignitary complied.[8]
The condition of the Abyssinian church at this time was most deplorable. The reign of the Jesuits, though short, had been attended with blighting and fatal consequences. It had been their aim to overthrow in the minds of the people all respect for the moral law and the revealed word of God, and to establish in its place a preposterous veneration for the authority of the fathers, and the canons of the church. Nor was this all; superstition had immeasurably increased, and its accompaniments, vice and ignorance, everywhere prevailed.
But from this period the very name of Rome, its worship, or its pontiffs, were objects of the highest aversion to the Abyssinians; and even the frontiers of the kingdom were guarded with the strictest vigilance and the closest attention, lest any Jesuit or Romish emissary might steal into their territory in disguise, and excite new commotions in the kingdom. In vain the pontiffs made many attempts to recover what they had lost through the insolence and misconduct of the Jesuits. For this purpose two Capuchin monks were despatched into Abyssinia; but these unfortunate wretches only succeeded in penetrating a short distance into the interior, when they were discovered and immediately put to death. The pontiffs, however, were not discouraged, though they employed more clandestine methods of reviving the missions, and even solicited in their behalf the intercession and influence of Louis XIV. of France. The Jesuits were eager to obtain this employment, and, accordingly, Poncet, a French apothecary, was despatched from Cairo by the consul Maillet, in company with Brevedent, a respectable member of the former fraternity. Brevedent died in Abyssinia, and, soon after, Poncet obtained an introduction to the king, who expressed his dislike of the Catholic religion, and his determination not to permit his people to embrace it. M. Du Roule was afterwards deputed to the same court, but he had advanced no further than Sennaar, when he was cruelly murdered by the natives, at the instigation, as was supposed, of the Franciscans, who were disgusted at seeing the mission in the hands of the Jesuits. In 1709, the throne was usurped by Ousts, who appears to have been well affected to the Romish system, and who secretly communed with its emissaries, although he made no attempt to influence the consciences of his subjects. His successor, David, ordered three of these strangers to be apprehended, who, being condemned as heretics and schismatics in a council of the clergy, were stoned to death. Since that period, Pope Benedict XIV. made a new attempt to effect a reconciliation with the Abyssinian church, but his efforts proved abortive; and, so far as I am aware, neither the pontiffs nor their votaries have been able to calm the resentment of that exasperated people, or to subdue their enmity against the doctrine and worship of Rome.
In 1634, the Lutherans made several attempts to establish missions in Abyssinia, in order, as they said, to bring that benighted people to the knowledge of a purer religion, and a more rational system of worship, although it might appear questionable to some which church of the two most required a reformation in its rites and doctrines. In accordance with this design, the learned Heyling of Lubec made a voyage into Abyssinia, where he resided many years, and acquired such a distinguished place in the confidence and esteem of the sovereign, that he was honoured with many important offices, and finally became prime minister of the realm. In this eminent station he acquitted himself in the most creditable manner, and gave many proofs of his zeal both for the interests of religion and the public good. He finally set out for Europe on business of importance, but never arrived there; and, as the journey was being performed by land, it is supposed that he perished in the deserts of Nubia. Subsequently, however, a communication was kept up between the two countries, and Ernest, duke of Saxe-Gotha, surnamed the Pious, on account of his sanctity and virtue, made new attempts to diffuse a knowledge of the gospel, as taught in his church, among the Abyssinians. This design was formed through the counsels of the famous Ludolph, and was to have been executed by the ministry of Gregory, an Abyssinian abbot who had resided some time in Europe. This missionary sailed from Antwerp, in the ship Katerina, in 1657, but, in passing Cape Horn, she was unfortunately wrecked, and all on board perished. The mission, thus frustrated, was not designed to be abandoned; for the prince, in 1663, entrusted the same important commission to John Michael Wansleb, a native of Erfurt, to whom he gave the wisest instructions, and whom he charged particularly to employ all rational and consistent means to excite in the Abyssinian nation a favourable opinion of the Germans, as this, more than anything else, would contribute to the success of the enterprise. But this wise and laudable undertaking failed through the inconstancy of the worthless man to whom it was confided, and whose virtue was by no means equal to his ability. Instead of continuing his journey into Abyssinia, he remained for some time in Egypt, and finally returned to Europe without ever seeing the country he was intended to visit. But he entertained many uneasy apprehensions of the account that would naturally be demanded of his conduct, and of the manner in which he had expended the large sums of money designed for the Abyssinian expedition. These apprehensions, together with the consciousness of guilt, made him desperate. Hence, instead of returning to Germany, he went to Rome, and, in 1667, embraced the doctrine of that church, at least in open profession, and entered into the Dominican order.
Other missions have been established, or rather attempted, in this country. In 1829, Messrs. Gobat and Kinglar were sent by the Church Missionary Society, as missionaries to Abyssinia. After many trials, they succeeded in reaching the place of their destination, by way of Massowa. The ruler of Tigre, who is greatly beloved by his subjects, received them in a friendly manner, and they were much encouraged by his assurances of safety and protection. Mr. Hinglar died when he had just conquered most of the difficulties of the language, but Mr. Gobat employed his time in conversational preaching and distributing Bibles, until, in consequence of the unsettled state of the country, he was induced to leave for a short time. It is a fact, however, that previous to this the Scriptures had been translated by the Abyssinians themselves from the Arabic and Ethiopic into the Amharic language, which is the dialect generally spoken throughout the Abyssinian empire. In 1833, Mr. Gobat, accompanied by Mr. Isenberg, returned to his field of labour. They took up their residence at Adowa, the capital of Tigre, six or eight days' journey from Massowa. During Mr. Gobat's absence, the former monarch, Sabagadis, had been dethroned, and Oobie, an avaricious and cruel despot, reigned in his stead. It was soon perceived that he regarded the missionaries with a jealous eye, and his suspicions were increased by the appearance in the country soon after of many foreigners. Mr. Isenberg was openly accused of bringing them into the country for treasonable purposes. These accusations, and others of a similar character, were circulated by the priests, who complained that through the influence of the missionaries the Ethiopic church was threatened with extinction. They also charged the missionaries with intrigue to overthrow the government of the country, and to introduce English troops. Oobie was no less suspicious of the political designs of the foreigners, and it was not long before an edict came to Mr. Isenberg, from the king, in which all foreigners were commanded to embrace the Abyssinian creed or to leave the country. Preferring the latter alternative, Mr. Isenberg and his associate, Mr. Blumhardt, retired into Egypt. Mr. Krapf, a former companion of Blumhardt, removed to Shoa, where he was favourably received and hospitably entertained for a time. Ultimately, however, it appeared that the king wished to be benefited by the superior knowledge of the missionaries in everything but what pertained to the duties of religion. He said that he wanted workmen, not priests. After Mr. Krapf had acquired the language, he established schools, which succeeded well for a time, or until the pupils, from their superior knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, began to question the traditions in which they had been brought up. Here the priesthood interfered, and through their machinations the monarch was induced to express his decided disapprobation of the proceedings, and the schools were, at his command, suppressed. Under these discouragements, the missionaries, after distributing ten thousand copies of the Bible, returned to Europe.
The empire of Abyssinia has been frequently disturbed by civil wars; and the appointment of a new abuna, or metropolitan, is often attended by intestine commotions. This was the case in 1715, when that dignitary, in a convocation of the clergy, declared his opinion of the consubstantiality of Christ, which was different from that which had been proclaimed at the gate of the palace. The abuna represented Christ as being "one God, of the Father alone, with a body consubstantial with ours, and by that union becoming the Messiah." The emperor maintained, on the contrary, that the Redeemer was perfect man and perfect God by the union; one Christ, whose body was composed of a precious substance, called bahery, not derived from his mother, or consubstantial with ours. Many of the ecclesiastics favoured the opinion of the abuna; and, elate with their supposed triumph, they gathered the populace, surrounded the palace, and insulted the emperor with shouts and songs. The enraged potentate gave immediate orders for their dispersion and punishment. The mandate was executed by a company of pagan soldiers, who slew about one hundred of the delinquents, and filled the streets of the capital with slaughter. The Christian population of Shoa and Efat is estimated at 1,000,000 souls, and that of the Pagan and Mohammedan population of the numerous dependencies at an equal number. But this people is chiefly interesting to us from the fact that here, for so many ages, a national religious establishment has existed, which never succumbed to the authority of Rome, and, consequently, which has ever been in the observation of the holy Sabbath day.
The Ethiopic church maintains the Eutychian doctrine respecting the nature of Christ; and it agrees with the other Eastern churches in holding the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father only. In these respects it differs from the Western churches. From the Romish church it is distinguished by its doctrine regarding the supremacy of the Pope, in which it agrees with Protestants; to the rule of faith, which it limits to the Scriptures, including the Apocrypha; to the eucharist, which it administers in both kinds to the laity, and regards neither as a transubstantiation nor as a sacrifice; to the celibacy of the clergy, who may be married; to the adoration of images, which it regards as unlawful; to the state of the soul after death, rejecting purgatory; and as regards several other less important and minor points. But, like Rome, it invokes saints and angels as intercessors with God, paying great honours to the Virgin and St. Michael, and having a copious calendar of saints, with a corresponding number of fasts and festivals.[9]
Their most extraordinary peculiarities are certain forms and ceremonies retained from their ancient Jewish worship. Their churches, which are generally small and mean, resemble precisely the Jewish temple. Like it, they are divided into three parts; the innermost being the holy of holies, and inaccessible to the laity, who, except on certain occasions, are forbidden to pass the outer porch. Unbelievers, and all subject to Levitical uncleanness, are carefully excluded. All who enter must be barefoot, and the doorposts and threshold must be kissed in passing. The service is performed in the ancient Ethiopic, or Geez, now a dead language. It commences with the Jewish Trisagion, and as David danced before the ark, so their priests caper and beat the ground with their feet, and, with other similar antics and performances, complete a remarkable form of devotion. They observe the Levitical prohibitions of unclean animals, and the Pharisaical ceremonies of genuflexions and ablutions. Like the Jews, they practise concubinage. Fasts of unexampled strictness and extraordinary frequency are constantly observed. With scriptural examples before them, and unenlightened by science and philosophy, it is perhaps not surprising that they should believe in witchcraft, magic, and sorcery.
The whole country is overspread to excess with churches, and the number of the professedly religious in Shoa amounts to one-fourth of the population. The aboon, or abuna, is the ecclesiastical head, and the church confines to his hands alone the grace or virtue that makes a clergyman, differing in this from other churches called apostolic, which allow it to all bishops.
The Grand Prior of the monks of Debra Libanos is second in dignity; then the bishops; next the priests and deacons. Monasteries abound, and they are generally placed on eminences near running water, and amid scenes of beauty and sublimity. An easy ceremony admits to the monkish order, and the life of the professed is one of ease and indulgence, consequently the land swarms with monks, who are in reality the greatest of pests and plagues. Every church establishment is supported by certain lands and villages particularly set apart for that purpose, and to these are added various fees for baptismal, funeral, and other clerical services, besides the voluntary contributions of the superstitious people. These ecclesiastics, taken as a body, are ignorant, superstitious, and immoral, fearful of innovation, hating heretics, and observant of religious forms, some with the sincerity of devotees, and others as the business-like followers of a gainful profession. Of the doctrines of justification by faith or regeneration by the Holy Spirit, the Abyssinians are said to be entirely ignorant; but it is possible, it is even probable, that there has been some misapprehension upon that point. It is very easy for foreigners, in a state of society so new and strange, to misapprehend the purport of what they behold, or to arrive at wrong conclusions, from given premises, in consequence of prejudice and partiality. We trust that the Divine Inhabitant has not entirely forsaken this polluted temple, and that the sacred fire is not utterly extinguished, although the surrounding atmosphere may be impure. At any rate, there is hope, since the Scriptures are the foundation of the faith of the Abyssinian Church, and there is no infallible pontiff, consecrating with his authority the manifold corruptions from which that authority sprung, and by which it is perpetuated.