Egypt is the only part of Africa that could be reached easily by
people in Europe and Asia, because in Egypt is the only place where
men could walk from Asia and Europe into Africa. Even if they did not
want to walk, the sea was not too wide to cross in small boats. In
the Bible we read how Abraham, who lived in Asia, walked to Egypt, and
later how Moses led the Children of Israel back to Asia. Since that
time Europeans have cut a waterway for ships through this narrow neck
of land, which is called the Suez Canal. So now people can no longer
walk from Asia to Africa, but in the old days the Egyptians grew wiser
than others in Africa, because they were more able to meet men from
other lands in Asia and Europe, and to learn something from them all.
So hundreds and hundreds of years ago there were people living in this
country of the Nile who were wise and great. They built large cities
and temples and houses. They knew how to write, and covered the walls
of their houses with writing. Their letters were not like ours, but
were pictures of the things they were writing about. They also built
huge stone tombs for their kings to be buried in, and these were
called "pyramids." The kings of Egypt were called "Pharaohs." When the
old Egyptians wrote books, instead of paper they used the dried leaves
of a reed called "papyrus," which grows in the Nile. Several leaves
were fastened together to make a book. These old writings on reeds
and on the walls have been found after lying buried in the sand, which
has covered so much of old Egypt. The hot sand has kept them dry, and
prevented them being destroyed during hundreds of years. By reading
these writings we are able to find out how these people lived so long
ago. They had also a wonderful way of taking the waters of the Nile
in ditches over the whole land. There is hardly any rain in Egypt,
and this Nile water prevented the country becoming so sandy and dry.
In those days Egypt was well-known for its wonderful harvests and
stores of food.
But though these people were wise in many ways, yet they were proud
and cruel to their enemies. In the Bible we read how they treated the
Children of Israel in the time of Moses. Perhaps this was because
they did not know God our Father, but worshipped many gods, whose
pictures and images were like animals. Many of the great temples they
built for these gods are still standing, and when we see pictures of
them, we wonder at the skill of these people who lived so long ago.
Egypt was one of the first great countries to become Christian, and
many of the old heathen temples were turned into churches. But at
last the Arabs, who were Mohammedans, conquered Egypt, and forced most
of the people to become Mohammedans too. But some remained faithful
in spite of all, and these to-day are called "Copts," from the old
name for Egypt. For hundreds of years these Copts have lived in a
country ruled by Moslem Arabs, or Turks, who hated their religion, but
they have been true to Christ through all.
There are people of all lands living in the towns of Egypt in these
days, for there is a great deal of business to be done in them. But
the people who work in the fields are the children of the old
Egyptians, though they have forgotten their old wisdom and are now
very ignorant.