Ever since the arrival of the British Embassy in Shoa, the king's
attention had been occupied with controversies, which, during a period
of sixty years, have perplexed the Abyssinian divines. The doctrines
which His Majesty conceives to be most conducive to salvation are,
unfortunately, diametrically opposed to the historical facts and clear
evidence of the Gospel; but as summary deposition and confiscation of
property is the sure meed of heresy, he bids fair in due process of time
to promulgate a most curious creed of his own.
At the expense of a bloody civil war, Gondar, with Gojam, Damot, and all
the south-western provinces of Amhara, have long maintained the three
births of Christ--Christ proceeding from the Father from all eternity,
styled "the eternal birth;" his incarnation, as being born of the holy
Virgin, termed his "second or temporal birth;" and his reception of the
Holy Ghost in the womb, denominated his "third birth." The Tigre
ecclesiastics, on the other hand, whose side is invariably espoused by
the primate of Ethiopia, deny the third birth, upon the grounds that the
reception of the Holy Ghost cannot be so styled--the opinions of both
parties being at variance with the belief of the Occidental churches,
which, on the evidence of the Gospel, believe that our blessed Saviour
received the Holy Ghost at his baptism in his thirtieth year,
immediately prior to the commencement of his preaching.
Further, the Gondar sectarians assert that Christ received the Holy
Ghost by the Father, whilst those of Tigre affirm that, being God
himself, he gave the Holy Ghost unto himself. This creed has obtained
for the latter faction the opprobrious epithet of _Karra Haimanot_, "the
Knife of the Faith," in allusion to their having lopped off an
acknowledged scriptural truth.
Asfa Woosen, grandsire to Sahela Selassie, being assured by his father
confessor, a native of Gondar, that in event of his embracing the
doctrine of the three births, the district of Morabeitie, already
conquered by Emmaha Yasoos, but not at that period completely annexed to
Efat, should be permanently secured to him through the spiritual
influence of the church, adopted it without hesitation. Until within
the last few years the belief was limited to the monarchs of Shoa; but
the hospitality of the reigning sovereign attracting to his dominions
numerous visitors from the north and west of Abyssinia, the latent flame
was quickly fanned; and the dispute reaching a great height, was at
length brought before the despot, who put an end to it by issuing a
royal proclamation, under the solitary tree at Angollala, "That he who
should henceforth deny the three births of Christ, should forfeit his
property, and be banished the realm."
Aroe, a eunuch from Gondar, shortly disseminated another curious
doctrine, which asserts that the human soul possesses knowledge, fasts,
and worships in the womb, and immediately on separation from the body
renders an account on high. On the recent nomination of the Alaka Wolda
Georgis to be head of the Church, and of Kidana Wold to be the Alaka of
Debra Libanos, three monks set out to Gondar for the purpose of
denouncing them, as being opposed to this creed. Ras Ali, erroneously
concluding that they denied the three births, sent to Sahela Selassie to
inquire how it happened that he had seceded from the faith of his
forefathers by the appointment of the two individuals in question.
Hereat the Negoos waxing wroth, exclaimed, "Am I then the vassal of Ras
Ali, that he thus interrogates me?" But reflection showed him the
propriety of avoiding a dispute which must have involved serious
consequences, and with his usual temporising policy he sent a reply
declaratory "that he had not abjured the belief of his ancestors."
The monks of Debra Libanos having thus failed in their attempt to remove
the newly-appointed Alakas, next sought to accomplish their purpose by
the establishment of their creed throughout the kingdom, and gaining
numerous proselytes, the disputes had soon reached the climax. After
fruitless efforts to satisfy the interests of all concerned, His Majesty
sought to escape participation in the quarrel, by referring the parties
to Gondar; but Zenama Work, the Queen-dowager, well assured that Ras Ali
and the head of the monks would decide against the sect whose doctrines
she espoused, denied a passage through Zalla Dingai, and thus compelled
the whole to return to Ankober.
As had been anticipated, this step resulted in the complete triumph of
the Gondar eunuch, and the consequent dismissal with disgrace of the
Alaka Wolda Georgis, chief of the church of Shoa, the Alakas of Saint
Michael, Saint George, Aferbeine, Kondie, Aramba, Debra Berhan, and
Angollala; of the king's confessor; of Wolda Haimanot, great Alaka of
Mans, chief of thirty-eight churches, styled _Bala Wamber_, "the Master
of the Chair," from his possessing the privilege of sitting in the royal
presence on an iron stool; and of numerous other priests, whose property
was confiscated by the crown, and who received sentence of banishment
from the kingdom.
On the herald proclaiming under the palace gate at the capital that the
belief of the knowledge of the human soul in the womb should henceforth
be received by all classes, under similar pains and penalties, public
thanksgivings were offered in the victorious churches; and the priests,
forming triumphant processions through every street of the town, chanted
psalms amid the shrill acclamations of the women, and the din of the
sacred drums. The defeated party, on the other hand, complained loudly
that they had been dismissed without an impartial hearing; the monarch
having simply observed that the fact of their not proceeding to Gondar,
as commanded to do, sufficiently proved their error. This they
disclaimed, and after requesting to be convinced upon the Scriptures,
added, "Will the king adjudge the faith as he adjudges moveables and
lands?" But the despot cut the matter short in these words:--"Enough,
you are dismissed; and since you will not receive the faith of my
forefathers, by their manes, and by the holy Trinity, I swear that you
may beg your bread through the land, rather than that one of your creed
should be received again into the bosom of the church."
The success of the Debra Libanos sectarians was speedily followed by
discussions relative to the equal adoration due to the holy Virgin and
her Son, whilst the despotic and ill-advised proceedings of His Majesty
raised a storm throughout the entire realm. The ban of excommunication
was instantly resorted to--the curse of the church was pronounced upon
the triumphant party--the priests who passed it, after having been
seized and compelled to accord absolution, were expelled the kingdom--
and a brave and courageous leader seemed alone wanting, to induce those
who had been defeated to raise the standard of revolt once more in a
religious war.
Volume 3, Chapter XXII.