ABYSSINIA AND EGYPT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2967, 28 September 1882, Page 3

ABYSSINIA AND EGYPT.

In connection with a recent cable message, which stated that the King of Abyssinia had offered assistance to the British forces in Egypt, it is interesting to read the following letter from Mr Flad, a German missionary (one of the Abyssinian captives), which was published in the “Athenaeum ”of July 28:— “King John of Abyssinia uses the present crisis in Egypt, to take possession again of those provinces which . Egypt had taken away from Abyssinia, i,e., Mensa and Bogos, Lately bis troops came very near Massawa and robbed the country. The Galla tribes, south of Abyssinia, he subdues, and converts them by baptism to the Abyssinian Church. As far as Gurague all the Gallas have submitted to Abyssinia. Fonr Coptic bishops from Cairo have arrived in Abyssinia, who, as Abunas (onr fathers), will help him to convert all the Gallas, and make them members of the Abyssinian Church. According to letters from the missionary, Mr Mayer, King Menelet of Shoa is having the tribes of Dasha, Gumro, Gieta, &0., beyond the Eiver Hawash, conquered and baptised. He is preparing for an expedition to the Snai Lake in Gurague. On five islands, descendants ;of. the old Ethiopian dynasty have been living from the sixteenth century. They are Christians, have churches, and, as it is said 1 by the Abyssinian s, very valuable manuscripts. At Bali, five days* journey south of Ankober, MM. Mayer and Grenier have begun to teach the Gallas, baptised by the Abyssinian priests, and to preach' the gospel of Jeans Christ. They.,meet with much encouragement among these Galla tribes. The native missionaries in Western Abyssinia.are without hindrance going preaching Christ crucified to the Falashas (Jews) and the Abyssinian Christiana, and distributing God’s holy Word and tracts among them. Five adult Falashas have lately been baptised at Genada, one of their stations. Their schools are well attended by pupils. In some parts of Abyssinia the slave trade is abolished. Secretly, however, slave caravans are driven through Abyssinia at night, by Egyptian slave dealers. Hundreds of slaves have of late been seen by mi»sinndries coming from the interior of the Galla countries, who were driven down towards Egypt along the Blue Nile! A* l long as the countries of the Nile are in the hands of the Mohamedans, no stop can be pot to the slave trade.