Abyssinia, as an empire, has experienced alternately the contraction and expansion common to the ancient monarchies. The Negus, as friend and ally of Justinian, reigned supreme over seven kingdoms, prosecuted an extensive trade with Ceylon and the Indies, and encouraged in his country the arts and letters of Europe. Arabia, surnamed "the blest," and, by contrast with the neighbouring regions, considered as "happy," had been despoiled of her rich treasures, and led in captivity, to gratify the avarice or ambition of an Ethiopian conqueror, whose hereditary claim, founded on his descent from the beauteous Queen of Sheba, was warmed and animated by religious zeal. The inhabitants of Arabia were denominated Homerites. Their prince, Duncan, was not insensible to the inflictions, nor inflexible to the entreaties, of the Jews, who, powerful even in exile, persuaded him to retaliate upon the Christians in his dominions the persecution that their people suffered from the imperial laws. Accordingly some Roman merchants were ignominiously put to death, and the crown of martyrdom bestowed upon many Christians of Yemen, who refused to apostatize from their faith. The expiring churches of Arabia invoked the name of the Abyssinian monarch, who arose like a lion out of his place, passed the Red Sea with a fleet and army, dethroned the Jewish proselyte, and extinguished a royal race who, for many centuries, had exercised sovereignty over the sequestered region of precious gums and aromatic groves. The cities of Arabia immediately resounded with the Trisagion, chanted, with rapturous demonstrations of joy, by the conquering army. The Negus himself despatched a mes

incapable of preserving himself. The only memorials of his Christianity are a few words, of which he is incapable of understanding the sense; the only traces of his civilization a few heaps of sculptured ruins.

senger to the Alexandrian prelate, announcing the victory of the gospel, and soliciting of that dignitary an orthodox ruler for the Arabian churches. To Justinian, this announcement occasioned much secret gratulation, though it may be questioned by posterity whether he exulted most in the triumph of orthodoxy, or the flattering prospects he thereby entertained of gratifying his ambition, securing a fortunate ally, and reaping the advantages of a lucrative commercial intercourse. He was desirous to divert the trade of the precious commodities of the East,-silk, balm, and frankincense, no less than to engage the forces of Arabia and Africa against the Persian king. Accordingly, an embassage, under the direction of Nonnosus, was despatched into Abyssinia, to execute, in the name of the Emperor, this important commission. Declining the shorter but more dangerous route through the desert regions of Nubia, he ascended the Nile, embarked on the Red Sea, and safely landed at the port of Adulis.* From this port to the royal city of Axuma is no more than fifty leagues, in a direct line; but the winding passes of the mountains detained the embassage fifteen days, during which journey they were astonished by the droves of wild elephants that roamed the forests. He found the capital large and populous, the people Christian in profession, and strictly observant of the Jewish Sabbath. He found also many traces of Grecian art. The Negus received the ambassador

*The negotiations of Justinian with the Abyssinians are mentioned by Procopius, John Malala, and others. The original narrative of the ambassador Nonnosus is quoted by the Historian of Antioch, and Photius has given a curious extract. Justinian reigned over the Greek empire from 527 to 565.

†The present village of Anuma is conspicuous by the ruins of a splendid Christian temple, and seventeen obelisks, of Grecian architecture. According to Alvarez, it was in a flourishing state in 1520, but was ruined the same year by the Turkish invasion.

with the splendid hospitality suitable to a potent monarch, and due to the representative of an imperial friend. Amidst a numerous and august assemblage of the ladies of the court, the dignitaries of the church, and the princes of the empire, the Negus gave audience in a spacious plain. Dismounting from his lofty chariot, to which was harnessed four white elephants, superbly caparisoned, he appeared, clad in a linen garment, with a golden tiara on his head; while around his neck, arms, and ankles, blazed the regal circlets of diamonds, pearls, and precious stones, interwoven with chains of gold. He carried two javelins of rarest temper, and wore a light shield of exquisite workmanship. The ambassador of Justinian approached with awe, and knelt with becoming deference. He was raised and embraced by the Negus, who received the imperial missive of which he was the bearer, kissed the seal, perused the contents with apparent satisfaction, accepted the imperial alliance, and, brandishing his weapons, denounced a perpetual anathema against the enemies of his new friend and ally. But the proposal for trade was artfully eluded, and the hostile demonstration was not productive of a corresponding effect. The Abyssinians were unwilling to abandon the pleasures and luxuries of peace, with the sensual delights of their aromatic bowers, for the toils of ambition and the benefit of a foreign potentate. Discretion is certainly the better part of valour, and it was proved in the sequel that the Negus, instead of extending his triumphs, was incapable of preserving what he had already obtained. The sceptre of Arabia was wrenched from his hands by Abrahah, the slave of a Roman merchant of Adulis. The Ethiopian legions were seduced and enervated by the luxurious influences of the climate. Justinian solicited the friendship of the usurper, who returned his complaisancy with a slight tribute and the acknow

ledgment of his nominal supremacy. After a long course of prosperity, the dynasty of Abrahah was overthrown, his descendants despoiled of their rich possessions by the Persian conqueror, and every vestige of Christianity obliterated. This short episode of Abyssinian history must be interesting to us, from the fact that, could a Christian empire have been sustained in Arabia, it might have prevented the rise of the Mohammedan imposture, and have materially changed the history of the world.*

* Those who desire to form an acquaintance with Abyssinian history may consult Procopius, Baronius, Cosmos, Indicopleustus, Alvarez, Lobo, and Bruce. In these works, the subject is very amply and ably treated.

6

CHAPTER II.

SEVENTH-DAY BAPTISTS IN EUROPE.

SECTION I.

WALDENSES, ALBIGENSES, PASAGINIANS, ETC.-THEIR

SABBATICAL CHARACTER EXAMINED.

It is not my design to give even an abridged account of ecclesiastical affairs as connected with this people during the many centuries of their existence, but confine myself to a consideration of the origin of their distinguishing appellation, with an account of their doctrinal sentiments and religious practices, and their terrible persecutions and dispersion.

It is evident that the Latin word vallis has been the parent of the English word valley, the French and Spanish valle, the Provençal vaux, vaudois, the Italian valdesi, the low Dutch valleye, and the ecclesiastical Valdensis, Valdenses, and Waldenses. The designation of the word is valleys-inhabitants of valleys-neither more nor less. There being no w in the Latin language, the terms Vallenses and Valdenses were employed long before the more modern one of Waldenses came into use.

It appears that from the earliest ages, the inhabitants of the valleys about the Pyrenees did not profess the Catholic faith; neither was it embraced by the inhabitants of the valleys of the Alps; it occurred, also, that one