Chapter 5. Athlicanity Preached

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CHAPTER 5

ATHLICANITY PREACHED

For as much as the doctrine preached by Athlyi gained favor in the hearts of the people, and that it was efficient for the Salvation of Ethiopia's generations: On the thirteenth day of the seventh month, in the nineteen hundred and eighteenth year, the followers of Athlyi assembled at the Israel Memorial A.M.E. Church, West Kinney Street, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A. They declared themselves Athlyians by name and in faith.

And they consolidated themselves within the faith. They sang songs of praises and offered thanksgiving to the Lord God of Ethiopia.

And it came to pass that a committee was appointed from among them to confirm the Shepherd, and the names of those appointed and consolidated were Sister Rachel Hamilton, Rev. James Barber, Sister Gilby Rose, Bro. C.E. Harris and Bro. James Reed.

The committee decorated the Shepherd in four colors and committed in his right hand a staff so as to confirm the authority conferred upon him by the heavenly officials.

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Now when the Shepherd was adorned and anointed by prayer, the Athlyians shouted with great joy and cried "Lead on, Shepherd of the Athlyians."

And it came to pass after the performance, the Shepherd stood up, and he was in four colors which were blue, black, red and green, and he explained the meaning of the colors and of the staff.

Saying Ethiopia's generations shall respect the heaven while for a foundation they sacrifice on earth; moreover a king sits on the throne of his organized government, but a Shepherd must seek his sheep and prepare a pasture for them that they be fed.

Then the Shepherd commanded his followers to stand, and he taught them saying, great is His Divine Majesty, the Lord God of all mankind, Father of Ethiopia; Who is greater than the Lord God? Even from the beginning of the world hath he prepared for his children unto the end.

The sun, the moon, the stars, the wind, the rain, the land and the sea hath he given free to mankind; who is so philanthropic, so magnificent, who can give such a gift? There is none so great as the Lord our God.

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Let all the generations of Ethiopia hear the voice of Athlyi, for in his hands the law is given unto them.

Let not be devil persuade you that you turn your back against the Lord God of Ethiopia.

Woe be unto you should the heavenly father because of your ingratitudes turn against thee, revengely the hands of thy enemies and shall come upon thee with horror.

Let the Athlyians walk in the path of righteousness and all impediments shall be their foot stool and the spirit of the Lord shall dwell with them for ever and ever.

Blessed are the industrious hearts for they are those who use the blessing and the power of God for the good of mankind. Great shall be their reward in the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who seek the Lord and by actual work prove to the nations that they have found him; for the power of God shall be as two kings feeling in darkness for an electric switch and he that found it immediately there was light throughout his palace and all the people rejoiced because of its splendor, but in the palace of him that found it not, there was no light, therefore his people wandered and became the servants of others.

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Blessed are a people who seek their own, beautify and maintain it, for in their barns there shall be plenty; great shall they be among men. The Lord shall glory in them and their daughters shall be the wives of mighty men.

Woe be unto a people, a race who seek not their own foundation; their wives shall be servants for the wives of other men, and their daughters shall be wives of poor men and of vagabonds, and there shall be tears because of privation, then in the end hell everlasting for there shall be no reward in the kingdom of heaven for slothful nor the unconcerned.

Woe be unto a race of people who forsake their own and adhere to the doctrine of another. They shall be slaves to the people thereof

Verily I say unto you, O children of Ethiopia, boast not of the progress of other races, believing that thou are a part of the project for at any time thou shall be cast over the bridge of death both body and soul.

Forget not the assembling of thy selves and unitedly working for the up building of Ethiopia and her generations.

Then shall the nations of the earth respect thee and thy commodities shall be for their gold and their commodities for thy gold, but there shall p. 46 be none to fool thee neither shall ye be their slaves.

For thy emblem shall rank among their emblems; thy ships among their ships, and thy men-of-war among their men-of-war; great shall be thy name among the nations.

The Lord God, Father of Ethiopia, shall glory in thee, with thee shall all the angels rejoice, great is thy reward in the kingdom of heaven.

Thy daughters shall work with clean hands and in soft clothing, thy sons shall enjoy the fruits of their colleges.