This is the One!

~Written for a African-American Choral Ensemble class...based on the song about Martin Luther King Jr "This is the One". Our teacher Doc Mumford asked us to write about someone we considered The One, in the likes of say: Dr. King, Gandhi, Jesus, or any great soul!

This is the One!

Sakshi-I

    It was in 1892 in the province of Harrar, Ethiopia that Lidj Tafari Makonnen, Haile Selassie was born to Ras Makonnen and Waizero Yeshemabet. This child was a direct descendent of the Biblical King Solomon of Jerusalems union with the legendary Queen of Sheba of the southern most region of the Ethiopian Highlands.

     A prolonged drought had parched the land making life very difficult for man and beast, and the populace prayed for rain as all their crops had died. Ras Makonnen and his wife Waizero Yeshemabet not only prayed for rain but prayed that this time the child she was about to deliver would live, as in the past all seven children had died prematurely.

     It was the 23^rd July 1892 and the process of childbearing was in motion. Waizero was accompanied by a group of midwives to ensure that all necessary assistance was present. Prayers went up for her safe delivery, and the entire province of Harrar was in silent meditation. Meanwhile, Ras Makonnen waited on his verandah hoping and praying that it was a son and that this time he would live.

     The heavens above became darkened with clouds not seen in a long while, as the chant of the midwives break the utter quietness of the night. One of the midwives uttered May Mary be near her and may the child live (referring to the Mother of Christ). Soon, the midwives rushed outside where Ras Makonnen was waiting, A Son is born! while the villagers fired their rifles gleefully in the air.  Ras Makonnen rushed inside to behold his only begotten Son of the line of King David, while the midwife anointed the childs lips with butter and honey as was the custom.

     The torrential downpour continued with thunder and lightning and the whole of Ethiopia knew that something significant had happened. The prolonged drought had ended at the instant of the childs birth, and a bright light shone from the universe, described by scientists as one of the brightest comets. Surely this was synonymous to the star which appeared at Christ birth and was the fulfillment of Isaiah 9.6. The downpour however did not prevent the people from all parts of the province to make their way to Ras Makonnens house to pay respect to the only surviving child of the union of Ras Makonnen and Waizero Yeshemabet. This child was the future King of Ethiopia, The One that would lead them.

    Many tales began to circulate about Tafari's boyhood, the most notable concerning his supposed ability to speak to animals. During his youth, it was claimed that he was seen on more than one occasion in the bush conversing with leopards and lions and the fierce jungle beasts becoming docile at his feet.

    Tafari was extraordinarily bright and advanced student at a young age. His knowledge concerning religious and mystical matters amazed his teachers. He could quote freely from the Book of Kufale, the Book of Enoch, Hermas the Shepherd, Judith, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, the Metsahfa Berhan (Book of Light), the Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses, the Book of Eden (secretly deleted from Genesis during the Dark Ages), all thirty-one books of the Hebrew Bible, the twenty-one Canonical Books of the New Testament, plus numerous Apocryphal and pseudo-pictographic books. On one occasions a priest asked Tafari where he got his knowledge. Tafari's reply was, he got much of it at the time of his baptism, conducted, according to tradition, on the fortieth day of his life. The Kes (priest) who presided at the ceremony had opened Tafari's eyes with the first touch of Holy Chrism, then everything that ensued, was comprehensible to the infant, as if he was an adult. He remembered the priest pronouncing his surname and then his baptismal name, Haile Selassie I (meaning Power of the Trinity), and then he blew softly in his face to ward off evil spirits. This was the instant Tafari claimed he felt himself enveloped by a golden glow and as the priest began to anoint him, water touching his forehead, breast shoulders and all other thirty seven prescribed places, he felt his knowledge increase, filling him up like a vessel and endowing him with a great sense of clarity about creation and the final purpose of man.
    Lidj Tafari is said to have made it quite clear that he was well acquainted with the rare manuscripts of Abba Aragaive and other Coptic Monks, known as the Nine Saints, who entered Ethiopia in 480 AD and founded the first monasteries in Tigre province. He also revealed that he was acquainted with the occult applications of Urim and Thummim and the Mezuzah, as well as the use of the magic words Gematria and Notarilon in Egypt, necromancy and also the magical names Adonay, El, Elohe. He exhibited familiarity with the Cabalistic doctrines and the writings in Gilgamesh. The pagan rituals surrounding the worship of Isis, of the serpent Arwe and of the Abyssinian gods of Earth, (Meder), Sea (Beher) and War (Mahrem), as well as the Arcane of astrology and numerology, but most importantly, Tafari exhibited to the priest his understanding of the central messages in the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Book of Two Ways. At one stage, an old Abmnet (or Abbot) allegedly asked to examine Tafari's palm. He saw that there was stigmata there and that the lifeline backed up on itself in an emblem of infinity. Tafari whispered a word in the Abbot's ear and all color drained from the old man's face. He left the room apparently in shock, refusing to return or to speak to his colleagues. Tafari addressed a monk who had served in the Cathedral at Axum here the Ark of the Covenant is kept. Tafari described to him, in Cushite, the Kedusta Kedussan, The Holy of Holies or Inner Sanctum where the Tabot, the Ark is kept and recited various inscriptions written upon it. Close to fainting with shock at what Tafari had disclosed. The stories about Tafari's childhood encounters with priests, his occult, wise mind and uncanny powers, spread like wildfire throughout Ethiopia.

    Then the day of Biblical Prophecy came on Nov 2, 1930, Ras Tafari was formally crowned His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Emperor of Ethiopia, 225^th descendent of King David in the Solomonic Dynasty.  Representatives from 72 nations came and bowed in reverence to His Majesty. The ceremony was conducted by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and He was first vested with a gold sword along with the exhortation: May you be enabled with this sword to punish the wicked and protect the righteous.

    This was followed with the bestowal of the Imperial scepter of ivory and gold, and the golden orb (globe), a diamond incrusted ring, two traditional lances (spears), the imperial vestments, and finally, anointing His head with oil, the priest placed upon Him the Triple Crown. Some of the vestments like the robe and crown were believed to be King Solomons ancient kingly attire. The Archbishop concluded the anointing with the words: That God may make this crown a crown of sanctity and glory. That, by the grace and the blessings which we have given, you may have an unshaken faith and a pure heart, in order that you may inherit the crown eternal. So be it. Haile Selassie also had his wife Empress Menen coronated with him, a first in Ethiopian Royal History. The final part of the ceremony was a tour of the cathedral by their Imperial Majesties, escorted by the bishops and priests, the princes and dignitaries, assistance and others, carrying palm branches and chanting, Blessed be the King of Israel.

    During this era Selassie was an inspiration to the Ethiopians living on the Caribbean slave island colony of Jamaica. One of these was Marcus Mosiah Garvey who is regarded as a prophet by Jamaicas Afro-Ethiopian community. He told the people to look to Africa where a Black King shall be crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He shall be the Redeemer. And so it was, that soon after this prediction Haile Selassie was crowned and the black people of Jamaica looked in their Bible, seeing the fulfillment of Revelation prophecy come true: The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of Judah, Black King of Davids Line has been crowned in Majesty and Glory. This is the One! This is the One that will save us!

    The movement of Rastafari was manifested. Oppressed black peoples had waited in hope for the One that would lead them. Haile Selassie was their King, and because He was King of the oldest Christian monarch in the world, and the only remaining African nation that had not been colonized by white people, He represented a dignity that all black people could be proud of. He had fought on the front lines with his people against the invaders of Italy led by Mussolini, protected the ancient Ethiopian Orthodox Church, built schools, highways, airports and in many ways led Ethiopia into the modern world. Ethiopia is without a doubt what it is today due to the contributions of Haile Selassie. For Rasta people, with Selassie I as King, they no longer had to accept the white Jesus, as portrayed in their slavery/bible school, but saw God with their own eyes, as Marcus Garvey taught. They saw themselves again as black kings and queens of a Royal and Holy Family with their Black King and Queen, God and Goddess, Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen as their Divine image and object of Love and Reverence. They Know! They know when He has the look! Yes! They can tell! Hallelujah!

HAILE SELASSIE I

JAH RAS TAFARI !

Reference: http://www.users.freenetname.co.uk/~melakdimpts/childtobefeared.html PS. To learn how to make up to $1,000/day or more with a blog just like this one, Click Here and watch this FREE Video!