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| Selected Speeches |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Selected Speeches |
| Haile Selassie the First - May 18, 1957 |
May the Almighty God reward you -- all our people, young and old and the
thousands of students who have so profoundly shared our grief in the
heavy blow we ahve sustained on the passing of our son, Prince
Makonnen. Itegue and I are most thankful for your expression of
sympathy.
The share that all our people has taken in our sorrow has helped to
comfort us. The students whom, with God's help we have provided with
education, have with their faithful hearts expressed their grief with tears
while we followed the last remains of our son in his funeral. Though he
(the deceased Prince) is our son in flesh and blood -- those are our
children in education. The school boys and girls shed their tears as if for a
devoted brother or sister.
Moreover, the telegrams of sympathy which we have received from
dignitaries, officials, from foreign lands and from all over the Empire have
greatly comforted us. As he is our son and your son, our grief has
become your grief.
We loved our son Makonnen in two ways: In the first, because he is our
son. Thus our sorrow under the shadow of his death is that of the
heavy-laden heart of a parent at the loss of a child. Secondly, since he
was a child he was always beside us offering us essential aid and service.
Besides, at the age of 12, during the war, reluctant to separate from us, he
marched with us to Desie helping us to protect ourselves from the raining
bombs.
When we were in exile he was Our source of comfort. During his youth
he determined to set a good mental and decorous example to those whom
we prepared to participate in the progress of our country, thus
exemplifying his will, his efforts and his farsightedness.
In his humane reminders to us concerning the poor and indigent, he
sought and obtained relief for them. These acts we leave to those who
received his benevolence, to recall. Though young he brought
constantly to our attention the conditions of all those who deserved
help, doing so even very late at night, foregoing all youthful diversion.
Young as he was he was so mentally mature that he advised us like an
elderly person.
We brought him up by feeding hm with a nursing bottle, while his
mother gave him her breast. We had hoped that we might precede
him, but unexpectedly this tragic loss has deprived us of him. Even if
we comply fully with God's commands and take care of his wife and
children, can this to us be a substitute for Makkonnen? However,
Makonnen cannot be to us more than the whole Ethiopian people who
are our sons and daughters.
Mortality is man's inevitable course. We must patiently accept God's
resolution in giving us Makonnen the one whom He gave us to be the
ornament of our life and recalling him.
Today is the third day since we had laid him to rest, and we must go to
him since he cannot come to us.
Let us all return to the services for which we have been chosen. We
must save ourselves so that we may be of service to others. May God
accept that tears that were shed and use the hearts of those who have
shed them to the progress of our country. So let us return to our
duties.
thousands of students who have so profoundly shared our grief in the
heavy blow we ahve sustained on the passing of our son, Prince
Makonnen. Itegue and I are most thankful for your expression of
sympathy.
The share that all our people has taken in our sorrow has helped to
comfort us. The students whom, with God's help we have provided with
education, have with their faithful hearts expressed their grief with tears
while we followed the last remains of our son in his funeral. Though he
(the deceased Prince) is our son in flesh and blood -- those are our
children in education. The school boys and girls shed their tears as if for a
devoted brother or sister.
Moreover, the telegrams of sympathy which we have received from
dignitaries, officials, from foreign lands and from all over the Empire have
greatly comforted us. As he is our son and your son, our grief has
become your grief.
We loved our son Makonnen in two ways: In the first, because he is our
son. Thus our sorrow under the shadow of his death is that of the
heavy-laden heart of a parent at the loss of a child. Secondly, since he
was a child he was always beside us offering us essential aid and service.
Besides, at the age of 12, during the war, reluctant to separate from us, he
marched with us to Desie helping us to protect ourselves from the raining
bombs.
When we were in exile he was Our source of comfort. During his youth
he determined to set a good mental and decorous example to those whom
we prepared to participate in the progress of our country, thus
exemplifying his will, his efforts and his farsightedness.
In his humane reminders to us concerning the poor and indigent, he
sought and obtained relief for them. These acts we leave to those who
received his benevolence, to recall. Though young he brought
constantly to our attention the conditions of all those who deserved
help, doing so even very late at night, foregoing all youthful diversion.
Young as he was he was so mentally mature that he advised us like an
elderly person.
We brought him up by feeding hm with a nursing bottle, while his
mother gave him her breast. We had hoped that we might precede
him, but unexpectedly this tragic loss has deprived us of him. Even if
we comply fully with God's commands and take care of his wife and
children, can this to us be a substitute for Makkonnen? However,
Makonnen cannot be to us more than the whole Ethiopian people who
are our sons and daughters.
Mortality is man's inevitable course. We must patiently accept God's
resolution in giving us Makonnen the one whom He gave us to be the
ornament of our life and recalling him.
Today is the third day since we had laid him to rest, and we must go to
him since he cannot come to us.
Let us all return to the services for which we have been chosen. We
must save ourselves so that we may be of service to others. May God
accept that tears that were shed and use the hearts of those who have
shed them to the progress of our country. So let us return to our
duties.
| Chapter XVII |
| Death Of Prince Makonnen May 18, 1957 |
| Humanitarian |