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Haile Selassie I - Teachings

It Is Better To Give Than To Receive

“Wise men have always known the deep and pervading truth that it is better to give than to receive, for even as it conflicts with selfish and ambitious desires, it moderates and controls them.”

QHS Selected Speeches p. 46

“It is better to give than to receive” is a precept of Iyesus Krstòs that is not written in His Gospels, but revealed by Saint Paul in the Acts of the Apostles (20:35), as he says: “to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’.”

Even if I egoistically desire pleasure and joy and success for myself, to give is more convenient than receive, cause it paves the way to actual satisfaction and reward from God and for eternity. Therefore, it always control selfish desire: it pervades and invades the space usually occupied by the wicked, cause if you really egoistically love yourself, then you serve the Living God and live, otherwise you die.

Our true happiness, wealth, power and pleasure is kept by God, not by the sinful ways of this world, and from Him we will receive. If the wicked played some illusory part about in the past, now his dominion is completely over with the coming of the Kingdom. Now, “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof”, He conquered and freed the land occupied by the wicked (wordly flesh) and He is master above the spiritual as well as the material happiness and success of men.

 

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Haile Selassie I - Teachings

I&I Should Be Proud in Spirit

“If you keep the pledge you gave to your country and Your Emperor, you will be proud in spirit. A man who is proud in spirit will always have confidence in himself and his conscience will not reprimand him.” #QHS

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Haile Selassie I - Teachings

Education must be the Principal

“The general happiness of mankind today is rather scant and insecure; but We should have to live and do Our best to ameliorate it. Education of the youth is the surest guarantee of a better life. Therefore, among the many projects undertaken for the welfare and prosperity of Ethiopia, We have planned that education be the principal. Many foreign teachers have been brought in to feed the youth like a gardener feeds his plants with fresh water.” #QHS

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Haile Selassie I - Teachings

The Oldest Books have been kept by Ethiopia only

“Indeed, our copyists in the first centuries have translated into ethiopian language several works produced in the mediterranean world. Copy by copy, these works have come down to us today, and it happens that the original has disappeared since long time, and only our humble translation in our old language remains, copied by our monks and scholars. In this way, the oldest text of the Apocalypse of Peter has been found within the collection of the National Library of Paris. Every day, just to speak about the collections in Europe, sages of all nationalities descover texts of the highest interest.”

HIM Haile Selassie I

(Translated from the book given by His Majesty in French language, “L’Invasion de l’Ethiopie”)

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Haile Selassie I - Teachings

Africa for the Africans

Inaugurating the hydro-electric dam of Kale, Guinea.
Kale, Guinea, October 12 1963
Our struggle for ‘Africa for the Africans’, the success of which looked remote not only to colonial powers but also to Africans has become a reality today.
We cannot say Africa is for Africans when the economy of an African country is run by foreigners while the people have only nominal independence. We dare say that Africa is for Africans only when we see such economic projects as this dam constructed with the partecipation of Africans and when we cherish the hope that Africans will be the sole proprietors of such works of progress in the near future.
We can say that the President and people of Yugoslavia think and work for the liberation and progress of Africa, as Africans themselves do. They have stretched their helping hand not only here in Guinea, but they have also helped Ethiopia in similar ways.
We have fully realized the fact that the people of Yugoslavia work for others as hard as they do for their own country while they were working in Our own country.
(…) Now if this great undertaking had not got the right receptive hand it would not have materialized to the extent of becoming the country’s vital economic project.
We would like to thank you for the kind and respectful gesture you have bestowed upon Us for opening and inaugurating this dam.
Long Live African Unity. May We express Our fervent desire and hope in the evolution of the final phase of this unity.”
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Haile Selassie I - Teachings

Interview with “Le Journal” of Paris, July 1936

P. Lecler, Le Journal (Paris, France), 3rd of July 1936
The Emperor of Ethiopia granted me an interview of a great hour, in the small living room of his apartment at Carleton hotel, in Geneva.
How sad and discouraged he seemed to me after the quarrel he caused during Tuesday’s session. It seemed evident to me that he had just burned his last cartridges and that he realized the vanity of the last efforts he had just made to induce the League of Nations to bring belated support to his country.
His lips emitted words full of courage, but the deep sadness on his face and his look of weariness belied his words.
His usual black attire seemed to have taken on a striking significance; he discussed at length the possibility of his return to Ethiopia – probably to Gorè – in case the League of Nations would answer his call. But he has been forced to accept the possibility of a definitive failure which would mean perpetual exile for him.
‘I have done the impossible’, he said sadly, ‘to present my case after many delays from an angle which should decide the League of Nations to keep its commitments. I still want to believe in the active sympathy of the English people and that of other nations, but it is diplomatic chicanery that makes the exercise of justice difficult. I will remain in Geneva until the end of this conference, and, if the question is adjourned, I will return in September to present my defense again’.
‘And where do you plan to reside in the meantime ? In Geneva ?’
‘You know the Swiss do not want’
When I asked him if it was true that he had requested permission to stay in the country, he replied, as if moved by some vestige of his past pride: ‘It is not my habit to impose my presence to anyone’
Haile Selassie will prefer to return to England, and try to raise the necessary funds there to return to Ethiopia and resume a defensive action.
‘I have just received a letter from Ras Imru who is in Goré and which confirms to me that he is in the process of bringing together all our forces in this region, but that we are lacking in armaments. The Italians have spread this legend that we no longer have any government in the West, because the Gallas are not our friends. Yet almost the entire population of Addis Ababa was Galla. I will be welcome in Goré as in any other region of our country, because otherwise it would have been impossible for me to organize the energetic defense of Ethiopia until the time when we were defeated by Italian gases.
‘Do you plan to return back to Ethiopia, no matter what ?’
Yes, if the League of Nations acts, or if I can collect the funds necessary to our defence. Otherwise it would be futile to try to continue the struggle.’
The question was then asked, whether such activities in England would not be considered an anti-Italian campaign, contrary to the conditions under which the Emperor was allowed to stay in Britain.
No conditions were imposed on me. Certainly, I am anti-Italian, it is impossible for me to deny it.’
A well-informed personality, who saw the letter sent to the Emperor in Palestine before he embarked for England, assured me that it specified, in terms which required no reply, that the English wanted the Emperor abstained from all military activity, as long as he was in the country.
I pointed out to the Emperor that he had lost a lot of weight since I had seen him in Ethiopia. He smiled sadly and said, ‘I have hardly slept since I left Ethiopia’.
‘Is it the loss of your empire or your current situation that obsesses you?’
The answer came shortly after.
‘It is completely indifferent to me to be emperor or not. I would be perfectly content to be just a simple citizen. But the sufferings of my people haunt me. I know what happened in Tripoli, and I have doubts about the current lot of my unfortunate subjects. It is only for them that I continue the fight, for them and for the triumph of justice.’
‘And if all your efforts will be vain at the end, what will you do ?’
‘What can I do? I will eat my heart out in exile’
‘Where do you plan to retire?’
I did not want to think about it yet. Maybe in England, maybe in Jerusalem; it will no longer matter if there is no more hope’.
‘But what do you plan to do after that active life that I have seen you doing in Ethiopia ? Do you plan to write, to give lectures ? Maybe you will go to America?’
‘Maybe I’ll give lectures later. I have, in fact, received offers to go to America. But how could this be useful to Ethiopia? If all is lost, how can anything I do matter’.
‘And your sons?’
‘The youngest will in any case remain in England. I want them to study there. The oldest will accompany me wherever I go.’
‘I suppose that your bitterness must be deep…’
‘I have no rancour, nothing but sadness. I repeat, if Ethiopia sinks, the League of Nations and civilization itself will sink with her.’
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Haile Selassie I - Teachings

OFFICIAL NOTICE – Ethiopia’s position on contiguous ex-Italian colonies – August 1945

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY CLAIMS PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL RIGHTS AND SELF-DETERMINATION
“By decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers in London, met to prepare the Treaty of Peace with Italy, Ethiopia has been informed that along with the other states at War with Italy, she may have until October 1st, 1945, to submit in writing her views in regard of the settlement, so far as Ethiopia is concerned, although the decisions of the Conference must necessarily determine the provisions of the future treaty of Peace with Italy.
Ethiopia, the principal victim of Italian aggression, is permitted to submit written statements to the Conference in London in regard to territories of which she was robbed by Italian aggression, and the return of which is essential to afford Ethiopia the inherent right of all independent states, of access to the Sea. The enemy has been invited to the Conference and may receive such communications and furnish to the conference his comments thereon and replies thereto, but the principal victim of the enemy’s aggression may not have the privilege of replying to or furnishing explanations in regard to the points raised by her written communications.
The small nations of the world must be accorded a fair opportunity of representation in regard to decisions affecting their soil and future if there is to be hoped for a peace founded upon the principles of justice.
Ethiopia as the principal victim of Italian aggression and cruelties, as the state whose faith in and devotion to the ideals of collective security were so tragically belied, has no choice but to make her voice heard in protest against such exclusion which she considers an injustice. After ten years of incredible sufferings and losses, the small states of the world have the right to rely upon the principle so recently and solemnly consecrated of developing ‘friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination’.#QHS
24th of August 1945
(Taken from “Eritrea and Benadir”, The Ethiopian Press and Information Department, Addis Abeba)
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Haile Selassie I - Teachings Haile Selassie I - Video

From “The Lion and the Cross” – 1963 US Documentary

INTERVIEWER: “Your Majesty, what in your opinion are Ethiopia’s greatest needs?”
HIM: “We have already begun the program most essential for Ethiopia, that is to raise the standard of living of her people through education and better health. These would be the primary objectives. The remaining needs will not be forgotten and will also be taken care of.”
INTERVIEWER: “Your Majesty has taken a personal interest and a personal hand almost in every phase of life in Ethiopia, but does Your Majesty not sometimes grow weary, and perhaps feel that this all too much work for one man”.
HIM: “This is really not significant. One individual naturally cannot shoulder the responsibility of a whole nation. We have already told this to our ministers and government officials. Our main objective in the administration of the affairs of 22 million people is that all should cooperate and share responsibility. This has always been our program and will continue to be our program. Our wish is to serve our country as an Ethiopian. It is our conviction that the administration of the country should not depend on one person, but is rather the concern of all, each in his own way must help his country.”
INTERVIEWER: “What does Your Majesty learn from the attempted coup d’etat?”
HIM: “You can say that they have learned from us, those who attempted the coup d’etat. There is nothing that we have learned from them. If you examine their demands you will find we have already started these reforms. We would have been delighted to learn something new from them.”
INTERVIEWER: “Does Your Majesty see Ethiopia emerging as a leader or perhaps even the leader of Africa ?”
HIM: “Ethiopia does not have any intention of being the leader of Africa as such. It hopes to live harmoniously with all its African sister countries. How long did the american confederation take to become united ? I believe you even fought a war about it.”
INTERVIEWER: “Would Your Majesty care to say a few words in english” ?
HIM: “My English is very poor. The most critical issue that has felt (?) the world in recent times was the Cuba-US conflict. The statemanship and wisdom of Prime Minister Khrushchev has greatly helped to ease the situation. We’d like to take the opportunity to congratulate both President Kennedy and President Premier Khrushchev as well as Secretary General U Thant.”
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Haile Selassie I - Teachings Italo-Ethiopian War

Ethiopia the Last Citadel of Collective Security – 1936

“Do the peoples of the world not yet realize that by fighting on until the bitter end I am not only performing my sacred duty to my people but standing guard in the last citadel of collective security ? Are they too blind to see that I have responsibilities to the whole of humanity to face ? I must still hold on until my tardy allies appear. And if they never come, then I say prophetically and without bitterness the west will perish.” #QHS
April 1936
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Haile Selassie I - Teachings

His Majesty’s Message to the American “Negro”

“We can never forget the help Ethiopia received from Negro Americans during the terrible crisis of 1935.
American Negroes showed great sympathy for our cause and extended the hand of brotherhood to us. This was our great hour of need. It moved me to know that Americans of African descent did not abandon their embattled brothers, but stood by us. The ties that bind Ethiopians to Negro Americans are historic and strong. I hope that these ties will persist and will be strengthened to our mutual advantage.
We follow with the greatest interest the struggle of the colored people of the United States to achieve equal rights and human dignity and we continue to follow the progress of that struggle with intense pain and pleasure.
Pain because colored people in America experience inequality and persecution, pleasure because of the efforts now being made in the United States by Negroes themselves and by the government to restore the freedom, rights and privileges to the colored people which have so long been denied them. We hope for and will continue to work for the speedy and satisfactory solution of the racial problem in the United States. We want our colored brothers in America to know that we are with them in their great struggle for justice.
We in Africa desire success in this struggle. I personally reaffirm our basic unity of purpose. What we Africans and colored Americans seek is identical. We both desire dignity and freedom and an end to oppression and discrimination based on color.
Discrimination violates fundamental human rights, it violates the laws of God and also the laws of man. I cannot emphasize too strongly the importance this problem of racial discrimination has in my mind. I believe both the Eastern countries and the Western countries will have to collaborate to remove this problem which is the scourge of mankind.
I am pleased to note that President Kennedy and his government are making great efforts to solve the racial problem.
We would like to see more colored Americans come to Ethiopia to work and help our people develop our country and improve the standards of living of our population. They can render valuable assistance. Our doors are open. Unfortunately, few Negroes have come so far, but they will be warmly welcomed.” #QHS