teaching of the missionaries and their colleagues, the artisans, would tend very much to raise and benefit his people, he did everything in his power to make the educational efforts of the mission successful.

By his lamented death, on July 27, 1828, the missionaries lost a powerful supporter. The new sovereign, Queen Ranavàlona, soon fell entirely under the power of the heathen party. For a time, however, the work of the missionaries was tolerated; principally, no doubt, on account of the great advantages derived from their educational labours, and from the work of the artisans. But though the missionaries had lost much by the death of Radama, they were greatly encouraged by evident success of a higher and more spiritual kind than any they had before enjoyed. The knowledge of God's word became widely extended, and many of the natives were aroused by its quickening truths.

In 1831, eleven years after the establishment of the mission, some of the converts were baptized, and two small churches were formed. Large congregations assembled every Sunday, the interest in the teaching of the missionaries became general, and to all it was evident that a new power had arisen in Madagascar.

This new power that they could neither understand nor control, proved extremely irritating to the heathen party in power, and in various ways efforts were made to excite the jealousy of the Queen. One of the commonest charges against the Christians was that they were entering into a secret league with the English to help them to become rulers of Madagascar. Many other causes helped to produce a strong opposition to Christianity; but jealousy of foreigners, and the suspicion that the religious work of the missionaries was only a cloak under which they concealed political designs, were probably the most potent. This jealousy culminated in the publication of an edict prohibiting the profession of the Christian religion and the use of Christian books.

This edict was published at a large kabàry, on Sunday, March 1, 1835. The place of meeting was the plain of Imahamàsina, the Champ de Mars of Antananarivo, an open space lying to the west of the long hill on which the city is built, and large enough to contain one or two hundred thousand people. In the middle of the plain crops up a large granite rock, on which only royal personages are allowed to stand. Hence, probably, the name, Imahamàsina, which means, "having power to make sacred." Here, from time to

time, large meetings had been held, but never one more important in its issues than that of March 1, 1835.

Of this kabary notices had been sent far and wide. All possible measures had been taken to inspire the people with awe, and to make them feel that a proclamation of unusual importance was about to be published. The subjects of Ranavàlona had often been awestricken by the cruelty and determination of their sovereign. She had waded to the throne through streams of blood, for in order to secure her position, she had arisen, like another Athaliah, and had slain all the seedroyal. She had often, during the seven years she had been on the throne, shown that she was not a ruler to be trifled with. But now she seemed anxious to make her people aware that her anger was burning with new and unwonted fury. Hence the steps taken to secure the presence of all classes of the community, not even invalids being excused from attendance. And what was the cause of this unwonted display? For what purpose were these thousands of people convened? Queen Ranavàlona had summoned her subjects to this great kabàry that she might make known her opposition to the Christian religion.

'Morning had scarcely dawned," we are told, “when the report of cannon, intended to strike awe and terror into the hearts of the people, ushered in the day on which the will and the power of the sovereign of Madagascar to punish the defenceless followers of Christ, was to be declared. Fifteen thousand troops were drawn up, part of them on the plain of Imahamàsina, and the rest in two lines, a mile in length, along the road leading to the place. The booming of artillery, from the high ground overlooking the plain, and the reports of the musketry of the troops, which were continued during the preparatory arrangements for the kabary, produced among the assembled multitudes the most intense and anxious feelings.

"At length the chief judge, attended by his companions in office, advanced and delivered the message of the sovereign, which was enforced by Rainihàro, the chief officer of the government. After expressing the queen's confidence in the idols, and her determination to treat as criminals all who re used to do them homage, the message proceeded: 'As to baptism, societies, places of worship, and the observance of the Sabbath, how many rulers are there in the land? Is it not I alone that rule? These things are not to be done. They are unlawful in my country,'

saith Queen Ranavàlona, for they are not the customs of our ancestors.""

As a result of this kabàry four hundred officers were reduced in rank, and fines were paid for two thousand others, and thus was ushered in a persecution which lasted more than a quarter of a century.

The missionaries were compelled to leave the island. But they had done permanent good to its people. They had imparted much general knowledge, and had trained up many skilled workmen; they had taught some ten or fifteen thousand children in their schools; they had given to the people a written language; they had translated the Bible, and prepared elementary school-books; they had gathered in the first-fruits of what they hoped would be a glorious harvest, and had founded several small Christian churches. Their work had just begun to give them abundant reason for hopefulness, when all their bright anticipations were clouded over, and the continuance of their missionary labours was rendered impossible. The last party of missionaries, consisting of Mr. Johns and Mr. Baker, sorrowfully bade farewell to Antananarivo in July, 1836.

And now, to use a native phrase, "the land was dark." For twenty-six years the churches of Christ in Madagascar had to suffer severe persecution. Queen Ranavàlona (the Queen Mary of Madagascar), with all the force of her strong will, set herself to destroy the new religion. "It was cloth," she said, "of a pattern she disliked, and she was determined that none of her people should use it." Many were the victims of her fury. The proto-martyr of Madagascar was Rasalama, a young woman, who was put to death at Ambohipòtsy, on August 14, 1837. She quietly knelt down to commend her soul to God before her life was taken by the spear of the executioner. She was the first of a long and honoured line of Christian confessors. The measures taken to destroy Christianity were not at all times equally severe. The years 1840, 1849, and 1857 stand out with special prominence in the annals of the persecution. In 1849 what may be called the great persecution took place. Not less than 1,900 persons suffered punishments of various kinds-fines, imprisonment, chains, or forced labour in the quarries. Of this number, eighteen suffered death; four of noble birth, by being burnt at Faravòhitra, and fourteen by being thrown over the great precipice of Ampamarinana (the place of hurling). It is not easy to estimate exactly the number of those who suffered the punishment of death

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in these various outbursts of persecution. The most probable estimate is that the victims were between sixty and eighty. But these formed only a small portion of the total number of sufferers. Probably hundreds of others died from the burden of their heavy chains, or from fevers, or from severe forced labour, or from privations endured during the time they were compelled to hide in caves or in the depths of the forests.

Notwithstanding the severity of the persecution, much quiet Christian work was carried on in the lulls between the storms. Meetings were held in secret, sometimes far away in the forest, sometimes upon hill-tops, sometimes at lone country houses, sometimes in caves, or even in unfinished tombs. Thus was the story of the Covenanters repeated, and the impossibility of destroying Christian faith by persecution again shown.

At length, after long years of weary waiting and of earnest prayer, the persecution came to an end. After a reign of thirty-three years, Queen Ranavàlona died, on the 15th of August, 1861. Her son, Radàma II., succeeded her. He had long been the friend and protector of the persecuted Christians, and one of his first acts was to call home those who had been banished. He at the same time gave permission for missionaries to be invited to the country. Three Christian congregations were at once formed in Antananarivo, and hundreds began to assemble in broad daylight, singing their familiar Christian hymns with joyful confidence.

Mr. Ellis and six missionaries were at once sent out, and the work abandoned in sorrow and disappointment in 1836 was resumed in 1862 amid circumstances of hope and gladness. The missionaries found some five thousand Christians in the island, meeting in about twenty-five congregations. The work steadily grew, and by 1868, when the reign of Queen Rasohèrina, the wife and successor of the unfortunate Radama II., came to an end, the congregations had risen to a hundred, and the total number of Christians was about twenty thousand.

From the accession of the present sovereign, Queen Ranavàlona II., the growth of the Christian community has been far more rapid. This has arisen chiefly from the fact that the queen, and her husband, the prime minister, have both become Christians. From the time of her being proclaimed (April 2, 1868) signs of the coming change were not wanting; but it was at her coronation that the altered attitude of the govern

confirm and deepen the impression produced by the coronation. On Sunday, October 28, 1868, a religious service was begun in the palace for the benefit of the queen and prime minister and their attendants. About the same time all government work was stopped on Sunday, and the various markets formerly held on Sunday were changed to some other day; proclamations were also made to the effect that the queen commanded people to abstain from ordinary work on the Sunday. Early in the following year (February 21, 1869), the queen and her husband, the prime minister, were baptized. On July 20th the foundation-stone of a handsome stone church was laid within the palace enclosure. On September 8th the chief idol, Kelimalàza, was publicly burned by order of the queen in the sacred village of Ambohimanambòla, and during the remainder of September a general burning of idols took place throughout the central provinces, and at all other places to which the Hova authority extends.

Events of this kind could not fail to affect powerfully a gregarious people like the Malagasy. Thousands came at once under the influence of Christian instruction. Requests for teachers poured in from all quarters, and within a few months the nine churches of Antananarivo, aided by the palace church, sent out 126 evangelists. The old congregations greatly increased in numbers, and on every hand new congregations sprang up with marvellous rapidity. Between April and December, 1868, the number of adherents of the London Missionary Society and Friends' Foreign Mission had risen from about 20,000 to 37,000. By the end of 1869 they had reached 153,000. A year later they had become 231,000; and at the present time they exceed a quarter of a million. To these must be added the adherents of the Norwegian and Propagation Societies' missions.

Among these recently gathered converts much Christian work is being done. Thirty missionaries belonging to the London Missionary Society, five or six belonging to the Friends' Foreign Mission, about twenty belonging to the Norwegian Missionary Society, and ten or twelve connected with the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel are at work among them. More than a thousand congregations have been formed, and several thousands of native agents are engaged in various kinds of Christian work. Many schools have been established: 730 in connection with the London Missionary Society and Friends' Foreign Mission, and others in connection with the remaining missions. Three mission presses are at work printing books of different kinds for the use of the converts, and from these presses more than 200,000 books of various kinds are issued every year. Facts like these lead us to take a hopeful view of the future of the Malagasy race. It should, however, be stated that although in religious matters great changes have taken place with unusual rapidity, in regard to material development the Malagasy have not made any very great progress. The fact that they have not throughout the island any properly made roads-many of the main ones being as primitive in their construction as that which is shown in our illustration-indicates very clearly their backwardness in such matters. But improvements of many kinds are steadily taking place, and Christianity is beginning to search its way into all the ramifications of personal, social, and national life. Remembering what Madagascar was at the beginning of this century, the long and patient suffering and martyrdom of her converts and their great increase in the past ten years, we think there is ample reason for deepest gratitude for the past, and bright and reasonable hope for the future.

adjacent isles of Denmark, at the mouth of the Elbe-and these latter actually came by invitation, and proved at first a heathen scourge to a country by which the good news