FAVOURITE BOOKS. 



347 



Similar precautions have been found quite as necessary in 

 Madagascar, for the preacher's office is so honoured that any- 

 one going to places distant from the capital can easily get 

 much respect and advantage by getting up and preaching, 

 although he may be of very indifferent character. Accord- 

 ingly, for some time past, formal " epistles of commendation " 

 have been prepared to be taken by preachers as evidence of 

 their being held in confidence by the churches of Imerina, 

 and the distant congregations have been warned that if any 

 one brings not such certificates of character they should 

 "receive them not, nor bid them God speed" (2 John 10), 



Another illustration of early Church history, although not ex- 

 actly connected with this part of the subject, may be here noted. 

 Among the books which the Malagasy Christians most prized 

 during the twenty-five years of persecution, wa^ the "Pilgrim's 

 Progress," of which a very idiomatic translation was made by 

 the Ptev. D. Johns. This was often bound up with a small 

 edition of the New Testament, and thus acquired a position 

 in their esteem second only to that of the inspired book itself. 

 We see, therefore, how easily in early times, by the mere 

 placing together of canonical and non-canonical books, some 

 of these latter were for a time regarded in some places as 

 Holy Scripture. And so the " Shepherd " of Hernias, and 

 the Epistles of Barnabas and Clement and others, were in- 

 cluded in some early lists of the canon. Some of the less- 

 informed country people sometimes inquire of us if the maga- 

 zines and works issued at our press were written by the 

 Apostles ; while they gaze with wonder at the English books 

 on our shelves, and ask if they are all Bibles. 



With regard to CMirch Offices and Government, our Mala- 

 gasy experience offers many illustrations of early Church 

 history in the development of ecclesiastical systems. For 

 many years, indeed until the year 1870, the London Mis- 

 sionary Society's mission was concentrated at the capital city 

 of Antananarivo ; following apostolic precedent the great 

 centre of intelligence and civilisation and government was 

 first occupied ; just as Antioch and Ephesus and Corinth and 

 Pome early became seats of the most powerful churches. 

 And accordingly, just as these, with other cities, came to have 



