ciiAr. VI. CLAIMS OF THE CHRISTIANS TO SYIklPATHY. 1G9 



present rulers of those nations ; tlie converts to Christianity- 

 are therefore regarded as guilty of the double crime of apos- 

 tasy and treason. And to persuade their countrymen to be- 

 lieve in the Lord Jesus, to obey His word, or to love Him, is 

 regarded as alienating the confidence and affection of the 

 people from their lawful rulers and transferring them to the 

 ancestors of the rulers of foreigners. Many of the people 

 are probably too much enlightened to believe that their early 

 ancestors were anything more than men, but others believe 

 what the supporters of idolatry teach, and use the popular 

 delusion as a ground of impeachment against the Christians. 



The immediate future of Madagascar is kno-wn only to the 

 Almighty, whose attribute it is to behold the end from the 

 beginning. But whatever that future may be, there is in the 

 past much, very much, to ponder over most profoundly, much 

 also to enkindle earnest and hearty desires that a happier 

 day may soon dawn upon that important country and its 

 deeply interesting inhabitants, and that the minds of the 

 rulers may be enlightened to see that Christianity affords the 

 surest foundation for the greatness and glory of sovereigns as 

 well as for the prosperity, loyalty, and happiness of nations. 



