248 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. ix. 



views: assurances which have since been most honourably 

 and generously acted upon. 



The conversion of the natives to Christianity, though the 

 primary and paramount object of the missionary, had un- 

 avoidably involved attention to many secular matters con- 

 nected with their temporal affairs and social progress, and 

 the more prominent indications of their present state in 

 these respects could scarcely fail to attract observation. I 

 am fully aware that the brief period of little more than five 

 months, during which I remained in the country, and the 

 comparatively hurried visits which I made to the several 

 stations, could but ill qualify me for forming very strong or 

 definite opinions on the actual condition of the people. Yet 

 there were several points connected with these which re- 

 peatedly forced themselves on my notice. Prominent and 

 most important among them was a general and earnest soli- 

 citude on the subject of personal religion. The missionaries 

 at most of the stations testified that, notwithstanding the 

 ungodliness existing amongst many portions of the coloured 

 people who made no profession of religion, and the defections 

 of those who did, there appeared to be at the present time 

 a growing and more than ordinary desire after religious 

 instruction, and an increasing sense of its value and its 

 necessity. This feeling, it was stated, was not confined to the 

 coloured people, but prevailed in some cases amongst the 

 white inhabitants ; and not the least pleasing feature in many 

 of the public services which we attended was the presence of 

 a number of white persons, residents in the neighbourhood. 

 These were sometimes sitting in the same seat with the 

 natives, or in pews standing side by side, and often inter- 

 mingled with those occupied by persons of colour. Should 

 this state of feeling continue, it may be justly regarded as 

 one of the surest foundations of both temporal and spiritual 

 advancement. 



