RELATIONS BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE. 349 



lordship over God's heritage, nor their Presbyterianism fulfil 

 again the taunt of a by-gone age that " new presbyter is but 

 old priest writ large." 



On one other point only can a word be here said, and that 

 is as to the analogies between modern Malagasy history and 

 ancient Church history in the matter of the Relations between 

 the Church and the State, This is, however, such a wide 

 subject, and so difficult to be understood without full details, 

 that it could not be treated satisfactorily at the end of a 

 chapter; besides which, the time has not yet arrived for 

 judging how far the experience of ancient times, in this 

 respect, will be reproduced in modern times hi Madagascar. 

 Prom the very circumstances of the country, and the habits 

 of the people, there are undeniable tendencies in the direction 

 of a control of religion by the State. But it may with some 

 confidence be hoped that by the constant inculcation of 

 scriptural teaching as to the independence and spirituality of 

 the Church, the Christian congregations may retain their 

 freedom, especially as the Government have repeatedly and 

 publicly expressed their adhesion to a policy of non-inter- 

 ference in religious matters. 



Such are a few of the side-lights which are thrown by 

 mission experiences in Madagascar upon the history and 

 development of the apostolic and early churches. The 

 subject is a wide one, and is doubtless capable of ample 

 illustration from other mission fields. I trust that these 

 slight contributions to it may meet the eye of some of my 

 missionary brethren in other countries, and may induce them 

 to note down and make known other facts, showing how 

 history — ecclesiastical history — repeats itself, and the new is 

 ever illustrating the old. 



