CHRISTIANITY PERSECUTED. 351 



Jones and Griffiths, of Johns and Freeman, of Baker and 

 Cameron, will ever be held in lasting remembrance and 

 honour as the pioneers and apostles of Malagasy Christianity. 



The sixteen years of planting the gospel in the interior of 

 the island were, as is well known, followed by a quarter of 

 a century of determined persecution of its adherents. The 

 more prominent incidents of that terrible time have now 

 become a part of Church history, and have given another 

 confirmation to the old saying, that " the blood of the 

 martyrs " was " the seed of the Church." Their blood was 

 again, as Tertullian said, " the red rain that made the harvest 

 grow." The fury of the persecuting Queen Ranavalona I. 

 only defeated its own purpose : it strengthened and deepened, 

 and extended far and wide the influence of Christianity ; 

 about two hundred faithful men and women laid down their 

 lives for their love to Christ; "those who were persecuted 

 went everywhere preaching the word," and at length, when 

 those twenty-five years were over, the number of professing 

 Christians had increased twenty-fold ! 



And now, another period of sixteen years has passed away 

 since the London Missionary Society's mission was re- 

 established at the capital of the country ; and we who have 

 been labouring in Madagascar during this third stage of its 

 Christian history can look back and see wonderful changes 

 and advances during that period. For these sixteen years 

 have been chequered in their experiences. For a few months 

 during the reign of Eadama II., the sunshine of royal favour 

 took the place of royal frowns. But the state of things dur- 

 ing the short reign of the young King was thoroughly un- 

 satisfactory, and had it continued longer, would probably 

 have injured the prospects of real religion far more than the 

 years of open persecution. Then came the reign of Queen 

 Fiasoherina, during which, for five years, the gospel made 

 steady and solid progress. With a fair field and no favour 

 from the Government, but with no opposition, Christianity 

 was permeating and influencing all ranks of society in the 

 capital city and its neighbourhood. The younger and more 

 intelligent of every family of position were among its 

 adherents, and it was gradually becoming an acknowledged 



