352 CHRISTIANITY ACCEPTED. 



power in the country, and making its influence felt even far 

 away from the central province. 



But with the death of Queen Basoh^rina in April 1868, 

 and the accession of her cousin Bamdma, came another great 

 advance. The advisers of the sovereign had for some time 

 seen very clearly the course events were taking. They 

 perceived that Christianity was becoming an element in the 

 country which could no longer be ignored. They therefore 

 resolved to put themselves at the head of the new movement, 

 and not allow such a mighty influence to be altogether in- 

 dependent of the State. 



And so, at the coronation of the Queen (afterwards known 

 as Banavalona II.), a kind of public acknowledgment of 

 Christianity took place ; for no idol was brought to sanctify 

 the ceremony, but a Bible occupied a conspicuous place close 

 to the Queen's right hand, while on the canopy over her 

 head there were written in large characters words taken 

 from the angelic hymn, " Glory to God," " Peace on earth," 

 " Good will to men." It was evident that a new era had 

 that day been inaugurated. 



This open recognition of Christianity was soon followed 

 by still more decisive measures in favour of the once pro- 

 scribed religion. In February of the following year (1869), 

 the Queen and the Prime Minister were both baptized in the 

 presence of a large number of the chief people of the king- 

 dom; public worship was commenced in one of the royal 

 houses ; the foundation of a chapel-royal was laid in the 

 palace-yard ; and in September of the same year, the insolent 

 behaviour of the idol-keepers led to the burning of the royal 

 idols, and, immediately afterwards, to a like destruction of 

 those belonging to private individuals and separate tribes 

 throughout the central provinces of the island. 



With a people like the Malagasy, accustomed to move in 

 crowds, and to follow implicitly anything which is favoured by 

 their rulers, the effects of this Government patronage may be 

 easily imagined. The immediate results were an enormous 

 numerical increase in the attendance upon Christian services ; 

 every chapel was crowded to excess ; new places of worship 

 were hastily erected in every village ; the people eagerly 



