THE QUEEN OF MADAGASCAR'S LETTER. 543 



tlirough a thousand congregations spread over the land, present a result 

 unexampled in modern times, perhaps unprecedented in the history of the 

 Church." 



The following is the reply sent by the Queen and Prime Minister of 

 Madagascar to the address from the Directors of the London Missionary 

 Society, presented by the Revs. Dr. Mullens and J. Pillans : — 



" TO THE DIRECTORS OE THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 



" Gentlemen — Our good friends, the Rev. Dr. Mullens, Foreign Secre- 

 tary to the London Missionary Society, and the Rev. J. Pillans, one of the 

 Directors, and his lady, have reached Madagascar in safety ; and whilst we 

 were in Fianarantsoa, had an opportunity of joining with Her Majesty and 

 myself in public worship at the camp. 



" On our return to the capital, they had again an audience of Her Majesty 

 and myself in the palace, and on that occasion they presented your address, 

 dated London, June 30, 1873, together with the various presents sent by 

 your Society to Her Majesty and myself. 



" The address has been carefully perused, and its contents duly noted 

 by Her Majesty, and I am authorised by her to answer it. 



"I have to inform you that, through the blessing of the Divine Being, 

 Her Majesty the Queen, myself, and all the members of the Oovernment, are 

 well. The kingdom enjoys peace ; but more than that, Her Majesty is happy 

 to tell you, that, by the power of the Most High and the mercy of Jesus 

 Christ our Saviour, according to the saying, ' The king's heart is in the 

 hands of the Lord,' God has shown mercy to our Sovereign, and has enlight- 

 ened her to know Jesus Christ, and has endowed her with strength, so that 

 from the time when she began to receive the Gospel, she has led and encour- 

 aged her subjects to serve God and pray to Him through Jesus Christ, and 

 to be dilligent in using all opportunities of acquiring useful knowledge. She 

 has also done her best to help the missionaries of your Society, so that, during 

 the reign of Her Majesty Ranavalomanjaka, the kingdom of Christ has made 

 great progress in Madagascar, and the number of believers has increased 

 more than during any period, notwithstanding the way in which the mission- 

 aries for many years contended with difficulties, and exerted themselves to 

 the utmost. But still the Queen continues to pray God that His kingdom 

 may advance until the joyful words shall be fulfilled which say, ' They shall 

 all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the 

 Lord.' 



"Her Majesty the Queen thanks you, the Directors, and all the consti- 

 tuents of the Society, because she knows your ardent desire to benefit her 

 kingdom by your sending missionaries and teachers to preach and teach the 

 Gospel and other useful knowledge, from the reign of His Majesty Radama I. 



