HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
355 
injurious tendency of the schools. “Our children,” they 
said, “ are forsaking the customs of our ancestors, and for¬ 
saking our gods.” “ Do you mind your work,” replied the 
king, “and let the children mind their instructions.” 
A circumstance, equally characteristic of the king, 
occurred a short time afterwards, when some people from 
this village waited upon him to solicit a piece of fine cloth 
to cover their idol. “Why, surely,” said Radama, “he 
must be very poor, if he cannot get a piece of cloth for 
himself. If he be a god, he can provide his own 
garments.” 
Messrs. Jones and Griffiths now divided their time every 
Sabbath between visiting the village-schools, and conducting 
divine service in the chapel at the capital; and whether 
from the novelty of the services, or from the prevalent 
feeling of competition, each endeavouring to be more 
zealous than his neighbour, the congregations on the 
Sabbath frequently amounted to above a thousand persons. 
The doors and windows of the chapel were thronged, and 
the court-yard filled. The queen and one of the king's 
sisters frequently attended; and the people remarked that 
every Sunday at the chapel was like one of their own 
kabaries. 
The tide of popularity, however, seldom flows long in 
one channel. When Radama returned from his military 
expedition against the Sakalavas, the children of the schools 
assembled, and went to salute him, but met with a reception 
much less cordial than they had been led to expect from 
his usual notice of them. The cause of this coolness 
appeared afterwards to be, that during his journey he had 
heard numerous complaints from different quarters, of the 
rapid increase of scholars, and the great offence which the 
teaching of a new religion had given to his people. 
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