362 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
the bereaved mother was called upon to perform the same 
melancholy duty to her husband, who was removed by death 
on the 4th of July, having endeavoured with his latest 
breath, to point out to his surviving wife that consolation, 
of which, from her peculiar situation, she was so much in 
need, and finally commended her to the care of that God 
who promises to be a Father to the fatherless, and the God 
of the widow. 
Mrs. Jeffreys pursued her voyage to Mauritius, where 
she remained about six weeks, and then embarked on 
the 22d of August, with her infant family, for England, 
which, after a voyage not exempt from perils, she reached 
in safety on the 22d of the following November. 
In the month of August, 1825, a prayer-meeting was 
instituted for the benefit of the Malagasy youths, in which 
it was agreed that the native language only should be used. 
It afforded much satisfaction to the Missionaries to find 
some of the scholars not only willing to associate with 
them in these exercises, but capable of engaging in prayer 
themselves, and with simplicity, fervour, and apparent feel¬ 
ings of true devotion, imploring the blessings of the true 
God on themselves and their countrymen. These meetings 
were first held on an evening, but it was afterwards found 
that the morning would be more suited for the purpose; 
and they afterwards extended to the village-schools, where 
several teachers were found, whom the Missionaries deemed 
it suitable to request to conduct the services. 
During the autumn of this year, a son of General Keat¬ 
ing’s visited Tananarivo, where he arrived in company with 
Mr. Hastie. Having expressed considerable interest in 
the state of the Mission, and paid much attention to the 
schools, he recommended to the British agent the formation 
of a Madagascar Missionary School Society, for providing, 
