390 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
instruction, attend on Sundays at public worship, and 
continue to learn the catechism of the Scriptures; adding, 
that if any persons wished to be baptized or married by the 
Missionaries, they were at liberty to exercise their own will, 
and to act according to their own judgment in this respect. 
During the spring of 1828, a course of lectures was com¬ 
menced in the school at Tananarivo, intended to promote 
the religious knowledge of the senior youths, and to aid the 
teachers and native visitors in addressing the scholars in 
the country. The being and perfections of God were the 
first topics selected. On these occasions many of the 
youths wrote down the leading ideas at the time, and others 
proved the retentiveness of their memories, by afterwards 
expressing, in an audible manner, the great truths of reve¬ 
lation thus exhibited to their view. While instruction was 
in this manner conveyed to the mind, every suitable means 
was employed to impress the important truths thus com¬ 
municated on the hearts and consciences of those to whom 
the lectures were addressed, and, it is hoped, not without 
salutary results. 
The general state of the Mission at this period, is thus 
described in a letter from the Missionaries, dated at the 
capital on the 3d of March, 1828. 
“ The chapel is generally well attended three times on the Sab¬ 
bath 5 viz. soon after sun-rise, by the scholars, for catechetical 
exercises, &c. ; in the forenoon, for public worship ; and in the 
afternoon, for the English and Madagasse Prayer-meeting: in 
addition to which, many of the scholars remain after the morning 
service, for the reading of the Scriptures. 
<e The report of the schools, which will be forwarded after the 
next annual examination, we fear will not present quite so en¬ 
couraging an aspect as last year’s, in consequence of the numbers 
in the schools not having been yet filled up by the respective 
officers of the districts, in the room of those withdrawn after the 
