446 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
gold, yea, than much fine gold,” and “ able to make wise 
unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus our 
Lord.” His wife seemed equally to partake of that divine 
mercy which had wrought this pleasing change in her hus¬ 
band : both appeared heirs together of the grace of eternal 
life, and had walked for a period of twelve months in the 
ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless. The 
Missionaries, therefore, had much satisfaction in receiving 
these two individuals among the first-fruits of Madagascar 
unto Christ. 
At the time of receiving the rite of baptism, the native 
Christians had been accustomed to take some name, by 
which they were afterwards called; Paul was that selected 
by the individual now referred to, and in the subsequent 
communications of the Missionaries, he is frequently referred 
to as Paul the diviner. In this instance, as in the South 
Sea Islands, and in other parts of the world, to which the 
knowledge of Christian faith has been introduced by mis¬ 
sionary efforts, some of the most able and active supporters 
of delusion and idolatry have been among the first to 
experience the regenerating power of the gospel, and to 
exemplify its transf rming and salutary influence. 
Paul and his wife were not only examples of whatsoever 
things are pure and lovely, and of good report, but zealous, 
active, and persevering in their endeavours to bring others 
under instruction in the truth. In two others, though less 
conspicuous on account of character and pursuits, the evi¬ 
dence of an entire change of heart, effected by Divine 
agency, was not less satisfactory; while the fruits of right¬ 
eousness were equally abundant and cheering. In illus¬ 
tration of the views and feelings with which the native 
converts sought the privilege of Christian fellowship, the 
following letter, from one of the applicants for baptism, on 
