462 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
Mr. Baker thus closes the account of the first Christian 
death in Madagascar: 
“ I may be allowed to remark, that these brief and simple words, 
uttered in the hour of death, by the lips of one who had been once 
a heathen, bear as strong an emphasis as human language can admit. 
And whence the peculiar emphasis ? It arises hence— that the simple 
and artless minds of the heathen do not attempt to conceal their 
dread of death. The stoutest-hearted men will, as I have had 
occasion to observe in Madagascar, when stretched on a death-bed, 
exclaim with all the feebleness of children, and the anguish of 
despair, ‘ I die, I die ; O mother ! O father! I diewhilst the 
big tears will trickle down their olive cheeks in abundance. In 
accordance with such feelings, the natives shun all conversation on 
death, as most repugnant to their feelings, and account it the 
height of cruelty to speak of the probability of a sick friend’s death, 
even to his relatives. The infidels of Christendom, indeed, affect 
to scoff at death, and pretend to face it boldly; but the language 
of nature, like that I have been describing, will always prove that 
there is a ‘ bitterness of death,’ which no mere human strength of 
mind or heart can overcome. It is an affecting sight to see a heathen 
die. 0 how inestimable, then, is that ‘ truth of God,’ which can 
enable a poor slave to say with his last breath, ‘ I do not fear.’ 
“The native Christians were much affected with this expression, 
and the more so as Ra-poor-negro was the first of the baptized 
Christians in Madagascar whom the providence of God removed 
from the present scene of existence,” 
One of the native Christians was at this time appointed 
to the office of judge, in consequence of the death of his 
father. This was the first time this important post had 
ever been filled by a Christian. 
A number of native youths had been taught to work at 
the press; and these, under the judicious and constant 
superintendence of Mr. Baker, had been actively employed 
in printing the Old Testament and other books. The 
former was completed as far as the Psalms, 1000 extra 
