404 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
point until another opportunity offered. Meantime he 
found in his catechism the text, 66 Hear, O Israel! the Lord 
our God is one Lord when he exclaimed, “ Now I am 
both delighted and grieved: delighted to have found the 
word of the true God—grieved on account of my relatives. 
They are lovers of idols.” He then begged his father’s 
permission to quit the school: “ For why,” said he, “ should 
I continue to learn what you do not believe.” “ What do 
I not believe?” asked the father. “That,” replied the 
youth, “ of which I have told you before; and which will 
not only do me good, but you also. There are new heavens 
and a new earth for those who believe in God, with ever¬ 
lasting life, and garments shining like the sun, that never 
wax old/’ 
An impression was made upon the father’s mind. He 
paused—encouraged the youth—and shortly afterwards 
resolved on relinquishing his charge of the idol. Pretending 
business at some distance, he therefore asked leave of 
absence, and remained beyond the stipulated time; for 
which a fine was imposed upon him, and another person 
chosen to supersede him in his office. Having obtained 
information of this, he returned home, paid his fine, and 
felt himself relieved in being free from his charge of keep¬ 
ing a god which he had learned could neither keep others 
nor himself. 
Next in rank to Rakelimalaza is Ramahavaly; a name 
which signifies, “ capable of replying.”^ A house is allot¬ 
ted for his occasional residence at the capital; but his home 
is Ambohitany, a village about two miles distant from 
* This name formed the subject of some addresses to the schools, point¬ 
ing out the correctness of such an appellation in reference to the true God, 
and to no other—to Him who is able to answer if worshipped, if obeyed, 
if consulted, if despised—who is, in the fullest sense of the words, “ able 
to answer.’’ 
