The following letter addressed by Messrs. Johns and Freeman to the Directors of the London Missionary Society, under date November 6th, 1834, gives a general view of the religious state of the country at that period.

"We have been exceedingly gratified with the personal conduct of many. There is a seriousness and steadiness, and perseverance and diligence about them, which constrains us to hope that their hearts have been opened by Him, by whose sovereign grace

'Dry bones are raised and clothed afresh

And hearts of stone are turned to flesh,'

We look on with wonder and surprise, and are often prompted to exclaim, This is the finger of God. The difficulty still remains as intimated in our last report of ascertaining the numbers under religious impressions. The preached word is listened to attentively, and the Scriptures are earnestly sought, and deligently examined. There are also several prayer-meetings held in the town during the week-evenings. The two principal circumstances which we wish to notice in connection with these meetings are, first that a spirit of prayer actually exists and increases among the natives; and second, that these meetings are con vened and conducted by the natives themselves. They frequently request our attendance, to give an exhortation, and lead the service; but the houses are their own residences, and they consider themselves as acting on their own convictions, at the movement of their own minds, and from a consideration of present obligation to employ the means in their power of spreading around their respective neighbourhoods the knowledge of the true God, and of eternal life.

It is not, however, exclusively in connection with the stations that fall immediately under our own personal observation, that a spirit of hearing and inquiring is awakened; God appears to manifest his purposes of mercy to this people, in raising up an agency of his own from among themselves, to carry on his own work. He is forming for himself his own instruments, giving them zeal and knowledge, imbuing them with love to the truth, and compassion for their countrymen, and thus supplying the exigencies of his cause by their unexpected instrumentality, and so compensating for our lack of service. And as a specific illustration of this point we may remark, that in a district to the west of the capital, at a village about sixty miles distant, a small chapel has been lately erected by the zeal and devotedness of the natives, chiefly excited, however, by the exertions of a pious woman.

A very delightful spirit of enquiry is awakened in that district; and several of the adult natives, men of rank and importance in their station, conduct prayer-meetings, and engage themselves in those exercises with much apparent fervour, pleasure, and propriety. Another chapel is also being erected in a district to the south, perhaps 120 miles distant. Public worship, chiefly for prayer and reading the Scriptures, is held in many distant parts of the country, principally raised and conducted by those who were formerly scholars or teachers in the missionary schools. Applications from all these for books, and especially for the scriptures are very numerous."

General education and the mechanic arts, civilization and Christianity were thus rapidly advancing the temporal and spiritual well-being of the nation, when persecution interfered with the rights of conscience and formed the infernal, but vain purpose of extirpating the religion of Jesus. Radama,

the late lamented monarch, whose death occurred in the month of July, 1828, took great interest in the diffusion of secular and sacred knowledge, and embraced every opportunity to encourage the Missionaries in their praise-worthy labours. Ranavolona his successor, likewise publicly guaranteed religious liberty, and expressed before assembled thousands her unqualified approbation of all measures to promote the welfare of the country which had received the sanction of the king, her predecessor; but scarcely had she ascended the throne before the royal promise was broken, and deep-rooted hostility manifested against the gospel.

The reasons which have induced other rulers to oppose the Christian faith were perhaps the identical ones that dictated the policy of the Queen. Ignorance and superstition which have upheld tyranny in every age were rapidly decreasing in every part of the island; while the gospel which defines the rights of beggar and prince, and supports both with the same divine authority-which raises up in every country, men like Peter and John who refuse with iminoveable firmness to obey commands of earthly sovereigns which contravene the laws of God, was taking fast hold of the minds and affections of the people both in the capital and provinces. It was consequently apparent to this arch-oppressor, that if Christianity continued to spread tyranny must eventually die. She therefore chose the line of policy adopted by Nero and Caligula. To this may be added, that Ranavolona no longer sustained the character of Cæsar's wife, and might regard the chastity of the Christian females as a reflection upon her own morals.

Influenced by these or other reasons she commenced the dreadful work. In the early part of his reign Radama passed an act prohibiting the use of wine and spirituous liquors. Though it had never been thought to have reference to Europeans and was not universally observed by the natives, it still remained the law of the land; and resolving to embarrass the Christians she commanded them to use water instead of wine at the sacrament of the Lord's supper.

Being after many endeavours unable to induce the Queen to exempt them, in the enjoyment of their religious privileges, from the operation of this act, the communicants deemed it their duty to comply with her wishes. While yielding thus to arbitrary power which interfered with the institutions of heaven cannot be commended, every person of correct sensibility will sympathize with the afflicted pastor and flock, though he may question the propriety of the course they pursued on this trying occasion.

No sooner was this law enforced than an order was issued prohibiting all belonging to the army and educated in the Government schools from receiving the rite of baptism, or being admitted into Christian fellowship, and commanding those of these two classes who had already joined the church to refrain in future from partaking of the sacramental elements. By the close of the year, excepting Europeans, this order was extended to all persons in the Malagasy dominions. Shortly afterwards an edict was published forbidding masters to allow their slaves to learn to read or to write on pain of the slave being visited with the severest punishment, and the master himself being reduced to slavery.

About the same period a law was passed, prohibiting the people from attending divine worship, keeping the Sabbath, reading the scriptures and from even thinking of religious subjects. It was declared that the transgression of this law would be punished by the death of the offenders, the confiscation of their property, and if married, the slavery of their wives and children. They were likewise commanded to accuse themselves and to give up all religious books in their possession, and were fined and degraded in rank according to the extent they had followed the instructions of the Missionaries.

"Among others, a distinguished Christian female, Rafaravavy, was in great danger of losing her life. An accusation was laid against her before the government by some of her slaves, of her having observed the Sabbath, retained and read a copy of the scriptures, and conversed with some of her companions on religious subjects. These were the crimes laid to her charge. She denied not, but confessed the truth of the accusation. In daily prospect of death, she then remarked to a beloved friend, to whom she was accustomed amidst mutual tears to pour out the feelings of her heart, that as to her life, she felt indifferent; that, if her blood were to be shed on the land, she trusted it might be the means of kindling such a feeling of interest in Madagascar as should never be extinguished. Did not the Saviour forewarn us, said she, that we should incur the hatred of all men for his sake? The Son of God has died in our stead, and that will shortly redeem us from all our sufferings. I know in whom I have believed; and though my blood be shed, the word of God must prosper in this country. She added, with great feeling, Pray for me, that if it be the Lord's will I should suffer now, that he would take my soul to himself; but that, if I am spared, I may live more than ever to his glory. Nothing grieved her, she remarked, so much as the spiritual state of those around her; and the immediate prospect of martyrdom itself appeared less painful to her than seeing all her connexions living in wickedness.

"The queen did not, at that time, think fit to inflict on her the punishment of death. She was condemned to pay a fine, equivalent to half the amount of her estimated value, if sold into slavery, and was severely threatened, and warned that though her life was spared, she should be taught a lesson not to trifle with the edict of the queen. Scarcely could a more striking example of Christian forgiveness and meekness be found in all the records of the church, than she displayed on this trying occasion

towards her accusers. She sought Divine mercy on their behalf, earnestly admonished them, affectionately prayed with them, sought to lead them to repentance, and endeavoured to direct them to the Saviour."

The christians now met in places of concealment, in their own houses, and on the Sabbath in caverns among the rocks, in the recesses of forests, and on the summits of mountains. In these meetings they enjoyed much of the divine presence, and delightful fellowship with each other. Though strictly watched, no infringement of the unjust edict of the Queen was discovered till the last Sabbath in the month of July or the first in August. They were then seen engaged in reading the Scriptures and in social worship, on the summit of a mountain, at a short distance from the capital.

"The premises of the suspected parties were searched, for the purpose of finding ground of accusation against them, and a box of books, namely, copies of the scriptures and other Christian publications, that had been given by the Missionaries, being found buried near the house of that eminent Christian Rasalama, she was apprehended and imprisoned; her house, her entire property, was given up to plunder, her person secured, and her hands and feet loaded with heavy iron rings. She was menaced in vain during a period from eight to ten days, to induce her to impeach her companions. She remained firm, and perfectly composed; and was put to death by spearing on the 14th of August, 1837.

"She was wonderfully supported to the last moment of her life. No feature in her Christian character appears to have been more distinctly manifested than her steadfastness and fidelity even to the death. Although the queen forbade her, she did pray, even when in irons; and continued to preach Christ to the officers and to the crowd that followed her for nearly three-quarters of a mile, from the place of public condemnation to the place of common execution. Here she continued to pray and exhort all around her to believe in Jesus Christ, even till the executioner's spear, thrust through her body, deprived her of the power of utterance.

"Never in the annals of the church did a Christian martyr suffer from motives more pure, simple, and unmixed with earthly alloy. She had never heard of any after glory of martyrdom on earth. No external splendour had been cast around the subject in her mind, by reading any lives of martyrs. All was to her obloquy and contempt. If the blood of the martyrs be the seed of the Church, we may trust Rasalama will not have died in vain. She died directly and exclusively in defence of the Gospel.

"Fifteen others have been apprehended, and condemned to the utter and final loss of liberty, never to be redeemed by their friends; and with the further stipulation that, if transferred to other masters, it shall be on the condition of their being compelled to labour from morning to night, to the utmost limit of their strength. Their property has also been confiscated; of those who were married, their wives and children, whether professing Christianity or not, have also been reduced to slavery, but with the mitigating circumstance of permission to be redeemed. The total number thus affected is said to amount to nearly one hundred."

The last accounts brought intelligence of another female having been crucified, and considerable numbers having had accusations preferred against them. Though the state of Ma

dagascar is exceedingly distressing, it does not justify feelings of despondency, but leaves encouragement for the exercise of hope. The Christian religion is imperishable: it has stood with the unyielding firmness of a rock the attacks of Porphyry and Julian, and of other legions of foes that have followed in the train of these distinguished adversaries. Tyrants and persecutors, hypocrites within and avowed enemies without, though arrayed against it like so many fiends, have been unable to destroy it. In vain therefore do the kings of the earth set themselves, and rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed. Truth must prevail and Madagascar be a portion of the Saviour's spiritual dominions; he must have given unto him the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession; for sooner shall the heavens pass away than the declarations of Jehovah fail. Should man, as the Moravian Greenland Missionaries said, ever lose his road, let him never lose his faith in God.

If, however, a people ever required the sympathies and prayers of the church the brethren and sisters in Madagascar at present especially need them.

Deprived of their pastors whom government has compelled to leave the country, they are left as sheep without a shepherd a prey to the devouring wolf. Yet enlightened and sanctified by divine grace they stand forth as witnesses of Jesus not knowing what may befall them. May their faith fail not, and grace be given them commensurate to the necessities of their day.

SCRUTATOR.

Missionary and Religious Entelligence.

1.-MISSIONARY AND ECCLESIASTICAL MOVEMENTS.

During the last month the following Ministers and Missionaries have left for Europe. The Rev. W. O. Ruspini; Rev. A. Garstin, Mrs. Garstin and children; Rev. W. Buyers, Mrs. Buyers and family; Rev. R. Bayne, Mrs. Bayne and family.-The Rev. Messrs. Robertson and Bateman, formerly chaplains on this establishment, have retired from the service. We regret to announce the death of Mrs. Thomas, the wife of the Rev. J. Thomas, of the Baptist Mission in this city; she died on the morning of the 23rd ult. after a few days' illness. Her end was peace. May the Lord sustain our Baptist friends under these quickly successive bereavements. We are confident many of our friends will rejoice to hear of the complete restoration to health of our excellent friend Mrs. Lyons, formerly of Banáras; through God's mercy she is quite restored.-We are happy to learn that the American Freewill Baptist Mission in Orissa,