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CIIAP. VI. PRESENT STATE OF CHRISTIANITY. 167 “ She is an idiot and does not know what she says. Take her away;” she was then taken from the place and afterwards sent to a distant part of the country. These fearful deeds of blood and fire were perpetrated in the month of March, 1849, and I did not learn that since that period persecution had been so violent as before, or that any had been put to death. Such appear to be some of the more prominent outlines of the progress of Christianity in Madagascar down to the period above specified. Of its present state all that is suitable to say is, that there is much to call forth sincere sympathy with the sufferers, to stimulate the prayers and encourage the hopes of those to whom its progress is an object of interest and soli citude. The hostility of the higher powers to the Christian religion did not, from all I saw and heard, appear to be so active and determined as formerly. This might be in part accounted for by the combined influence of several events, which, in the course of Divine Providence, have, since that period, occurred. Amongst these might be mentioned the adoption of the Christian faith by the young prince, the queen’s only son, and the heir apparent to the throne. This important event took place ten years ago, and has been fol lowed by the conversion of another member of the royal family, who has since become a sincere and devoted Christian. Death also has removed some high in authority and influence, who were unfriendly to the Christians, and their places have been filled by others differently minded; in reference to one of whom it is said that, when it was subsequently urged to impose a second period of labour as a penalty upon those who had already endured their sentence, he expostulated and said, “ They have acknowledged that of which they were accused, they have been sentenced to punishment and have borne the suffering inflicted, why should they be punished again?—the thunderbolt does not strike twice." It does not appear that
