were the preachers of the word to them, when Rabetsarasaotra and Rasoalandy* were mentioned as the preachers. "On the 28th, another large assemblage of the people took place, when the officers of the palace, having thanked them for their good attendance, delivered the queen's message:'I, the Queen of Madagascar, say that no religion whatever, excepting that of Andrianampoinimerina and Radama, and the customs of your ancestors, shall be ever introduced and practised in this my country: anything else is totally rejected by me. Had I not ordered the followers of the new religion to inculpate themselves, they would soon overturn the country, and all the people would follow them. I consider them rebels; therefore, I tell you how I have punished them, as the spirits of Andrianampoinimerina and Radama have revealed them to me. The preachers and the persons that brought back their books, and those that sold the books to others, I have set apart, and ordered the soldiers to keep them separate from the multitude, and I have also set the slaves apart.' "The Christian confessors, before enumerated as having been placed under arrest, were then brought into Analakely, being borne by two poles on men's shoulders, wrapped in mats from head to foot, and their mouths stuffed with rags, to prevent them from speaking, the female, Ranivo, alone being unconfined, and made to walk behind. "The following were the punishments appointed to be inflicted upon them by the queen: "1. The wives and children of all taken by the officers were reduced to slavery. "2. The slaves that were taken, and also the slave accused of preaching the word, were condemned to work in chains during the remainder of their lives. "3. The wives and children of the preachers were condemned to pay half the value of their persons, as if they had been sold as slaves. "4. Half the value of the persons and property of those who brought back their books was confiscated. "5. The multitude that inculpated them *To these persons I had the honour of giving the right hand of Christian fellowship.-Note by Mr. Griffiths. selves were to atone for their crime by paying each three bullocks and three dollars; but half of that sum was forgiven them. "6. And with regard to the noble band ef confessors, who were prepared to sacrifice everything for Christ, the sentence was :-that four of them, viz., one of the first five taken at the outbreak of the persecution, and three of those arrested on the 14th of March, should be BURNT ALIVE; and their bodies were accordingly consumed in the flames. (See Engraving, page 257.) The rest of the martyrs, FOURTEEN in number, were condemned to be thrown over the precipice at Itsinihatsaka, and their bodies to be afterwards burnt at the same place where their companions had suffered, and which sentence was executed upon all of them. "7. And the slaves that were found guilty upon their own confession, were condemned to receive twenty stripes, in addition to their payment of the same sum with the other criminals, as an atonement for their sin of praying. "Then all the people, excepting the Christians, were called upon to take the oath of allegiance, by forcing a spear into the carcase of a bullock, and drinking the holy water mixed with the holy earth taken from the tombs of the deceased kings. "The Christians who had been condemned to slavery were then sold, in the presence of the people. "Announcement was then made, that the queen intended to erect a memorial-stone in each of the six provinces of Imerina, to forbid the practice of the new religion in her country. "The Prince Ramanja, the queen's nephew, was condemned to pay one hundred dollars, as an atonement for his sin in worshipping the true God; Rajoaka, an officer of the palace, was also condemned to pay fifty dollars; but both of these penalties were afterwards reduced to one-half, and all the degrees of honour which the (Christian) officers in the army, and in other departments of govern ment, had enjoyed, were forfeited. "On the 29th of March, upon the petition of the officers and people, the queen consented to reduce the redemption-money imposed upon the wives and children (of Christians) who had been made slaves; but, on the fol fifty dollars; but one-half of the amount was afterwards remitted. "6 persons, who had been punished before, were condemned to work in chains for their lives. "1 slave, for preaching the word, was condemned to work in chains for his life. "I slave, taken by the queen's officers, received a similar sentence: "Making altogether a total of 1903 persons who have been called to suffer the various punishments above indicated, for the alleged crime of having embraced or favoured Christianity. On the 10th of November, the Christian officers who had lost their honours and been reduced to the rank of common soldiers, were ordered to build a stone house. On arriving at the appointed place, they had to raise the stones, and carry them to the building, for a whole year; and they were compelled by their taskmasters to work hard every day, without any adequate supply of food or clothing. The distressed Christians who have been subjected to this degradation and misery, have since been branded by their enemies with a peculiar epithet, significant of the queen's dislike to their religion. They are called Tsihianarana, or, That which is not to be imitated.'" INDIA. DEEPLY AFFECTING CASE OF TWO YOUTHFUL CONVERTS. In the course of last year, a series of lectures on Christianity as contrasted with the various false systems of religion prevalent in India, was delivered to the educated native youth of Calcutta, by the Missionaries of the various societies labouring in that city. The lectures appear to have been attended by the most salutary results, and it is an indisputable fact that, since that time, a spirit of inquiry has manifested itself more widely among the young men, especially of the upper classes, in Calcutta, than at any preceding period. We have recently had the gratifying duty to announce the conversion and baptism of six of the students, in the Society's Institution at Bhowanipore, and we are happy to learn that the faithful labours of the agents of another Society have also been blest by the Lord of the harvest. The following article, from the "Home and Foreign Record of the Free Church of Scotland" for last month, is supplied by the Rev. W. S. McKay, under date Calcutta, August 8th. The writer, after referring to the striking events which had taken place in the Bhowanipore Institution, and also to the remarkable fact of the baptism of the Baboo Gyanendra Tajore, proceeds to describe the interesting circumstances attending the conversion and baptism of two students, named Bhaban and Ram Chandra, in the Institution of the Free Church at Calcutta. But the most striking part of Mr. McKay's communication is that which describes the case of two other native youths, of a respectable Hindustani family, who, on avowing their entire belief in the truth of Christianity, and their determination to follow out their convictions by receiving the rite of baptism, were exposed to an ordeal inexpressibly painful, and which cannot fail to inspire in the reader feelings of the deepest commiseration and sympathy. Though, by a recent Act, the Hindoo embracing the Christian faith is no longer liable to the confisca tion of his property, it will be seen from the following most affecting narrative, that when the young convert is called to break asunder the last links that bind him to the creed of his fathers, he is sometimes exposed to trials far more appalling to a generous and sensitive mind than the mere loss of property or any other worldly advantage. "The two young men," observes Mr. McKay, "whose painful case I have to lay before you, were brothers, of a respectable Hindustani family, and particularly prepossessing in appearance and deportment. Their complexion was unusually fair; and I have rarely seen more frank, open, intelligent, and amiable countenances. They had been with me before, and I had warned them not to come to us until they had committed themselves unto the Lord in prayer, and were deliberately resolved to leave all for his sake. On the very evening that Bhaban and Kam Chandra were baptized, they left their family, and came to us. I found, on conversing with them, that they, too, belonged to the little band of inquirers, of whom I have already written, and of whom I hope to have more to write hereafter; for they are all under our eye, and in our hearts. "It appeared that they were originally students of Seal's college (a Hindoo, or rather infidel, institution, set up in opposition to the Missionary schools), and had gone with others to hear the lectures, addressed, as I have already mentioned, to the educated natives. The lectures set them a-thinking; and they were brought by a friend (also in that college) to our catechist Behári Lál, in order that they might learn from him something about the gospel. Behári very judiciously advised them to go to our Institution; and they were accordingly admitted into it about eight months ago; being perhaps the only instance, among the many thousands whom we have taught, of young men coming to us only that they might hear of the gospel. They became very speedily convinced of its truth, and they showed so much knowledge, conviction, earnestness, and apparent faith, that I would not have scrupled at once to baptize them. Next morning, as usual, they were visited by their relatives; and their father, a remarkably intelligent man, with a winning and affectionate manner, was twice with them before noon, but they were quite firm and unmoved. A little after three o'clock, just as we were rising from dinner, news was brought to us that the mother was at the gate. My wife offered to take her into a private room, where she could see no one but her two boys; but she declined, saying that the honour of her family would be lost were she to go under an European roof. Her palanquin was therefore put down under one of our windows, and her two sons were brought to her. As soon as she saw them, she became literally frantic with grief; she drew them to her; she folded them in her arms; she clung to them, weeping passionately, and breaking out into exclamations that wrung the heart. She imputed no blame to them, found no fault with them, declared that she wished to throw no obstacle in the way of their following their consciences; but for all that she had done and suffered for them, for all the love and affection with which she had cherished themespecially her first-born-she only besought them to go home with her for that one night, and to give their parents a few last hours to weep with them ere they left them for ever. She appealed to my wife in the most moving terms, whether this were not a small boon, and asked her whether she would not have done the same, had her son been in like circumstances. For nearly three hours this painful scene continued; other relatives stood weeping around, but the mother's sobs, and shrieks, and entreaties, were incessant, and the grasp with which she held her sons never relaxed for a moment. None of us were able to bear the sight of her agony, and we were obliged to go away at intervals, to compose our minds. It may be imagined, then, what the two young men must have suffered. It was a noble and a holy spectacle to look at them. Pale and trembling in every limb, they reasoned with their mother, gently, affectionately, and most respectfully, but with a firmness that was wonderful. They assured her that baptism would make no change in their love to her; they pointed out to her, that, even though her tears and entreaties prevailed upon them to accompany her, their convictions would remain unchanged; that they would return to us, and that all this sorrow and agony would have to be endured again. To all this she had one unvarying answer: Only come with me tonight; return to-morrow, if you will.' The lads asked me if they should wrench themselves from their mother's hold, and go away from her; but, knowing how it might be misrepresented, I could not advise them to do so. Throughout, these two amiable youths appeared to have the air and the spirit of martyrs; for hours they resisted the strongest pleading on earth-the yearning cry of the mother for her first-born. At last, human nature began to give way; and the arrival of the uncle-a splendid-looking, and evidently a very able man, decided them. The oldest said to me, with tears in his eyes, 'I go with my mother; but I will return to-morrow;' and the youngest followed his example, saying, If they have taken my brother, they will take me also.' They went away, in good faith, believing that they were to return but, like the young man in the gospel, they went away pale, downcast, and 'very sorrowful.' They have written to one of our catechists since, saying that they are confined, and asking for 'James's Anxious Inquirer,' which was sent to them. We scarcely dare to hope that they will return to us; but we leave them with their God, and to the prayers of Christ's people. Such a defeat is all but equivalent to a victory. It is well to mention that their relatives stated that they had been treated with perfect fairness and kindness. "Oh! my dear friend, such scenes teach us how hard it is for flesh and blood to take up the cross, and leave all for Christ; and they should teach the church what her part is towards these young souls, who have been obliged to undergo so fiery an ordeal." JAMAICA. DYING TESTIMONY OF AN AGED AFRICAN. THE eventful history of many Africans doomed by European cruelty to exile, far from the land of their fathers, furnishes a striking commentary upon the words of the patriarch,-" So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God." In this, as in innumerable other instances, the wickedness of man has been rendered subservient to the wisdom and the grace of God on behalf of the oppressed. Many an unhappy captive, once groaning beneath the scourge of the taskmaster, has, in the country of his bondage, been not only invested with the rights of citizenship, but also brought, under the ministry of the word, to rejoice in the light and liberty of the Gospel of Christ. The following account of the dying experience of one of these Christian captives is furnished by the Rev. J. Andrews, under date Morant Bay, 25th Sept. ult., and we are unwilling to impair its effect by altering the language in which the venerable saint gives expression to his feelings : "I have the pleasure to send you a brief account of the interesting circumstances attending the death of one of the aged members of my church. The subject of it, named James Stewart, was an African, who, in early life, had been robbed of his liberty, brought to this island, and reduced to slavery. "One day, in visiting the afflicted Christian, the following conversation took place:"Minister. 'Do you feel happy now you are afflicted, James?' "James. Ye mean if me happy, dat you mean, minister?' "M. 'I want to know if you feel happy in your mind, now that your body is suffering so much pain.' "J. O yes, me do feel happy, dat me do! Me know de Sabior (Saviour) lob me, and me lob him; dafore, whateber him say, me bear pation.' "M. But what is it that causes you to feel so happy, and makes you willing to bear patiently your pain?' "J. Because me feel ine seek me Sabior when in helt (health), and Him no lef me now me sick. If me no seek religion when me well, wat wid a become a me? Me bin loss quite quite loss! Yes, me know dat, but me Sabior dead for me, and he willin dat me be saby.' "M. Have you any righteousness of your own by which you hope to be saved, and wherein you can trust?' "J. Ritousness (he exclaims)! Me hab none-me no say dat Massa (i. e. God) wi sabe me because me good, but me belebe in me Sabior-me ax him sabe me, and him will, hin will; and me tink, too, him make me free from sin-doe me sin ebery day me lib, but fast me go to Massa, him forgib, and so me say, me free from sin.' "M. But why do you think God has forgiven you?' "J. 'Christ came into de world to dead for me, and he forgib all who go to him -him blood wash all from sin-him die to sabe me most wicked sinner. You know, minister, him neber turn away any dat go to him.' "M. Do you feel afraid of death?' "J. 'You know, minister, debil wicked person-he bodder me too much-he come to put bad toughts in me heart, and he want to fritten me. Sometime he make me a little bit fritten, but den me pray to me God, and debil go, and me no fraid. De Sabior will be wid me, den me heart come easy, and me feel me be sabed.' "M. 'You must not trust to what you feel in your heart, for the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.' "J. 'Yes, me know so; me no trus altogeder to me heart-me go by wa de Book (Bible) say: wa de Book say, and me heart say, me belebe; but, minister, when me heart say wa de Book no say, me know dat Satan work, so me no belebe him.' "M. Which do you think you would like best, to live or to die?' "J. 'Me wait Massa's (God's) will.' "While reading a few verses from 'the Book,' which I considered applicable to his state, he frequently sighed, and at the close exclaimed, 'Yes, yes!' Having prayed with him, and about taking my leave of him, he said: 'Tank you, minister. God bless you. Pray for me. Do pray for me! Massa bless you, minister.' "The last time I saw him he was too feeble to maintain a conversation, but just before his happy spirit was released, he put un his hands in a praying posture, and cried |