Thirty Years in Madagascar. By the Rev. T. T. Matthews.
(R.T.S. 6s.)—The story of Christianity in Madagascar is one of the most eventful in the annals of missionary enterprise. It began with a disaster. Two missionaries, each with a wife and child, landed in 1818, at the most unhealthy time of the year, and within three months five of the party were dead. Another beginning was made in 1820 under the protection of Radama I. " Send me missionaries," said the King, "if you will also send me artisans." Things went fairly well during his reign. He was succeeded by his widow, RAnavalona, I., a name famous in the story of persecution. She came to the throne in 1827, and in 1835 published an edict against Christianity. The first martyr, Rasalaraa by name, suffered on August 14th, 1837. There were not many executions, but many were sold into slavery, the Queen having already denounced the anti-slave trade treaties made with the British Government. Persecution was carried on at intervals for the next five-and-twenty years, the last and worst taking place in 1857. Four years afterwards Queen Ranavalona died. It was not her Christian subjects alone that suffered. Ten thousand victims are said to have perished during her reign by the poison ordeal alone. Her son, Radama II., was a worthless person. His widow, Rhsoherina I., had a brief reign ; her successor was RimavMona II., in whom Mr. Matthews recognises a true friend to Christianity. It is with her that his own experiences of the island began, for he came out in 1870. She died in 1893, and was succeeded by her niece, Ranavalona III. But now a new disturbing element came into active being,—French political action. Naturally the old compli- cation was repeated. France, anti-Clerical at home, is pro-Clerical abroad. Roman missionaries, for the most part firm believers in "temporal power," play a double part. Their main object, of course, is to overthrow Protestant rivals ; to do this they profess a vehement patriotism, with which they contrast the supposed anti-French designs of their adversaries. That these calumnies had some effect is only natural, and the missionaries suffered in consequence. It is satisfactory, however, to find that Mr. Matthews can speak with praise of the general demeanour of the French authorities in recent years. General Gallieni, who began by being strongly adverse, found reasons for altering his opinion. His first idea was that French interests would be best served by "stamping out Protestantism, and making the people Roman Catholics." But he changed his policy, and his successors have followed the better way. Mr. Matthews has, of course, something to say about anti-missionary prejudice of another kind. This expresses itself in much foolish talk. The critics of missions demand from native Christians a standard of faith and life which they do not attempt themselves to realise. And they do not know the real truth about heathenism. The Christian advocate has his mouth shut ; he simply cannot tell what he knows ; if he could, the weakest convert would show a great advance on his old condition.
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