Five years ago there was only one man west of Arívonimámo, who professed to be a Christian: and he proved to be a pretender. The old heathenism of the country was unbroken. The petty idols, the magical charms, lucky and unlucky days, were regarded with a veneration free from doubt. The sovereign of their country was looked up to, as twenty years ago a Russian peasant regarded the Czar, as God present upon earth. Except in a single case, no faithful Christians fled hither, during the days of persecution, as they fled to Vonizongo. There was no silent teaching, no quiet moulding, of public and social life, by the words and the example of martyrs, which other districts and towns enjoyed. Heathenism remained unchecked, unattacked, unconquered. But when the idols were burned all over Imerina, the superstitious regard of the great people for their Queen, naturally led them to say to their dependents and slaves, “We must pray, as the Queen prays:” and an external change was the result. With it neither the missionaries nor the public authorities had anything to do. It was the act of the people themselves. Heathenism had taught them to follow their sovereign in every thing: and external heathenism was ruined as the result. Mr. Sewell informed us that when he first visited these people, and enquired who had taught them, what did they know, and how they worshipped, he could get no replies. He gave them the best help he could find, little as it was: and it has borne good fruit. They do know something of Christianity now. It is difficult to secure good teachers for them. The district is known to be unhealthy: the people are backward in every thing: life is rough; though food is plentiful. And it is only on the missionary principle of self-denying labour for the Lord’s sake, that native preachers and their wives can be induced to settle among them. One such teacher and his wife we saw at Mahábo. And the bright face, the frank manners, and the clean, white dress, showed in a moment how superior they were in the range of their life and thought to the people among whom their lot was cast. One thing however Mr. Sewell said, had sprung from this great lack of instruction; which he observed more clearly every visit that he paid them. Knowing that others have this instruction, the longing of the people for teachers, for books, for Scriptures, has been intensified. We could see the proof of this ourselves. We had seen the same thing in other parts of the country, and were to see it again. Indeed among all the phenomena of religious life in Madagascar that have come under our own eye, this is the most prominent; that the ignorant multitudes of Malagasy are eager to learn about the Christianity, which the nation has chosen for its faith; and that they make the most attentive and docile scholars that any Christian missionary, English or native, can desire to instruct. We spent a pleasant Sunday among these people. The chapel was