the strongest terms that he would never again pray. However, he was reduced to the rank of a private soldier. Four nobles, who were Christians, were burned to death, Andriantsianoa of Tanjonibato, Ramitaka, nephew of Andriantsialia, Andriampamy and his wife. Fourteen were killed by being thrown down a fearful precipice, called Ampamarinana. A great number being securely bound were let down this precipce a certain distance, to frighten them, so as to induce them to take the oath; all who did so were saved, but those who persisted were dashed to pieces. Ramabonana astonished the spectators,-on being placed at the edge of the precipice, he entreated a little time to pray; as on that account, said he, I am to be killed.' It being granted, he prayed most fervently; after which he addressed his executioners, and spoke in the strongest terms. 'My body,' said, he, 'you will cast down this precipice, but my soul you cannot, as it will go up to heaven unto God. Therefore, it is gratifying to me to die in the service of my Maker.' Thus are the servants of the Lord destroyed!

"Rajaralakiandianzy, uncle of Josia Andrianilana, had been raised to the rank of the eighth honour, and sent as governor to Ambohitriana, to the south of Fanjavarino, bordering the west of Madagascar. He was numbered with those who were sentenced to be burned, but was pardoned, owing to his absence prior to the detection of the Christians. The sovereign said, 'Let him be, since he is not here; he has purchased his life by his timely appointment; but if he does not fulfil his duties properly, he shall be ordered to the capital, there he will be obliged to acknowledge his guilt before me.' The accusation against Rafaralaniandrianzy, prior to his appointment, was his interfering with a master while administering the Tangena to his slave, a female, who was far advanced in a state of pregnancy, and her sufferings were great, owing to her not vomiting the poison. He entreated the master in the following words, 'Do not give her any more poison, as she may die; but allow me to purchase her, which will give you money, and I will not suffer her to remain here, but will send her to a distant habitation.' The man, after making some objections, consented, and the nobleman sent her to his slaves in the forest, with strict orders that she was to be well attended to, for she was almost dead. The following persons, who had obtained eleventh honours, were degraded on account of their attachment to the gospel,-Ramongo, Rainhova, Andriantoivry, Andriantsinalia, and Ratsitambaky.

black race, saved his life by the most abject submission. The queen said, 'It is well you have done this, or I should have killed you. Future honours you will have none, and I will make you carry the musket.' Four of the Christians were then imprisoned for life. Ratsimavanidy and his brother are of the Christian people, and have twice been detected, with three other slaves, by misfortune, not by birth. The queen said to them, 'Do you not find your slavery burthensome enough, without seeking to add to it by praying? you shall never be free.' The young prince was angry with the man who had betrayed the Christians, and said, 'When I am king he shall be richly rewarded.' The rest of the Christians were not put to death, but were forced to pay the usual Hasina money, presented to the sovereign in token of submission and respect. With regard to Mohilla, the pupils are few, arising from the fear of the Mahomedan law. Two young men only appear desirous of learning. They regularly attend the meeting, which is composed of a chief from Cape Ambre, and a colonel, both Malagasy refugees, together with a few others who read tolerably well; but the Spirit has not as yet entered their hearts, and it is the Lord only who can enable them to know the truth, in order that they may be saved. Andrianhana is tolerably well at present, considering that he does not enjoy the best of health. As for me, I continue to be in good health, and have been so ever since you last heard from me. Salutation to Mr. Le Brun, and to our beloved friends of the whole congregation. We shall never cease to pray for you all, that the Almighty may bless them and your works of faith, and increase your strength. In our turn we ask of you not to forget us in your humble prayers. Also, we beg of you to entreat the blessing of the Lord upon the few Malagasys who have arrived here, and upon our persecuted friends in Madagascar, that He would fortify them with his Holy Spirit, that they may support the loss of their honours by the continued love of Christ Jehovah, the kind Redeemer, who is always at hand to console in the day of suffering. We are waiting your orders; if there are pupils, and you should want us at the Mauritius, let us know, and we will obey. As for ourselves, we give this place the preference to live in, which is better for us, as we are advancing in years.

"That blessings may attend you continually, is the ardent wish of

"JOSEFA RASOANIALKA. "JOSIA ANDRIANILAINA."

court between them, for light and air to the centre of the building. The hall will of course rise from the lower story to the roof; but the rest of the building will be two-storied, the rooms above answering to those below. Of the rooms above, two will be used as a Library; two as Lecture-rooms; and the remainder, above and below, will be used as Class-rooms. The larger rooms will contain two classes each; the smaller ones, one class; and six classes can be taught together in the hall, without interfering with one another. A gallery will be erected in the hall, for teaching the younger lads, on the infant-school system. This arrangement of the building will obviate the great inconvenience under which we have hitherto laboured, of having all our scholars in one room: in their ordinary daily instruction, they will all be separated; while, when occasion requires, we can summon them all together. The building will contain comfortable accommodation for 28 classes, and 1100 scholars.

"The outward appearance of the Institution is as noble as its internal arrangement is convenient. It will stand on the site of the present house, and be the most prominent and commanding object at the Mission Station. In width it will occupy nearly one-third of our high-road frontage (being 95 feet); while in length it will run nearly across the premises (being 180 feet long, with the portico). From the ground to the parapet its height will be 43 feet. The building will be in the pure Doric style, which, in addition to its exceeding beauty, has the recommendation of being well adapted to this part of India, where we

get no stone. The cost of the building, including internal fittings, is to be 38,000 rupees. The sum I mention cannot but be regarded as very small for so large a building.

"The Dwelling-house will be built in the south-east corner of the premises, close to the Christian village. Its outside measurements will be 68 by 56 feet, the longer side being from north to south; in this way it will not shut out the air from the south side of the Institution. It is to consist of a centre hall and side rooms, with a verandah across the south side. It will be two-storied. Accommo. dation will be secured in it for one or two class-rooms for the native girls' school, should it ever be brought near the house.

"The ground on the south side of the Institution will be appropriated to the garden, kitchens, &c., of the house; that to the north of it, together with the open court of the Institution, will furnish ample play-ground for the boys, out of school-hours. Along the north boundary (on the side of the cross road) will be built the students' rooms.

"Having determined these arrangements, we resolved to lay the foundation-stone of the Institution on Tuesday, April 8th. Dr. Boaz was unanimously chosen, as the most suitable representative of yourselves and of our Committee, to lay the stone. We agreed, also, to have sermons preached on the previous Sabbath, and to hold a little Missionary Meeting the same day. The actual proceedings on the happy occasion, you will find so fully recorded in the Calcutta Christian Advocate, that I need not add another word on the subject."

"On Sabbath, the 6th April, two sermons were preached at Union Chapel; in the morning by Dr. Boaz, in the evening by the Rev. A. F. Lacroix; and in the evening of the same day, a discourse was also delivered, by the Rev. G. Mundy, at Cooly Bazar," with special reference to the forthcoming and highly-significant ceremonial.

[Want of space compels us to limit our extracts to the concluding passages of Mr. Lacroix's discourse (taken from Prov. ii. 10, 11), which have a more special and immediate bearing upon the object.]

"My Christian friends, let me urge you to activity in spreading Divine truth among those who are unacquainted with it. And where

could you possibly be placed more advantageously for this purpose than where you are -residing as you do in a land of idolatry and superstition, and among a people who may emphatically be said to be without God and without hope in the world?

"But it is not my intention on the present occasion to advert to the idolatrous inhabitants of this country in general. I shall confine myself to that class of them whose interests are at the present moment occupying our attention in a more special manner.

to the Hindoo rising generation.

I allude

"It may be advisable, for the information of those among you who are unacquainted with the history and details of Missionary work in this country, to state the reasons which have drawn more particularly the attention of the Missionaries of this and other Societies to that interesting part of the population.

"When the first Missionaries arrived in Bengal,-acting up to our Lord's command to preach the gospel, they devoted nearly the whole of their time and energies to the proclamation of the glad tidings of salvation to the adults, through means of the vernacular language. And truly, a more scriptural and excellent mode of proceeding could not have been adopted.

"With all this, experience showed that it was not as comprehensive as could have been desired, owing to certain local circumstances and peculiarities in the native feelings and habits, which rendered its use, to a certain degree, of limited application. The fact is, that comparatively few only of the most respectable and influential classes attended the preaching of the gospel in bazars and other places of public resort, because they objected to mixing in a promiscuous assembly with persons of the lowest ranks and castes. Hence the Missionaries had often to lament the absence, on these occasions, of the very individuals whom, from their position in society, it was of high importance they should influence. Again, it was found that preaching to fluctuating assemblies,-though the best, and in fact the only means of reaching the generality of the population, did not always allow to the Missionary sufficient time and opportunity to declare the whole counsel of God to his hearers, or to instruct them thoroughly in the doctrines of Christianity.

"The Missionaries deplored these adverse circumstances, and asked God for his guidance and interference;-nor were these withheld. Almost suddenly, a door of usefulness was opened which promised to be the most effective auxiliary to preaching, inasmuch as it, in a great measure, supplied the advantages which the former did not afford to the extent wished for. An almost universal desire to become acquainted with the English language and Western literature had existed among the young men belonging to the most respectable families in the land: of this, the Missionaries, among whom Dr. Duff was foremost, availed themselves to establish schools, where not merely a secular education of a superior kind should be given, but where in a special manner the saving truths of Christianity should be taught and inculcated.

"This succeeded beyond all expectation. Hundreds and thousands of young men, many of them appertaining to the influential classes, flocked to these schools, and continued in them long enough to go through a regular course of Christian education, including a close study of the Bible, its doctrines, precepts, and the evidences on which it is received as the Word of God. Numbers of the pupils acquired such a proficiency in this knowledge, as to equal, if not, in some instances, to surpass, the attainments of many young men brought up carefully even in Christian Europe. Thousands of these have already gone forth into the busy scenes of life, carrying with them such an acquaintance of the way of salvation, and such improved principles, as furnish the best hope, that when once their understandings are more matured by age, the restraints under which they at present labour shall be removed, and when the Holy Spirit shall be poured out upon the land, they will act up to their convictions, and embrace the truth as it is in Jesus, and cause a moral revolution to take place which must shake Hindooism to its foundations, and bring about a change so astounding and so general, that it will prove the fulfilment of that prophecy'that a nation shall be born in a day.' Indeed, limited as the results of Missionary educational institutions have hitherto necessarily been, they have already done much towards the spread of a knowledge of our holy religion, far and wide in the country, and tended much