“IT was in 1835 that the Sovereign of Madagascar I suppressed prayer to Jehovah God, and belief in Jesus Christ. After this, a kabary, or command, was given, telling the people that the queen forbade them to pray, to believe in Jesus Christ, or even to pronounce the name Jehovah. Then cannon were fired off to frighten the people.” Now do notice what followed! The Malagasy who wrote this account, says, “but we thought we ought, like Peter (Acts 5:2020Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. (Acts 5:20)), to obey God rather than man, for we exceedingly abhorred to deny Christ. So in Tinerina some regarded not the rigor of the queen’s law, but esteemed their bodies worthless as a bit of cast iron, and so also their goods; so they met and prayed, and said to each other, ‘we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven except through great tribulation.’
“Then the queen’s order came that none were to read the Bible anymore; and one slave, who had been learning it every night, and loved it, said, ‘then the devil will dance tonight.’ A few days after, the queen said, In this land it is impossible that there can be two sovereigns. The words you use I detest. You say of God, follow Him, believe Him. I swear I will not suffer such such fools in my land. I esteem not ten thousand people. I will cut off twice as many. You shall not change the customs of our ancestors.” Then every one was ordered to give up his Bible. But some hid theirs in boxes, or buried them under the earth, drawing them out at night-time to read. And so the Christians were left to themselves and to God. And still they went on praying.
“News was soon brought by a spy, that, fearless of death, some continued praying to Jesus.
“Then the queen sent and apprehended five. Not one denied having prayed, Rasalama was chosen to be the first martyr. They put her in guard, but still she sang much, ‘I have hope of life in heaven.’ so they bound her, and beat her severely. Still she prayed. When they led her to be killed, they took her past the house of prayer. ‘In that house,’ said she, ‘I heard of the Saviour;’ and as the people around shouted out, ‘Where is the God to whom she has prayed, that He does not save her now,’ she fell asleep.
“A soldier was the next to die. He showed no fear, but bade his wife a short farewell. Then he looked round and smiled, and said, ‘be not grieved for me. This will beautify me.’ Then he kneeled down, and so was speared.
“Another, on being commanded by the queen to worship an idol, said, ‘I must obey what God commands. I believe in Him, and trust in Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer of all that believe in Him.’ He with four others, was then burnt alive. Fourteen more were thrown over the rock Itsinihatsaka, and their bodies were afterward burnt.” A list then follows of those sentenced to other punishments. The whole number amounts to 1,903 persons.
And yet the word of God mightily grew and prevailed, though more than twelve years had passed since the last missionary had left the island.