The Martyr Church Author:William Ellis Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 36 CHAPTER II. Arrival of the first missionaries on the coast of Madagascar—Fearful ravages of illness and death—Renewal of the mission at the capital unde... more »r the auspices of Radama—The English language taught in the first schools—Radama's letter to the Missionary Society—Alarm of parents respecting their children—The native language reduced to writing—Arrival of missionary artisans—The native language taught in the schools—Commencement of public Christian worship on the Lord's day— "Wide extension of education—Increasing attendance at the Sunday services—Singing introduced into Christian worship— Arrival cf the first printing press—Eeview of the first ten years of the mission—Death of Radama—Assassination of his successor and friends—Eanavalona placed on the throne— The character and reign of Radama. Towards "the close of the last century, the recognition of the duty of Christians to communicate the knowledge of Christ to the heathen nations, was revived by the divine Spirit in the religious communities of our own country, and attention was soon afterwards directed to Madagascar. In 1814 the Eev. J. Le Brun, born in Jersey, educated in the Missionary Seminary at Gosport, was sent to Mauritius with a view to commencing his labours in Madagascar or in Mauritius, as divine Providence might open his way. He remained in the latter island, and devoted a long, blameless, and FIRST MISSION TO MADAGASCAR. 37 Ijenevolent life to the education and spiritual welfare of the slave population, accompanied with a large and lasting measure of the divine blessing. In Mr. Le Brun a number of unhappy' slaves from Madagascar found a kind and faithful friend, whose concern for the spiritual welfare of their countrymen terminated only with his life. Sir Eobert Farquhar, Governor of Maur...« less