hended and subjected to the heaviest forms of punishment. The decree failed to shake the faith of the believers. They were kept by the power of Christ from dishonouring Him, and bringing upon themselves what would have been worse to bear than death.

"At Vornizongo," says Mr. Ellis, "when the judge urged the people to take the oath which recognised the idols, and to implore the prescribed curses on themselves if they violated it, Rabodomanga stood forth and said, 'I do not pray to wood and stones, nor to the mountains; unto God alone do I pray, for He is great, He cannot have associates.' One of the officers said: 'You wretch! will you not pray to the spirits of the ancestors and to the idols?' The heroic Christian woman answered: 'I do not pray to these ; it is God alone whom I worship.'

Such was in substance the answer of all who were examined. Unable to persuade, or get them to take the oath required of them, the judges pronounced their punishment. Many were condemned to labour in chains for

life, others sold into slavery, more than sixteen hundred were heavily fined, officers of rank were degraded, and eighteen, including four nobles, were given over for execution.

And how were these sentences received? Did they frighten any upon whom they were passed into a surrender? Never did those who were so condemned hold the truth with a firmer grasp than when they passed from the tribunal to suffer. They counted it a privilege to suffer for the name of the Lord Jesus. Those who were condemned to die. began to sing:

"There is a beauteous land,

Making most blessed."

As it was contrary to Malagasy law for nobles to die the death of common men, the four who were among those ordered off for execution were condemned to be burnt alive. As they were carried along, tied by cords to poles, to where the fire was prepared for them, they commenced singing the hymn beginning with the words:

The last verse, which might have been written for that hour, as Mr. Ellis says, is:

"Enemies and friends would alike understand the feeling and the significance of this hymn. It was the expression of the assurance of their hope, full of immortality; and it was a triumphant answer to the slander of one of the most implacable of their persecutors, who had declared that when they sung this and similar hymns they were singing lies, for they were as much afraid of death as others."

Thus they sung until they reached the spot where one large pile of firewood was built up, and they were then fastened to stakes a little above the wood. When the pile was kindled, and the flames were rising, they prayed and praised the Lord. Among the utterances

then heard by those around them were these:

"Lord Jesus, receive our spirits. Lay not this sin to their charge." And, as if visions of the future triumphs of the Lord were given to their departing spirits, one was heard to exclaim: "His name, His praise, shall endure for ever."

"While thus enduring and praying, a large and triple rainbow, the sign of God's promise and faithfulness, was stretched across the heavens, one end seeming to rest upon the spot whence the martyrs' spirits were departing. Some of the spectators, to whom the phenomenon appeared supernatural, fled in terror; but one who faithfully remained to the end records of the Christians: 'they prayed as long as they had any life. Then they died; but softly, gently: indeed, gentle was the going forth of their life, and astonished were all the people around that beheld the burning of them there.'"

As died the nobles, so did the others, who were hurled from the edge of a precipitous rock and dashed to pieces.

They were faithful unto death, and had

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their reward. The Saviour, for whom they sacrificed life and all else they possessed on earth, was specially with them in their last moments, filled them with a fuller joy and peace than they had ever known, and took from them all fear of suffering and death. They therefore went to their martyrs' doom with the song of triumph and praise on their lips, as brides to their marriage, or the heirs of kingdoms to their thrones.

But that was not all. They did more, by the way in which they suffered and died, for the cause of Christianity in Madagascar than they had done by all their witness-bearing for it in life. They thereby confirmed the faith of many, and led not a few of the enemies of the gospel to feel that the religion for which men and women could so die could not be the system of doctrine and practice which they had been accustomed to believe. "The blood of the martyrs thus became the seed of the church."