The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-11-26
2 CHRISTMAS DAYS.
island of Madagascar the Only
Country Thus Favored.
Queen RanavaIona II on Ascending
Throne Became First Christian
; Ruler and Adopted "Glory to
God In Highest" Motto.

twice each year and that is the Island
of Madagascar, off the eastern coast
of the southern end Of Africa, and
which dominates that part Of the In
dian ocean.
Marco Polo. the great traveller, first
made this island known to medieval
Europe in 1898. 1t was nearly two
hundred years later when a Portu'
iguese traveller obtained the first au-
Ithentic information about the island'
lin 1887. From that time on there were
attempts by the Portuguese, French and
English to settle the island, and they
met with defeat at the hands Of the
wild and savage Hovas, who controlled
the island, and many died from Mala-
Exasy fever In the lowlands Of the coast.
iOn Christmas eve in 1872 all the
IFrenchmen at Fort Dauphin were MUIR
Idered by the natives. In 1910 Hova
chief, Radama I, young man, allowed
the Christian missionaries to teach
their Bible doctrines in the island, and
by 1920 Protestant Christianity was
,effectively introduced among the
sHovas.
First Christian Ruler.
Radama died in 1928, and one Of his
wives became Queen Ranavalona L.
She was bitter against the Christians
and prosecuted them in many cruel
ways, and she had her warriors from
the interior mountains of the island
massacre the native Christians, who
would not renounce the Christian God
and 20 back to the worship Of idols.
The cruel queen reigned until her
death In 1S61-a. wicked record Of 81
years. Then her son, Radama II, be-
came king, and although he was a
sreat drunkard and led a wild life
himself, lie allowed the Christian mis-
sionaries to come into the island again.
He was assassinated in the palace In
1883, and his widow, Rasoherina, was
proclaimed queen. Upon her death In
1888, a niece Of Ranavalona ascended
lthe throne as Ranavalona II. When q
girl, her gentle charities and sympa-
ithies with the Christians during their
prosecutions had won respect and love,
and when she became queen 1t was un'
:derstood that Madagascar had the first
really Christian ruler on its throne.
Between 1880 and 1896 the entire Bi'
lble had been printed In the Malagasy
language, also an English -Malagasy
dictionary. So, on the day other coro'
nation. the idol which had been promi-
lnent on similar occasions was banished
lby Ranavalona II, and a copy Of the
Malagasy Bible placed near the throne
while on the canopy above, in golden
letters, were the words: "Glory to God
I'm the Highest, Peace on Earth, Good
FWM to Men," With one hand on the
bible. the queen addressed the people,
depressing the hope that they would
adopt the Christian faith, but added !:
t~In this matter you shall not be COM
Ipelled."
! ordered Idols Destroyed.
She ordered her own household Idols
and the chief national idol to be burn
led and gradually her example was fol.
lowed by the general destruction OF
household idols among the Hovas. She
married the prime minister the fol-
lowing year and made public profes-
sion Of her faith, and from that time
'on the Christian religion has been
growing fast in the island.
The words over the canopy at her
coronation the queen knew to be spok'
ZEN by the angels in the sky when the
shepherds heard the noise Of wings
fat the. time the Christ was born IN
Bethlehem. Christmas Is celebrated
,all over the island now. But the Hovas
have different way Of computing time
and by their system Christmas falls
some time in November, and they cele
ibrate it then. The Christian date Of
December 25 is also celebrated by the
natives along with the missionaries.
But it is not a Christmas Of snow
and sleighbells. 1t is tropical country
and Christmas day Is under a torric
sun, but the sky is brilliant and the
magnificent Towering trees Of man!
vivid colors are filled with many pc
!culiar birds Of brilliant plumage, while
the ground beneath is bespangled Will
wild blossoms Of varied hues.